Easter Kulick with Paska

-----------------------------------BREAD----------------------------------- 2 pk Active Dry Yeast

1/2 c Warm Water

1/2 c Warm Milk

1/2 c Sugar

1 ts Salt (opt)

2 Eggs

1/2 c Shortening

6 Flour

1/2 c Raisins

1/4 c Blanched Almonds, chopped

1/2 ts Vanilla

----------------------------------FROSTING---------------------------------- 1/2 c Powdered Sugar

1 1/2 ts Warm Water

1/2 ts Grated Lemon Peel

1/2 ts Lemon Juice

-----------------------------------PASKA----------------------------------- 1/4 lb Sweet Butter, unsalted

1/2 lb Powdered Sugar

4 Egg Yolks

3 lb Farmer Cheese

1/4 lb Raisins

1/2 lb Nuts, chopped

1 ts Vanilla

1/2 pt Cream

2 c Cherries, chopped

*** Bread *** Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, eggs, shortening, 2/ cups flour, raisins, almonds and vanilla. Beat until smooth with electric mixer. Mix in enough flour remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead adding remaining flour until smooth and elestic, about 5 minutes. Cover with saran wrap and let rest 20 minutes. Divide in half and let rise about 1/ hours until double. Place each half in a well greased 1-lb coffee can. Let rise to top of cans (about 40 minutes). Preheat oven to 375oF. Bake 40-45 minutes or until brown.

Remove and drizzle with frosting mixture while still warm and serve with Paska. *** Frosting *** Mix all ingredients together. *** Paska *** Mix the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Put in a cheese cloth to drain out liquid (about 3 hours), using a weight. Remove from cloth and refrigerate. Source: "The Yankee Kitchen" 04-01-93 (#3) [Alberta]