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Incredibly moist, fluffy and aromatic is this Russian sweet kolache. It consists of a very soft, airy yeast dough and two Christmas fillings, namely candied and dried fruits and marzipan with gingerbread spice. Made in the form of braid and baked until golden brown, the pastry is also an eye-catcher on the Christmas table and is guaranteed to enchant everyone not only with its taste and aroma, but also with its appearance. You can find a detailed Christmas kalach recipe with exact quantities and step-by-step instructions here at the very bottom.
Russian Christmas kolache and its history
Kalach was one of the oldest white breads in Russia and had wreath shape with a small hole in the middle or shape of a padlock. After the Soviet period, the classic kolache gradually disappeared from the assortment of Russian bakeries.
Instead, the term “kalach” was transferred to sweet bread in the form of a braided wreath. People in Russia now like to make such a sweet kalach at home on various holidays.
Christmas kalach, as its name suggests, is made at Russian Christmas and served to guests at the Christmas table or taken to the Christmas party.
Merging of fluffy dough and spicy sweet fillings
Fine marzipan, juicy candied as well as dried fruits and aromatic spices give this festive Russian kolache a spicy sweet, really wintry note. In addition, they combine perfectly with the fluffy, moist and soft yeast dough. The result is a heavenly delicious pastry that is also ideal for Christmas.
Irresistible scent of Christmas
Not only delicious, but also incredibly aromatic is this Christmas kalach. You’ll notice that as soon as you bake it. Because while the sweet kolache is still in the oven, it fills your whole house with an irresistible scent – the Christmas scent – and thus spreads Christmas cheer.
Try different fillings for Christmas kalach
I filled the large plait in my Christmas kalach with candied and dried fruits that I had previously soaked in rum and orange juice for the marzipan stollen, and which were then left over after the stollen making. I used marzipan and some gingerbread spice as the filling for the smaller plait.
However, you can fill the Christmas kolache to your liking and also use the same filling for the two plaits. Here are a few ideas for filling the pastry:
- roasted nuts,
- orange or lemon zest,
- raisins,
- candied lemon peel and candied orange peel,
- cinnamon or other spice mixed with a little sugar.
Instead of filling the Christmas kalach, you can just as easily stir in different spices or, for example, raisins to the yeast dough. By the way, if you sprinkle your sweet kolache with poppy or sesame seeds before baking, it will look even prettier.
The Russian sweet kolache is
- fluffy,
- moist,
- soft,
- spicy sweet,
- aromatic,
- heavenly delicious,
- easy to make with common ingredients
- to be varied as you like, as far as the filling is concerned,
- ideal Christmas pastry,
- perfect for giving as a gift.
How to make Russian kolache for Christmas: tips and tricks
- You can fill the Christmas kalach according to your taste. For example, various nuts, raisins, orange zest, candied lemon peel or winter spices mixed with sugar are very good for this.
- Instead of fresh yeast you can use dry yeast. For the Christmas kalach recipe below, you will need 7 g of it.
- It is important that all ingredients for the yeast dough are room-warm to lukewarm, so that it can rise well.
- The amount of flour given in the recipe may be different for you. Therefore, add flour in portions to the other ingredients and only as much of it until the yeast dough has the right consistency. It should be very soft, not mushy and not dry.
- Be sure to knead the yeast dough for about 7-10 minutes before letting it rise so that your kolache end up fluffy and soft.
- It is important to let the yeast dough rise in a warm place, without drafts.
- To bake the Russian kolache you will need a Ø 24 cm baking springform pan.
- If the kolache gets too brown on the surface during baking, cover it with baking paper to prevent it from burning.
- Use a thin wooden skewer to check if the Christmas kalach is done baking.
- Store the Russian Christmas kolache in an airtight container in a cool place. It will taste just as fresh and delicious in the next few days as it did right after baking.
Did you make the Russian Christmas kalach using this recipe? I’m looking forward to your result, your star rating and your comment here below, how you succeeded and tasted the sweet kolache.
Looking for more Christmas recipes? Try:
- Orange cookies: quick recipe for world’s best tender cookies
- Russian almond cookies – Soviet recipe with 4 ingredients
- Raisin cake “Stolichny” – the sweet original from the Soviet Union
Christmas kalach stuffed (Russian Christmas kolache)
Equipment
- Ø 24 cm large springform pan
Ingredients
for the pre-dough
- 150 ml milk (lukewarm)
- 15 g sugar
- approx. 120 g flour
- 21 g fresh yeast
for the dough
- pre-dough
- 90 g butter (room temperature)
- 60 g sugar
- 1 egg + white of 1 egg (room temperature)
- approx. 350 g flour
- vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
for the filling
- 150 g candied and dried fruits (any)
- 100 g marzipan paste
- 1 tsp gingerbread spice
for coating
- yolk of 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp water (room temperature)
Instructions
Making the pre-dough
- Dissolve fresh yeast and sugar in lukewarm milk.
- Add flour in portions and mix to a viscous mass. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Making the dough
- Mix soft butter, egg and egg white, sugar, vanilla and salt, add to the pre-dough and mix until homogeneous.
- Add flour in portions and knead to a very soft dough. Then knead the dough for about 10 minutes, cover it with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 50 minutes. Then knead it briefly and let it rise for another 40 minutes.
- Line the bottom of the baking pan with baking paper. Divide the dough into two large and two small pieces and roll each piece into a long and narrow square, so that you end up with two large narrow squares and two small narrow squares.
- Spread dried and candied fruit on the two large squares and roll each square into a narrow roll from the long side. Braid the two rolls into a braid, shape it into a wreath, and place it in the baking springform pan.
- Spread marzipan paste on the two small squares and sprinkle with gingerbread spice. Again, roll up each square from the long side into a narrow roll. Braid the two rolls into a small braid, shape it into a small wreath and place it in the center of the large wreath in the baking springform pan.
- Let the sweet kalach rise, covered, in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Mix egg yolk with 1 tsp of water and brush the sweet kolache with it.
- Bake the Christmas kalach in a preheated oven at 170 °C top and bottom heat for about 35 minutes. If its surface becomes too brown during baking, cover it with baking paper to prevent it from separating.
Notes
- You can fill the Christmas kalach as you like. For example, various nuts, raisins, orange zest, candied lemon peel or winter spices mixed with sugar are very good for this.
- Dry yeast can be used instead of fresh yeast. For the recipe you need 7 g of it.
- It is important that all ingredients for the yeast dough are room-warm to lukewarm, so that it can rise well.
- The amount of flour given in the recipe may be different. Therefore, add flour in portions to the other ingredients and only add enough until the yeast dough has the right consistency. It should become very soft, not mushy and not dry.
- Use a thin wooden skewer to check if the Christmas kalach is baked.
- Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the Russian Christmas kolache at the top of the post.