Paska- Ukrainian Easter Bread

Paska 2 of 2

Here is the best Paska recipe in existence. No joke, the best. I am a little afraid of sharing it. Knowledge is power!

My baba, on my mothers side, gave it to my mother and now my mother to me.

This was my first attempt without my mother directing me from the kitchen table. I miss home terribly but the smell of Paska baking in my apartment baked away the homesickness.

Паска -Saffron Paska – Baba Yaremenko recipe

3 cups milk

1 package saffron (3/4 to 1 ounce)

¼ cup boiling water

2 pachages of dry yeast

3 tblsp. Sugar

1 ½ cups lukewarm water

1 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

6 eggs, separated

1 ½ teaspoon salt

10 cups sifted flour

Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tsp. vanilla

Scald the mil and let cool to lukewarm. Pour ¼ cup boiling water over saffron; let steep till cool, then strain.

Steeping safron

Dissolve dry yeast and sugar in lukewarm water; cover and place in a warm place for 10 minutes

Cream butter with remaining sugar; add 6 egg yolks, one at a time, blending each in until thoroughly mixed. Add salt, lemon juice and grated rind, and cooled saffron water to creamed mixture.

lemon grind

Add yeast mixture and lukewarm milk to creamed mixture, mixing well. Add 5 cups sifted flour to liquid mixture, mixing well.

Beat the 6 egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks; fold into the dough mixture. Cover bowl and let dough rise in warm place until doubled in bulk.

Add remaining sifted flour to make a soft dough that can be kneaded. Knead until smooth and elastic on a floured board. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean dishtowel and a bath towel, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch down the dough to release the air. Reserve 1/8 to ¼ of dough for decorating, and shape remaining dough into 2 or 3 loaves. Place in well greased round bread pans. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Decorate as desired with reserved dough before baking. Bake in a preheated 325Foven for 30 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 275F and bake an additional 35 minutes longer. Brush tops with egg beaten with a little milk and return to oven to bake 5 more minutes or until golden and shiny.

MAMA’S NOTE: I do the egg wash BEFORE baking, and also find that the paska bakes in total 40-45min.

Done- Paska 1 of 2