Kulich is the main decoration of the Easter table. I want to cook it yourself, but it does not always work. Sometimes the cake falls or does not rise, comes out of small size or falls out of shape, burns or remains raw inside. What mistakes often make housewives during cooking?
Error one: a lot of muffin
Why purchased cakes are lush and airy, and home analogues are often dense and heavy? It's all about the amount of baking. The more sugar and fat in the dough, the harder it is for the yeast to pick it all up, baking is heavier, the porosity is smaller. The main mistake is to try to make a very sweet cake. The result is a heavy, rough, hard bread, albeit with good taste. It turns out that manufacturers do not save at all, but strictly follow the recipe.
Secrets of the magnificent and high cake:
- sugar and butter should be laid strictly according to the recipe;
- butter dough needs more time to rise, the process can take up to 5-6 hours;
- it is better to prepare the dough for cakes in the sponge manner;
- You can increase the amount of yeast by 20-25%.
No need to worry that you get unleavened cake. Raisins, candied fruits and other dried fruits will give additional sweetness, there will also be a lot of sugar in the icing on the cap.
Error two: consistency test
Kulichi - this is not dumplings. No need to make a stiff and tough, dough-filled flour. If, besides, there will be a lot of muffin in it (see above), then instead of air cakes will be sweet bricks. Also, do not make liquid batter, otherwise you will not get a beautiful rounded cap, and after baking, large voids can form inside the tunnel, the cake will fail.
What should be the consistency of the dough? Ideal - a slightly sticky, slightly spreading on the table mass, from which you can roll a soft ball.
Third mistake: lots or few candied fruits, raisins and other dried fruits
Here is the same situation as baking. If you add too much raisins, nuts, candied fruits to the dough for Easter cakes, it will turn out to be hard, it will be difficult for yeast to pick it all up. The likelihood that the cake is simply not cooked inside increases. You can add less, but with a magnifying glass to look for raisins in the dough is also not very desirable, after all, it is festive and “rich” pastries.
What you need to know about raisins and dried fruits:
- per 1 kg of liquid in the dough is 1 kg of raisins;
- raisins and other dried fruits do not need to be added to the dough, they are laid at the very end of the batch;
- For even distribution, you need to mix the additives with a portion of the flour.
If the raisins are initially very dry and hard, then it is recommended to soak them a little, then dry, sprinkle or mix with flour, only after that, add to the almost finished dough.
Error Four: Little or a lot of dough in the form
Kulich, who does not have a hat, does not look very nice, especially in disposable paper tins. But too large “mushrooms” are also not needed. How much to lay the test?
According to the rules, the forms are filled to a third. But, if you want to get a rounded cap over the mold, you can safely lay up to half. That is, lumps of dough of 90-110 grams are put into cups of 0, 2 liters, about 250 grams of dough are put into 0, 4-0, 5 liters.
Fifth error: curve curve
To make the cake even with a beautiful rounded tip, you do not just need to tear off the dough and pour it into the mold. The piece should be properly prepared. How to make a cake:
- Cut off the right amount of dough. Collect the edges into a knot so that it turns out like a ball.
- Lubricate the hands and the table top with a small amount of oil, put the piece with the smooth side upwards and two hands, gently round the rolling movements.
- Transfer the resulting ball to the prepared form.
When cutting the dough, it is recommended to use the scales so that all the cakes turned out to be the same size, evenly raised and baked.
Error Six: Insufficient Recovery
No need to rush to put the cakes in the oven. Yes, when they get into the oven, they will rise a little more, but they can break on the sides, small gaps will appear around the cap, which will not fry. Sometimes an insufficiently raised cake breaks up strongly in the oven, it collapses on one side, it becomes crooked, the form suffers.
Before planting in the oven, the dough should increase at least twice, preferably 2, 5-3 times. If the form was filled in half, then the top should look out of it not less than 0, 5 cm, when it gets into the hot oven, it will “grow” a couple more centimeters.
Error Seven: Arrangement and Baking of Easter Cakes
To Easter cakes were baked from all sides, it is important to arrange them at a sufficient distance between them. No need to tightly place on a baking sheet, otherwise the inner molds will remain moist. The optimal distance between the glasses 0, 2-0, 3 l is about ten centimeters.
If you make big Easter cakes of 0, 4-0, 5 kg, then you should not send more than three pieces to the oven at the same time. You also need to carefully monitor the temperature. On average, sweet and butter dough is planted at 240 degrees, baked at 200 degrees. If the cakes are roasted quickly, the temperature can be reduced to 180.
Other mistakes in making a holiday cake
- Shake, let's shake. Yeast dough does not like to hesitate, it is necessary to work with it carefully, especially after lifting in tins. Cups with cakes should be put in advance on a baking sheet, so as not to touch it once again, send it to the oven slowly and carefully, without unnecessary movements.
- Cold Oven. Kulichi need to put in a preheated oven, otherwise they will dry faster than the desired temperature is reached.
- Dry the peel? There should be no drafts in the room. If a crusted crust appears on the cut dough, then it is possible to cover the cups with Easter cakes with light cloth, gauze or lightly sprinkle with warm water from a spray bottle.
- We put many forms at the same time. The temperature in the oven will drop, it will slowly rise, the cakes will not be baked.
- Medium. Baking tray with filled forms should be placed in the lower third of the oven, otherwise the dough will burn on top.
Finally
Kulich differs from the other pastries with his elegant crown. Therefore, pay attention not only to the dough, but also to the glaze. It should not peel off, turn yellow, stick or crumble when cutting the cake. It is also important to use attractive toppings. In addition to purchased jelly beans and candied fruit, you can decorate the top with mastic or marzipan figures. Let homemade cakes differ from those sold in the store, please not only with taste, but also with an attractive look.
