PASKA TWO WAYS: UKRAINIAN EASTER BREAD

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

Are you lucky enough to find yourself with an excess of lemons and oranges this Easter? Looking for something to make with them all? This was the bounty that I had the other weekend, and I was quite keen to use them all.

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

The other day I posted about the more unique take on Paska that I made this past weekend, and I promised more. I decided to try making a regular paska recipe that my aunt gave me, as well as using a challah bread recipe to make a paska-flavored challah. I had remembered paska dough as being quite wet and wanted something I could braid into shapes. However, after making my Aunt’s paska recipe, I realized it wasn’t as wet as I thought. I could have easily braided it into wreaths etc.

But you want to know what this huge amount of paska means, besides being something Richard can take to work? Paska French toast!! Awesome Easter breakfast… if I do say so myself.

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

So my reasoning behind wanting to make paska challah bread, was that I wanted a more decorative Easter bread. As much as I like the simple icing with sprinkles, as far as nostalgia goes, it doesn’t really say “Easter centerpiece”. I decided to make both the regular recipe (in unique tins) and the challah recipe. Perhaps these will inspire you to make a showpiece bread of your own?

What I found after making both recipes, was that the paska was a bit on the dry side compared to the challah bread, but sweeter. Maybe I used too much flour in the original paska recipe, but I think that the use of oil as opposed to butter was the main factor. As controversial as it may be, I think in the future I may make the challah recipe instead of traditional paska, but increase the sugar. I did the math and the original paska recipe had about 9% sugar, while the challah was only 6%. So if you feel like trying the challah one, I have included another sugar amount, that should hopefully give you the same sugar level.

Paska Challah Bread:

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

Okay, so first up, we have the challah bread. I had made this recipe before and knew that it would make amazing French toast. This bread is moist, and subtly sweet… perfect to turn into paska! I made a double batch, in order to create two different shapes – a braided crown, and a five-strand braid.

If you don’t already know how a five-strand braid is actually quite simple. You can see it in the photos below, but I will try to explain. Number the strands left to right, 1 through 5. Cross 5 over 2, 1 over 3, then 2 over 1. And repeat! Make sense?

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria
Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

At the end of the braid, simply pinch the ends together and tuck it under. Unfortunately, my baking sheet wasn’t quite long enough to fit the bread. It caused it to flop over a bit while proving and ended up looking less than perfect.

For the braided crown, it’s a simple 3 strand braid, which I won’t bother explaining here. Just finish the braid, and connect the ends together! Luckily, this one fit my sheet, so there were no problems proving.

Paska two ways: Ukrainian Easter bread | Hello Victoria

Traditional Paska Bread

Ingredients
  

  • 1 orange
  • 1 lemon
  • 125 ml water
  • 2 tbsp. active dry yeast
  • 57 g butter
  • 156 ml milk
  • 1 egg
  • 90 g sugar + 1 tsp.
  • 600-690 g flour
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Warm the water to 46°C (115°F) and whisk in the sugar and yeast. Allow to prove while preparing the next items.
  • Peel the lemon and orange, and remove any pith from the peel and fruit. Cut into quarters, and place all in the blender.
  • Warm milk and butter together, until the butter melts. Add to the blender and blend on high for 3 minutes.
  • Add sugar, salt, and egg and blend for another 2 minutes. Measure the mixture – it should be 625ml. If not, add more citrus juice to compensate.
  • Pour the mixture into a large bowl, and add the yeast mixture to it.
  • Stir in the flour, about 100g at a time, until the dough becomes a shaggy mass. Turn it out on to the table, and continue adding flour as you knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. It should be smooth and soft.
  • Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to prove 1-1.5 hours, until doubled.
  • Punch down the dough, and let it rest 10 minutes.
  • While dough is resting, prepare your tins by greasing them or lining them with parchment paper.
  • Shape your dough, and place in the tins. Cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours.
  • When the dough is almost done proving, preheat the oven to 176°C (350°F).
  • Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your tin.
  • Remove from the pan, and allow to cool.

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