Paska bread, an egg-enriched bread with a beautiful braided top, is an Easter staple in Ukraine. But it looks and tastes wonderful at any time of year.
Instructions
1
Start the dough
2
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Let them stand for five minutes. Add the remaining 3 cups of water. Beat in the milk powder and 5 cups of the flour, mixing until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it's bubbly, around 20 minutes. Editor's Tip: To dissolve yeast, you'll want water between 105° and 115°F; temperatures above 120° can kill it. A stand mixer will make this dough easier to pull together, especially when adding eggs and butter in the next step.
3
Enrich the dough
4
Add the eggs, butter, salt and the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar to the dough and mix well. Stir in enough of the additional flour to form a soft dough. Editor's Tip: Enriched dough should be soft and supple to the touch and not too sticky.
5
Knead and let rise
6
Turn out the dough onto a smooth, floured surface such as a cutting board or countertop. Knead it until it's smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place it in a greased bowl, turning the dough once to grease the top. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about one hour.
7
Shape the bread
8
Punch down the dough, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough in half and place one portion back in the covered bowl. Divide the remaining dough in half again, and press each half into a well-greased 10-inch springform pan.
9
Decorate the bread with braids
10
Divide the reserved dough into six equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and then, using the palms of your hands, turn each ball into a 30-inch rope. Use three pieces of rope to make a braid, then repeat with the other three pieces. Place a braid around the edge of each pan, forming a circle. Trim the ends of the braids, reserving the dough scraps, and pinch the ends of the braids to seal them.
11
Add a little more decor
12
Shape the scraps into two long thin ropes, then form them into rosettes or crosses. Place one decoration in the center of each loaf. Cover and let the loaves rise until they've doubled in size, about 1 hour. Halfway through, begin preheating the oven to 350°.
13
Bake the paska
14
Combine the final egg and water to make a glaze, and brush it over the dough to give it a shiny surface. Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes or until it's golden brown. Remove the loaves from the pans and set them on wire racks to cool.
