Kulich

Kulich is a tall, cylindrical Easter bread from the Russian Orthodox tradition, made with a sweet enriched dough of butter, egg yolk, almonds and raisins. It belongs to the wider family of paska Easter breads and is one of the most recognisable foods of the Easter season in Russia.

History

Eastern Slavs traditionally made festive breads that were round and tall, often decorated with dough shapes on top. The cylindrical form of kulich is linked to the church practice of baking artos, a bread blessed during the liturgy. The paska bread tradition spread through cultures connected to the Byzantine Empire, and similar Easter breads are still eaten in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The Russian version combines fermented sweet dough with butter, egg yolk, crushed almonds and raisins soaked in brandy and almond liqueur. It is baked in tall tins, and its dough is denser than that of the Italian panettone, to which it is often compared. After resting, the dough is divided into portions and placed in round moulds before baking, a process that takes around 30 minutes.

The bread is linked to Golgotha, the site where, according to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified, and to the Resurrection celebrated on Easter Sunday.

Culture

In Russia kulich is a central part of Orthodox Easter, a feast often observed with more solemnity than Christmas. Families bake it on Good Friday or Saturday, take it to church to be blessed by the priest, and cut it early on Easter Sunday after the Resurrection service. Blessed kulich is eaten before breakfast during the Easter season, while unblessed leftovers are traditionally served with paskha, a dessert made from soft cheese.

Decoration is part of the tradition: white icing that drips down the sides and colourful flowers give the loaf its festive look. The letters XB, short for the greeting Christ is risen, are often written on top. Historically it was served alongside a cheese paska bearing the same symbol.

The bread is eaten only between Easter and Pentecost, which reinforces its seasonal character. It remains present in Russian bakeries and homes every spring and is one of the sweets that best represent the country's festive calendar.

Trivia