Easter Kulich Cruffin

Instructions

FIRST DAY

Prepare dough.

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer or kneader add the flour together with powdered milk (if used) and eggs.
2. Mix until obtain an amalgamated dough.
3. Add half of the sugar and knead again until it is completely integrated.
4. Incorporate the rest of the sugar and mix.
5. Pour the honey and knead until it is integrated.
6. Incorporate fresh yeast, slightly crumbled, and knead again. Once we observe that it has been integrated, add the salt and continue kneading.
7. Check the state of the gluten mesh, this should be quite developed. Add the vanilla and knead to help it distribute evenly.
8. The gluten should be well developed, at this time we begin to add the butter. We will do it in batches and waiting for it to be fully integrated before adding more.
9. Once we have added all the butter, make a rest of a few minutes and check the state of the dough. We should be able to create a thin veil by sliding it between the yolk of our hands.

Make bulk fermentation.

1. Grease a bowl/tupper lightly with oil, round the dough and put it into the bowl.
2. Cover with film and/or its own lid and let it rise until it grows a little more than 1/3 of its volume. In my case it took 2 hours at 70ºF/21ºC.
3. At that time, keep it in the refrigerator until the next day. I left the dough 13 hours at 39,2ºF/4ºC.

SECOND DAY

Shape.

1. I will show you 2 ways to shape the Kulich Cruffin, the classic way and a different one, but with very good results.
2. It is very important to work the dough very cold, that is, straight out of the refrigerator. The reason is that, once the dough gains temperature, its consistency changes and it becomes difficult to stretch and manipulate.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
4. Degas and divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. At this point we can shape Kulich Cruffin with the whole dough and use a one kilo mold, divide into two pieces and use two half kilo molds or divide into four and use four 250 g molds. In my case I make one piece of 500 g approximately and two pieces of 250 g approximately.
5. While working with one piece of dough, keep the rest inside the container and keep it refrigerated so that it does not gain temperature.

First shaping, classic.

1. Shape Kulich Cruffin which will result in 2 pieces of 250 g. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the dough to approximately 20 x 55 cm.
2. Brush the entire surface with butter, sprinkle with light muscovado sugar and cinnamon.
3. Place some raisins and cranberries on the surface.
4. Roll the dough over itself, on the wider side.
5. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, while you stretch and fill the other piece. It is important not to skip this step because the dough will have gained temperature during this process and you may find yourself with a sticky dough if you continue forming the Kulich.
6. After the time in the refrigerator, divide the rolled dough piece into two parts.
7. With the help of a scraper, cut the dough lengthwise to divide the rolled cylinder into two parts. It is important that you do not cut all the way through, but keep the piece together at one end.
8. To form this piece, start rolling one of the ends trying to leave visible or outwards the part where you can see the laminate of the dough.
9. Once you reach the joined part, place it on the spiral of dough that you have already rolled and continue rolling the piece.
10. It is important to place the final end in the central part and press lightly in the center so that during rising and baking, it does not lose its shape.
11. Place inside the mold, cover the surface with film and form the other piece in the same way.

Second shaping, braiding.

1. Shape Kulich Cruffin which will result in 1 piece of 500 g. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a size of approximately 25 x 35 cm.
2. Brush the entire surface with butter, sprinkle with light muscovado sugar and cinnamon.
3. Place some raisins and cranberries in the center of the piece.
4. Fold one of the ends, in the same way as if we were closing a triptych, and place on the central part with raisins.
5. Brush this fold of dough with butter, sprinkle with sugar, powdered cinnamon and place some more raisins and cranberries.
6. Fold the other end over this part so that the end result is a rectangle.
7. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, while you form the other pieces we filled at the beginning. It is important not to skip this step because the dough will have gained temperature during this process and we may find ourselves with a sticky dough if we continue forming the Kulich.
8. After the time in the refrigerator, take out and proceed to shape.
9. With the help of a scraper, cut the dough lengthwise to divide the rectangle into three equal parts. It is important that you do not cut all the way through, but hold the piece together at one end.
10. Braid the dough making sure to place the side with the visible folds facing up. Once it is braided, seal the ends well.
11. If you wish, you can cut the joint at the other end and braid this part. Remember to seal it well once it is braided.
12. Take one of the ends and roll it over itself in the same way as if you were going to form a ball.
13. Place the shaped piece inside the mold, cover with film and let rise.

Final fermentation.

1. Let the shaped pieces rise until they grow a little more than double their volume, almost triple. In my case they were 2 hours and 30 minutes at 70ºF/21ºC.

Bake.

1. Preheat the oven to 374ºF/190ºC with heat up and down. In my case, I also baked on a baking  steel plate. If you do not have it, you can place a tray on the rack and preheat the oven with it inside.
2. In my case I baked the doughs separately, first the small ones and then the big one. To prevent the dough from over-fermenting, I refrigerated the large dough while baking the small pieces.
3. Brush the surface of the kulich with whole milk.
4. Small pieces: Place the small molds in the oven, at medium height, and bake for 10 minutes at 374ºF/190ºC and 25 minutes at 356ºF/180ºC.
5. Halfway through baking, cover the dough with aluminum foil.
6. Before removing the kulich from the oven, check the internal temperature. It should be around 194º-197ºF/90º-92ºC.
   Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes in the mold, unmold and let cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Large piece: Place the mold in the oven, at medium height, and bake for 10 minutes at 374ºF/190ºC and 35-40 minutes at 356ºF/180ºC. Halfway through baking, cover the dough with aluminum foil.
8. Before removing the kulich from the oven, check its internal temperature. It should be around 194º-197ºF/90º-92ºC.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
   

Serve.

1. We can present them as they are, but if desired, sprinkle the surface with powdered sugar and dehydrated rose petals.
2. Remove the paper mold before serving the Kulich Cruffin.
3. Enjoy.

Notes

• To make this dough I have used a high-strength flour, we need to use a flour with a high percentage of proteins to allow us to enrich it and carry out the fermentations which, in this case, are long.
• The sugar is added in two batches to ensure that it is well integrated into the dough and does not liquefy it. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means that it has the ability to attract moisture from the environment.
• If we do not have vanilla pods, we can use vanilla paste or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
• In my case I used a panettone mold and two metal molds of 12 cm in diameter. Traditionally it is usually baked in a paper mold/capsule or even baked in tins.
• It is important to respect the resting and rising times and to knead well in order to achieve a good final result. Both in flavour, aroma and texture.
• If you do not like sultanas, you can add any variety of candied fruit you like. These fruits or dried fruits help to preserve the freshness of the piece.
• In case you want to carry out a preferment to prepare the dough, you can do it as I show you in this recipe. Remember, in this case, omit the amount of water in the final dough, reduce the amount of flour to have a total of 435 g and reduce a little the final amount of yeast in the final dough.
• The number of pieces to shape is entirely up to you. In case of making a single piece with the dough, almost a kilo of dough, you will have to adjust the final baking time.
• I have shown you two ways to shape them, the classic one and another braided one that looks beautiful once baked.
• The top decoration is completely optional, you can adapt it to your personal taste.
• It keeps in perfect condition for 3-4 days in a large zip bag or tightly wrapped in film.
  

Archivado en

• Breakfast
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Muscovado sugar
• Vanilla