Paska Bread

4.80 (57)
⏱ 400 mins 🍽 ['18', '3 round loaves'] 🌶 eastern european 🏷 Snack

Paska is a classic Eastern European Easter bread, known for its rich, soft texture. The yeast dough is enriched with eggs, butter, sugar and a hint of lemon zest, resulting in a light and fluffy treat. This recipe yields three beautifully rounded loaves, which are brushed with egg wash before baking to a deep golden brown and finished with melted butter for a soft crust. The process involves several stages of proofing to develop the perfect texture.

Paska Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
  • 0.5 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 0.5 cup white sugar
  • 3 cups warm milk
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 eggs, beaten
  • 0.5 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 12 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and leave it to proof until it becomes frothy, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in the warm milk and let it cool to lukewarm. Pour this milk mixture into the yeast along with 4 cups of flour. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon, cover the bowl, and leave it in a warm, dark spot until it becomes bubbly and doubles in size, approximately 2 hours.
  3. Blend in the beaten eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, salt, and lemon zest until fully incorporated. Slowly add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, to create a very soft dough.
  4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it until it feels soft and elastic, for about 10 minutes. Place it in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch it down and allow it to rise once more for 30 minutes.
  5. Separate the dough into three equal portions and shape each into a slightly rounded loaf. Place them on greased baking sheets and let them rise until doubled, which will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush this mixture over the loaves.
  6. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  7. Place the loaves in the preheated oven and bake them until they turn a deep golden brown, for 45 to 50 minutes. When finished, brush the tops with the melted butter to create a soft crust.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories600 kcal
Fat15 g
Sugars14 g
Protein16 g
Sodium161 mg

Recipe details

CategorySnack
Cuisineeastern european
AuthorTiffany Leyda