Ukrainian easter paska

Ahna Skop

Ukrainian Easter (Paska) Bread

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Author: Ahna Skop

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 55 MinInactive time: 6 HourTotal time: 7 H & 40 M

This bread is absolutely fantastic and a staple for Easter morning when I was growing up. I like it because it's not too sweet. It is an egg dough which is really amazing in texture at the end. There are other versions of this bread but it is too sweet for my liking. I prefer the mildly sweet Easter bread. At our house we slather REAL butter on top of wedged slices of this bread. I also like to slice hard boiled eggs in rounds and place the slices on top of the bread wedge. My father spent time in Norway so we inherited the placement of creamed herring on top of the Easter bread as well. I enjoy it both ways.

Ingredients

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 package of yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp of yeast)
• 3 cups of whole milk (scalded—not hot)
• 5 cups of bread flour
• 6 eggs beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 TBSP salt

Protocol

1. To a mixing bowl, add water, 1 package yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp of yeast, and 1 tsp sugar). Mix in bowl to dissolve yeast and sugar
2. Add scalded milk to yeast mixture
3. Add flour, one cup at a time, to above mixture in your KitchenAid with the bread attachment. Beat/knead until smooth. It will be a little sticky.
4. Let rise for 1 hour. I put in on the top of the oven (or any warm place).
5. After your dough has risen for 1 hour, add the following mixture (be sure to mix prior to adding to the bread): 6 eggs beaten, 1/3 cup sugar, ½ cup melted butter, 1 TBSP salt
6. Add this to the first rising of the dough and knead to smooth and satiny. You will need to add flour periodically as you knead.
7. Cover the dough (again) until the dough has doubled in size (3-4 hours).
8. After the 2nd rising, punch dough down and let rise for 1 hour.
9. Divide dough into 3 parts. 2 parts can be put in two separate greased round pans (my mom uses an angel food cake pan) or you can use a large 7-qt cast iron pot or any other oven-safe pot.
10. The last part of dough is what you use to decorate the top. My mom makes a braid on the top and then puts little balls of dough around this. It makes for a nice decoration after it’s baked. Be creative here as there isn’t really any wrong way to make it.
11. Beat 1 egg with some water and make an egg wash and brush all on top of bread before baking.
12. After you are done with the braids and decoration. Set the pans in a warm place covered until the bread has doubled in size (1-2 hours).
13. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes then lower the oven to 350 F for 40 minutes more.

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