Paska: Ukrainian Easter Bread Паска: Український Великодній Хліб

Instructions Інструкції

Preparing the Dough:

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the warm milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the yeast. Stir gently and let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the 4 eggs with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the sour cream, melted butter, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the egg mixture and mix well.
4. Stir in the activated yeast mixture and the remaining warm milk.
5. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If using, fold in the raisins and candied orange peel.
6. Once the dough comes together, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead for about 5-7 minutes.

First Rise:

1. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
2. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1.5-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Shaping and Second Rise:

1. Punch down the dough to release air bubbles.
2. Divide the dough: use about 2/3 for the main bread and reserve 1/3 for decorations.
3. Grease your paska molds or round baking pans. Fill each mold about 1/3 full with dough (it will rise significantly).
4. With the reserved dough, create traditional decorations. Common symbols include crosses, braids, rosettes, and birds. Place these decorations on top of the bread.
5. Cover the loaves loosely and let rise again for 30-45 minutes, until nearly doubled.

Baking:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Gently brush the tops of the risen loaves with beaten egg wash, being careful not to deflate the dough.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
4. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorating (Optional):

1. Once the bread has cooled completely, prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Drizzle or spread the icing over the top of the paska and decorate with colored sprinkles while the icing is still wet.

Serving:

1. Traditionally, paska is part of the Easter basket that is blessed at church on Holy Saturday.
2. Serve sliced as part of the Easter breakfast or brunch celebration.