Orthodox Easter Kulich (Paskha)

Orthodox Easter Kulich (Paskha), a cherished tradition, is a tall, cylindrical sweet bread that symbolizes the resurrection of Christ. Decorated with icing and often adorned with colorful sprinkles or candied fruits, it boasts a soft, fluffy texture and a delightful aroma of spices like cardamom and vanilla. This iconic treat holds a special place in Easter celebrations, embodying the spirit of renewal and joy.

Ingredients 

Sweet Stiff Starter

• 90g bread flour
• 40g water
• 45g active liquid sourdough starter 
• 9g sugar

Sponge

• 200g warm milk
• 100g sugar
• 100g bread flour
• 7g dry instant yeast

Main Dough 

• 160g sweet stiff starter
• 2 eggs
• 3 yolks 
• 100g sugar
• 45g sour cream 
• 500g bread flour
• 100g soft butter
• 30g oil without flavor 
• 12g salt
• Spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)

Orange Sparead

• 60g butter
• 1tbs orange paste
• 150g Raisins soaked in warm water or rum

Cream Cheese Spread

4 ounces cream cheese

80g sugar

1 egg yolk

Vanilla

Directions 

Sweet Stiff Starter

• 6 am dissolve sugar in the water, add liquid sourdough starter on its peak and whisk together, add flour, mix well, form a ball, place in jar, cover let ferment at room temp 30C/86F for 3-4 hours until it increases in volume in 2 or more times.

Stiff sweet starter will have lower hydration than regular liquid starter and will help us to lower the acidity of final product (learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch here).

Sponge

• 10 am, in a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, yeast, and flour. Place the sponge to ferment for 1 hour at 30-32°C/86-89°F until the mixture becomes foamy.

Dough

• 11 am to the sponge mixture, add eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, sweet stiff starter, and flour. Use the paddle attachment of your mixer. Start kneading on low speed for 3 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 12-15 minutes. Stop periodically to clear the sides of the bowl. The dough should become stronger and come together.Add butter and continue kneading on medium speed for 12-15 minutes. When the dough wraps around the paddle, add oil and knead until the dough is strong. Perform a windowpane test.

• Form the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it ferment at 30-32°C/86-89°F for 2 hours. During this time, you should start seeing signs of fermentation (the dough will become lighter and puffier).
• Note: At this point, you can continue with following steps, or you can refrigerate the dough overnight, and start with shaping next day.
• Meanwhile, prepare the orange and cream cheese spread by mixing all ingredients together, leaving the raisins aside.

• 1 pm Sprinkle the work surface with flour, then divide the dough into 2 equal portions (about 600g each). Roll each portion into a rectangle with sides measuring 20x40cm/8×16 inches.
• Spread the prepared spread all over the surface and sprinkle with raisins. Roll each piece of dough into a tight roll.

• Using a sharp knife, cut each roll in the middle lengthwise, leaving one edge uncut. 
• Take one part and start rolling it into a circle, then repeat with the second part of the dough.Place one circle on top of the other, tucking any uneven edges to create a round Kulich.

• Transfer the Kulich into a mold. I’m using paper molds for 750g of dough.
• Let it proof for 3-5 hours at 30°C/86°F until it doubles or more in volume.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the Kulichi into the oven, lower the temperature to 320°F and bake for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 330°F and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 97°C/206°F.

• If the top starts browning too quickly, halfway through baking, open the oven and cover the top of the Kulich with foil. Then, close the oven and continue baking.
• At the end of baking, check the internal temperature of the Kulich. It should be 97°-98°C/206°-210°F.
• Remove the Kulich from the oven and let it cool down. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Enjoy!

Orthodox Easter Kulich (Paskha)

233kcal

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Prep 1 hour hr

Cook 50 minutes mins

Total 8 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

A cherished Eastern European festive tradition, this tall, sweet brioche-style bread celebrates Orthodox Easter. By pairing a sweet stiff sourdough starter with a yeast sponge, the dough achieves a massive rise and an incredibly light, cloud-like texture. Swirled with an orange cream cheese spread and rum-soaked raisins, it is as beautiful to cut into as it is delicious.

