ukrainian easter paska
My mother-in-law showed me how to make this recipe. It is a traditional Easter bread, but it is good anytime. Once you get the kneading down, you will have the perfect Easter Paska. My family loves it. I make it in batches so they can all have a loaf. We make this in coffee cans; it really looks nice and tastes as good as it looks.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
Ukrainian Paska is an enriched bread that's served at Easter celebrations. It's typically decorated with a symbol, and we opted for a cross. Once baked, the bread is tender and a wonderful golden brown. Made with eggs, butter, milk, yeast, and honey, it has a rich, sweet flavor. The aroma while this is baking is amazing. There is some time for the dough to proof and rise, but the final result is delicious. Super soft when sliced, it's wonderful with a bit of butter alongside an Easter meal.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 package dry granular yeast
- 3 cups lukewarm scalded milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 5 cups sifted unbleached white flour
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 9 - 10 cups sifted unbleached white flour
How To Make ukrainian easter paska
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Step 1Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water and sprinkle yeast over it. Let it stand for 10 minutes. -
Step 2Combine softened yeast with lukewarm milk, honey, and 5 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
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Step 3Cover and let the batter rise in a warm place until light and bubbly. Room temperature should be 65-75 degrees. Having a warm room helps the dough to rise better.
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Step 4Add beaten eggs, sugar, melted butter, and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in enough flour to make a dough that is neither too soft nor too stiff. Knead until the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
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Step 5Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and satiny.
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Step 6Place in a bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours).
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Step 7Punch down and let rise again (about 1 hour).
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Step 8Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Place in buttered coffee cans, Paska baking wrappers, or a round pan. Let it rise until doubled in size. If using coffee cans, let it rise just to the rim. You don't want it to go over the rim; it will crack or burst while baking. Brush the tops of the loaves with a beaten egg and 2 Tbsp of water.
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Step 9Place in 400 degree F preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 40 minutes longer or until done.
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Step 10Avoid browning the top too deeply. Cover with aluminum foil if necessary.
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Step 11Remove loaves from the pan and allow to cool completely. When using coffee cans, the first slice off the bottom should be kept to put at the bottom so the Paska will not dry out. Place Paska in sealable plastic bags after they have cooled. They stay fresher that way.
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