Easter Curd Kulich (Cottage Cheese Easter Bread)
Aromatic and moist with a dense yet fluffy crumb – this Easter Curd Kulich is made with yeast and turns out wonderfully soft. The cottage cheese adds creaminess and extra moisture. One of the tastiest Easter bakes I’ve made!
Updated : 12 June, 2025
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
Dough
250 grams
Wheat flour
1
Eggs
1
Egg yolks
125 grams
Curd
30 grams
Butter
50 grams
Milk
115 grams
Sugar
10 grams
Vanilla sugar
4 grams
Dry yeast
50 grams
Raisins
1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil
to taste
Salt
Glaze
200 grams
Sugar
5 grams
Gelatin
95 milliliters
Water
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Use the fattiest cottage cheese you can find (at least 9%). It should be natural and not grainy or pasty. Do the same with butter—soften both it and the eggs at room temperature in advance. Besides vanilla sugar, you can add cinnamon, cardamom, or saffron. Along with raisins, use candied fruits or nuts.
Step 2
Prepare the yeast sponge. In a deep bowl, mix dry yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Pour in warm (not hot) milk and stir. Add 1 tsp flour and mix until smooth. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
Step 3
While the sponge is rising, blend the cottage cheese and softened butter until smooth using an immersion blender. If you don’t have one, press the cottage cheese through a sieve.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, beat the whole egg and yolk with regular and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 5
Once the sponge is bubbly and risen, it’s ready. If not, your yeast may be inactive and should be replaced.
Step 6
Add the beaten eggs and blended cottage cheese mixture to the sponge. Add a pinch of salt to balance the flavor.
Step 7
Mix everything until smooth.
Step 8
Sift in flour. Start with 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) and adjust as needed. Mix with a whisk at first, then switch to hands when it thickens. Grease hands with oil or use gloves.
Step 9
Knead for 15 minutes, adding flour as needed. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Approx. 1¾ cups (230 g) may be enough.
Step 10
Shape dough into a ball, cover, and let rise in a warm place (like a turned-off oven) for 2 hours until doubled in size.
Step 11
Wash and dry the raisins (and candied fruit). Dust them with flour to prevent sinking. Deflate dough, add raisins, and knead them in.
Step 12
Divide the dough into parts according to how many kulich forms you have. The recipe fits two molds of 4x3.5 in (10x9 cm).
Step 13
Fill molds halfway with dough and let rise again in a warm place for 1 hour.
Step 14
Bake in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for 30–40 minutes, depending on size. Tops should be golden. Let cool completely before decorating.
Step 15
Prepare the glaze. This amount is enough for 6 kulich. Smaller batches are hard to measure due to the gelatin.
Step 16
Mix 2½ tbsp (35 ml) water with the gelatin and let swell according to the package (mine took 5 mins).
Step 17
Combine sugar with remaining water (¼ cup / 60 ml) in a saucepan. Stir and heat over medium until nearly boiling but not quite.
Step 18
Stir in swollen gelatin until dissolved. Let cool slightly.
Step 19
Beat with a mixer until thick and white.
Step 20
Glaze the cooled kulich. The glaze will be runny at first, then quickly start to set.
Step 21
Decorate as desired and serve. Happy Easter!