200g of margarine (a plant-based and butter blend “Tulchinka”)
50g of butter
50g of fresh yeast
250g of milk
250g of sour cream
1 whole egg
7 egg yolks
40g of vanilla sugar
40g
4 tablespoons of orange zest
100g of light raisins
500g of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1.3kg of all-purpose flour
To prepare the dough starter: mash the fresh yeast with half a cup of sugar. Pour in a cup of warm milk (250g) and add one whole egg, mixing well. Incorporate 2 cups of flour until the mixture resembles a thick pancake batter. Let it sit in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Whisk the yolks with sugar and add them to the dough starter. Also, mix in the room-temperature sour cream. Add the vanilla sugar, orange zest, and salt. Melt the margarine (“Tulchinka”) and let it cool before adding it to the dough. Add the rinsed, dried, and floured raisins to the mixture as well. Gradually incorporate the sifted flour. With your hands greased in vegetable oil, knead the dough for about 25-30 minutes.
Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Spoon the dough into molds, filling them to one-third of their height. Let them rise again in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Brush with egg yolk and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°F (180°C).