Paska Ukrainian Easter Bread

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Paska is a slightly sweet, soft and fluffy egg bread that goes perfectly with the apricot jam and a cup of tea.

Prep Time: plan to spend the day on this recipe

Cook time: 40 min

Yield: 2 large or multiple smaller loaves

Ingredients

Sponge

• 4 1/2 tsp (16 g) active dry yeast

• 4 cup + 1 tbsp (12 g) all purpose flour

• 1 tbsp (16 g) granulated white sugar

• 3 tbsp (45 g) warm water

• 2 cup warm milk

Dough

• 3 whole eggs

• 8 egg yolks

• 2/3 cup (140 g) granulated white sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

• the zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

• 3 tbsp (30 g) rum, brandy or bourbon

• 1/2 cup (113 g) melted unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (108 g) vegetable oil

• up to 8 cup (1088 g) sifted all purpose flour

Directions

Sponge

1. Mix yeast, 1 tbsp flour, sugar and warm water together in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit for 10 – 20 min until foamy.

2. Stir in remaining flour and warm milk.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the sponge rise in a warm spot for 30 min, until doubled in size.

Dough

1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine eggs, egg yolks and sugar.

2. Beat on high until pale and thickened.

3. Add sponge and stir to combine.

4. Now add in salt, vanilla, zest, rum, melted butter and vegetable oil.

5. Switch the paddle for the dough hook on your mixer and start adding flour, one cup at a time.

6. If the dough becomes too big to fit in the bowl of your mixer, turn it out into a very large bowl and continue mixing in flour by hand until you have a soft dough that doesn't stick to the bowl (about 15 min).

7. Oil your bowl and the dough, cover with a tea towel and let rise for 1-2 hr until doubled in size.

Shape the dough

1. Prepare your baking pans (two 9-inch round pans or a few smaller ones) by buttering the bottom and sides, then fold a piece of parchment paper to make a collar around the inside of the pan. Press it to stick to the buttered sides of the pan.

2. Gently punch down the risen dough and reserve 1/3 for the decorations.

3. Divide the remaining 2/3 of the dough (depending on how many pans you have) and form it into balls by pinching all the edges in towards the centre. Poke the dough all over with a skewer to remove any air pockets.

4. Place the dough smooth side up in the pans, cover with a tea towel and let rise for 30 min.

5. After 30 min, shape the reserved 1/3 dough into decorations for the paska (curls, swirls and braids are commonly seen). Mix together an egg wash of 1 egg + 1 tbsp water and use it to glue on the decorations. Set the remaining egg wash aside. You may need to secure the decorations with toothpicks to keep them in place.

6. Cover loaves with a tea towel and let rise one more time for 30 min.

Bake

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.

2. Brush the dough with the remaining egg wash and bake for 10 min.

3. Reduce heat to 325F and continue baking until golden brown on top. Let loaves cool almost completely in the pans and then remove to cool completely.

Zhuzh it up!

• Google Paska and you'll see lots of amazing ideas for shapes to make for your bread.

• Need more help? Visit the website below for step-by-step instruction with photos.

This amazing recipe and a tutorial was found on the blog, korenainthekitchen.com