Servings 16 servings

Cuisine Eastern European (Ukrainian / Ukrainian Orthodox)

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Sweet Stiff Starter (6:00 AM)

• ▢ 90 g Bread Flour
• ▢ 45 g Active liquid sourdough starter (at its peak)
• ▢ 40 g Water
• ▢ 9 g Sugar

Yeast Sponge (10:00 AM)

• ▢ 100 g Bread Flour
• ▢ 200 g Warm milk
• ▢ 100 g Sugar
• ▢ 7 g Dry Instant Yeast

Main Dough (11:00 AM)

• ▢ 160 g Sweet Stiff Starter (from build above)
• ▢ All of the Yeast Sponge (from above)
• ▢ 500 g Bread Flour
• ▢ 100 g Sugar
• ▢ 45 g Sour cream
• ▢ 2 Whole eggs
• ▢ 3 Egg yolks
• ▢ 100 g Unsalted butter (softened)
• ▢ 30 g Neutral flavorless oil
• ▢ 12 g Salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Ground spices (Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg blend)

Sweet Swirl Fillings

• ▢ 150 g Raisins (pre-soaked in warm water or rum, then drained)
• ▢ 60 g Butter (for orange spread)
• ▢ 1 tbsp Orange Paste
• ▢ 4 oz Cream cheese (softened)
• ▢ 80 g Sugar (for cream cheese spread)
• ▢ 1 Egg yolk (for cream cheese spread)
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Equipment

• ▢
  2x 750g Paper Kulich Molds (Traditional tall, cylindrical paper baking molds)
• ▢
  Stand Mixer (with paddle attachment)
• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Digital Instant-Read Thermometer

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Step 1 – The Leavening Agents

1. Starter: At 6:00 AM, dissolve 9g sugar in water, whisk in your active liquid starter, and stir in the flour. Knead into a firm ball and let ferment in a jar at 30°C (86°F) for 3–4 hours until tripled.
2. Sponge: At 10:00 AM, combine warm milk, 100g sugar, yeast, and 100g flour in your mixer bowl. Let ferment for 1 hour at 30–32°C (86–89°F) until foamy.

Step 2 – Mixing & Bulk Fermentation

1. Knead: To the foamy sponge, add the eggs, yolks, sour cream, remaining 100g sugar, sweet stiff starter, spices, salt, and the 500g bread flour. Mix with a paddle attachment on low for 3 minutes, then medium for 12–15 minutes until cohesive.
2. Enrich: Add the soft butter and knead on medium for 12–15 minutes. Once the dough wraps cleanly around the paddle, stream in the oil and mix until a strong windowpane is achieved.
3. Bulk Proof: Shape into a smooth ball and proof covered at 30–32°C (86–89°F) for 2 hours until light and puffy. (Note: You can alternative place the covered dough in the fridge overnight at this stage).

Step 3 – Spreads, Laminating & Shaping

1. Prep Spreads: Whisk the cream cheese, 80g sugar, 1 egg yolk, vanilla, 60g butter, and orange paste together into a smooth spread.
2. Roll: Divide bulk dough into two 600g portions. Roll each out on a floured surface into a 20x40cm (8×16 inch) rectangle.
3. Fill: Slather the filling mixture evenly across both rectangles and scatter the drained raisins on top. Roll each rectangle tightly into a log from the long edge.
4. Braid: Slice each log completely in half lengthwise using a sharp knife, leaving just one tip uncut. Coil one split side into a tight circle, then spiral the second split side over and on top of it, tucking the ragged edges under to form a tall, stacked circular loaf.
5. Final Proof: Drop each loaf into a paper mold. Proof at 30°C (86°F) for 3–5 hours until it doubles in size and reaches near the top rim.

Step 4 – Staged Baking

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Load the molds, immediately drop oven temp to 320°F (160°C), and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Increase the temperature to 330°F (165°C) and bake for an additional 25–30 minutes. (Pro-tip: Tent the tops loosely with foil halfway through if they brown too quickly).
4. Pull when an instant-read thermometer reads an internal temp of 97°C–98°C (206°F–210°F). Let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar or icing.

Nutrition

Calories233kcalCarbohydrates45gProtein7gFat3gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0.002gCholesterol60mgSodium64mgPotassium69mgFiber1gSugar13gVitamin A98IUVitamin C0.1mgCalcium18mgIron1mg

Notes

• Baking with Stiff Sourdough Only: If you prefer to omit the commercial instant yeast entirely, you absolutely can. However, you will need to bypass the 1-hour yeast sponge step and add your ingredients straight to the sweet stiff starter. Be prepared for significantly longer proofing intervals—your final rise in the molds will likely take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on your ambient room temperature.
• Adding the Salt: Ensure you add the 12g of salt directly into the mixer during the initial stage along with the main flour, sugar, and eggs. Do not wait to add it with the butter or oil, as the salt needs time to dissolve completely and help build initial gluten elasticity during the first 15-minute paddle run.
• The Role of the Sweet Stiff Starter: This recipe utilizes a starter with a lower hydration level (a stiff build) compared to a traditional liquid starter. This intentional drop in hydration profile is designed to significantly lower the natural lactic acidity of the final dough, yielding a wonderfully sweet, traditional flavor profile with zero sour notes.
• Managing Oven Browning: Because of the exceptionally high sugar, butter, and egg enrichment in this dough, the tops of the loaves will brown very rapidly. Keep a sheet of aluminum foil handy; checking on the bakes at the 25-minute mark and loosely draping foil over the crowns will save them from scorching while the core finishes baking.

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