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Christmas kalach stuffed – Russian kolache in the Christmas style
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Christmas kalach stuffed (Russian Christmas kolache)

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 as well as dried fruits and marzipan with gingerbread spice. Made in the form of braid wreath 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. According to this easy recipe you can make the Christmas kalach itself.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Russian
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Dough rising time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12

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.