A Russian tradition for Easter

Ingredients
•1 kg, 35.2 oz flour
•50 g, 1.76 oz yeast
•1-1.5 cups of milk
•10 egg yolks
•3 egg whites
•250 g, 8.8 oz sugar
•200 g, 7 oz butter
•100 g, 3.5 oz raisins
•25 g, 0.88 oz cognac/rum
•25 g, 0.88 oz raisins
•1 teaspoon ground cardamom and half a teaspoon ground nutmeg
•3-4 teaspoons vanilla sugar
•1 g, pinch salt

For the icing: The icing is optional but a delicious touch. You can also use commercially made icing if preferred.
•250 g, 8.8 oz sugar
•150 ml, 5.0 fl oz hot water
•1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparing the kulich batter
1. Boil half a cup of the milk.
2. Mix the boiled milk with 100 g, 3.5 oz of the flour until you get an elastic mass.
3. Dissolve the yeast in another half cup of warm milk. Mix this with 100 g, 3.5 oz of the flour and leave for 10 minutes for the yeast to react.
4. Combine the two mixtures, mix well, cover and leave for about 2 hours, or more, if needed for the mixture to leaven completely.
5. Meanwhile, mix the yolks, whites, sugar and salt, and whisk until white.
6. Add half of the yolk mixture to the yeast mixture, and let it rise over 2 hours. Then add the rest of the yolk mixture, add 500 g, 17.6 oz of flour and knead the dough until it stops sticking to your hands. Then leave the dough to rise over 2-4 hours. (We usually just leave it overnight somewhere dark and warm)
7. Melt the butter. Slowly add it to the dough, and mix in well. At this stage, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
8. Add the spices, raisins, and cognac. Mix through, then leave the dough to rise again.
9. Depending on the size you want the kulich to be, divide the dough if you need to and place the dough into the baking container. Remember that the container should only be filled halfway. Sprinkle some raisins on the top, and let the dough rise again until it fills about two-thirds of the container.

Baking the kulich
1. Coat the top of with egg yolk. Put the dough in the oven for about an hour.
2. Remove the kulich from the oven when baked. To check if the cake is ready, gently sink a knife into it. It should come out clean. Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack. It can be served without icing or you can go one step further and add icing.

Icing the kulich
1. Make the icing, if you’re using it. Place the sugar into a pan, mix it with the hot water and stir until dissolved.
– Bring the mixture to boil on high heat, without stirring.
– When the mixture begins to boil, remove the foam that forms at the top.
– Cover the pan and boil until it thickens.
– Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice.
– Get a mechanic whisker and beat the mixture until it becomes white and thick.
2. When cooled, add the icing. Decorate as you wish with baking decorations.