Paska Ukrainian Easter Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together yeast, 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and warm water; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, high-gluten flour, and milk; stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until bubbles form, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the 5-quart bowl of a professional-size 10-speed mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs, 6 egg yolks, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar on high speed. Slowly add canola oil and mix until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla, lemon zest, and rum; mix to combine.
• Attach the dough hook attachment to mixer. Add salt, 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, and yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until dough comes together. Slowly add butter; continue mixing until dough is no longer sticky, 10 to 15 minutes, adding remaining 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, a tablespoon at a time, to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can knead dough by hand until smooth, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a large lightly-oiled bowl; shape into a ball and lightly coat top with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, followed by a layer of plastic wrap, and then a second clean kitchen towel; let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Line the bottom of two 6-quart ovenproof saucepans with waxed paper rounds. Line sides with waxed paper, leaving an overhang of 3 inches; spray paper with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Weight out two 1 1/2-pound pieces of dough; pinch and shape each piece into a flat disk and transfer to prepared saucepans. Using a toothpick, pierce the dough to remove air bubbles. Cover with a clean kitchen towel; let stand in a warm place while preparing decorations.
• Form remaining dough into suns, cross shapes, and fertility symbols for decoration. Brush tops of each loaf with egg white and top with decorative dough; secure using toothpicks. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let loaves stand in a warm place until dough comes to top of pan, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 egg yolks with 2 teaspoons water. Brush tops of loaves with egg yolk mixture and transfer to oven; bake until tops are golden brown, about 1 hour. If paska begins to brown too quickly, cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil.
• Remove paska from oven. Immediately remove from pans and gently remove toothpicks from bread. Transfer to clean kitchen towel and cover with a second clean kitchen towel to cool. Paska can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 warm water (100° to 110°).
• Mix until smooth.
• Set bowl aside until mixture is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• FOR THE SPONGE: Add 4 cups of the flour and milk to yeast mixture.
• With a wooden spoon, mix until well combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 3 eggs, 8 egg yolks, and sugar until light and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
• Add the SPONGE mixture.
• Add salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, orange zest, rum or brandy, melted butter, and vegetable oil.
• Whisk on medium speed until combined.
• Remove whisk attachment from machine, and fit with the dough hook attachment.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add enough of the remaining 8 cups flour until dough comes away from side of bowl.
• Transfer dough to a clean work surface.
• Knead dough, adding any remaining flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a large bowl, and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap.
• Place in a warm spot away from drafts, and let it rise until double in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• {Ihad no dough hook so I used wooden spoon and then my hands,{mix well at least 15 min.
• by hand} Place rack in lower two-thirds of oven, and heat to 350°.
• Butter two 9-inch saucepans.
• Cut a piece of waxed paper{I use parchment paper} about 2 inches longer than the circumference of the saucepan.
• Fold this in half lengthwise to make a double thickness.
• Place inside the saucepan, patting it to adhere to the butter.
• The collar should extend 3 to 4 inches above the rim of the saucepan.
• Seal the 2-inch flap with more butter.
• {Butterwaxed paper or parchment too}[I like to cut out circles and put on the bottom off pan, paska comes out easier] When dough has doubled in bulk, punch down, and set aside one-third of dough in a medium bowl covered with plastic wrap for decorations.
• Divide remaining two-thirds dough evenly between saucepans.
• Place bowl and saucepans of dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, on a clean work surface, shape reserved dough into desired motifs—solar, crosses, rosettes, birds, braids, scrolls, etc.
• Keep any dough that is not being used covered with plastic to prevent it from drying out.
• TO ATTACH MOTIFS: Brush surface of risen dough in saucepans with 3 lightly beaten egg whites.
• Attach decorative dough ornaments, using a toothpicks to secure motifs to loaves and leave them on until paska is baked and then gently remove toothpicks.
• Keep in a warm place to rise until it reaches almost the top of pans, 20 to 30 minutes.
• FOR THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush egg mixture on surface of loaves.
• Bake 350 F.
• for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325°, and bake for an additional 50 minutes.
• Cool paska in pans for 30 minutes.
• When paska has cooled but is still warm, gently remove from pans, and transfer to a rack to cool.
• Makes two 9-inch round loaves.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until very warm (120 to 130 F). Pour into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle over the yeast. Allow to stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• Sift 1 cup of the flour over the yeast mixture and with a wooden spoon, stir until a batter forms. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place (80 F to 85 F) until mixture looks puffy and spongy, about 1/2 hour.
• In another bowl or a 4 cup measure whisk the eggs and egg yolks together with the vanilla extract, grated lemon zest, and salt.
• Sift another 2 cups of flour over the risen yeast flour mixture, and make a well in the center. Pour in the egg mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes a soft, sticky dough; the dough should be as soft as possible, so do not add more flour unless it is very wet.
• Using your hand, spread the butter over the dough and work into the dough, folding it over itself and kneading into the dough until the butter is completely incorporated. Cover with the dish towel and leave to rise again in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
• Butter a 2 pound coffee can. Line the bottom with nonstick baking parchment, and butter again.
• Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the raisins, golden raisins over the dough, and knead until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
• Form the dough into a ball shape, and ease into the coffee can. Cover and leave to rise again until the dough reaches the top of the can, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F Brush the top of the dough with a little milk and if you like sprinkle with about a tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake about 1/2 hour longer; if the paska browns too quickly, cover with foil. Remove to a wire rack to cool in the can for about 5 minutes, then carefully unmold, top side up, to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.