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Ukrainian paska
Easter bread
Round Easter loaf from western and central Ukraine, crowned with a dough cross and braids
In the villages of western and central Ukraine, Easter Saturday means carrying a basket to church with a paska nestled among the painted pysanky, butter and salt, to be blessed and then broken first thing on Easter Sunday morning. Unlike the tall, white-iced kulich of Russia, this paska is a wide, round loaf with a glossy egg-washed top and no icing: the decoration is made of dough, usually a cross laid over the centre, a braid around the rim and small rosettes or birds in between. The crumb is golden and soft, rich with yolks and butter and lightly scented with lemon zest and vanilla. Slice it with butter, sweet farmer's-cheese spread or a cup of tea. Some families knead in rum-soaked raisins; this version leaves them optional and soaks them in tea. Decorations made from the soft loaf dough puff up and blur, which is the usual disappointment, so firm that portion with extra flour. Chef's tip: brush the loaf twice, once before the final proof and again just before baking, for a deep mirror-like shine that shows off the cross and braid.
- Total time
- 290 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 1 cup whole milklukewarm
- ⅓ oz instant dried yeast
- 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
For the dough
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zestfrom 1 lemon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ⅓ lb strong white bread flourplus extra if needed
- 4 oz buttermelted and cooled
- ½ oz buttersoftened, for the tin
- 3 ½ oz raisins (optional)soaked in 80 ml hot tea (or 2 tbsp rum plus water) and drained
For the decorations
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp waterfor sticking
To finish
- 1 eggbeaten with 1 tbsp milk; or brush with milk and a little melted butter or cream for an egg-free finish
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Method
0/12 doneStep 1: Stir 1 cup whole milk, ⅓ oz instant dried yeast, 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour and 1 tbsp sugar together, cover and leave for 30 minutes, until bubbly.
30 minStep 2: Whisk 4 egg yolks, 2 eggs, 4 oz caster sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp lemon zest and 1 tsp salt until pale and slightly thick, about 3 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Add the egg mixture and 1 ⅓ lb strong white bread flour to the sponge and knead for 10 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
10 minStep 4: Add 4 oz butter in three goes, kneading each in fully, then knead 5 minutes more until smooth, shiny and elastic. Knead in the drained raisins now if using.
8 minStep 5: Cut off 300 g of the dough for the decorations, knead 2 ⅛ oz plain flour into it until firm and pliable, then wrap and chill.
Step 6: Shape the rest into a tight ball, cover and leave in a warm place for 1½ hours, until doubled.
90 minStep 7: Butter a 26–28 cm round cake tin or springform with ½ oz butter (or line a baking tray). Knock back the dough, shape it into a smooth, tight round and set it in the tin, pressing it gently to a low dome.
Step 8: From the firm dough, roll two 30 cm ropes and lay them over the top as a cross. Braid three thin 85 cm ropes and lay the braid around the rim. Shape small rosettes (a strip rolled up and snipped) or birds (a knotted rope) and set them between the arms of the cross, fixing every piece with dabs of 1 tbsp water.
Step 9: Brush all over with half of 1 egg. Cover loosely and prove for 45–60 minutes, until puffy and a fingertip dent springs back slowly.
50 minStep 10: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Brush again with the rest of the egg wash, getting into the crevices.
Step 11: Bake for 45–50 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes once the decorations are golden. It is done when deep glossy brown, the base sounds hollow when tapped and the centre reads about 194°F.
48 minStep 12: Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing; cut hot, the rich crumb squashes and turns gummy. It keeps 4 days wrapped.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ukrainian paska take?
- About 290 minutes in total: 240 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
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Perfect for:Easter