Ukrainian Easter Bread (Paska)
This Ukrainian Easter bread is something I look forward to every spring — soft, slightly sweet, and filled with tender raisins and bits of candied fruit. The dough is rich and buttery, with just a hint of citrus from lemon or orange zest, and the glossy glaze on top makes it feel extra special. It’s the kind of bread that brings everyone to the table — warm, festive, and made with love.
Ingredients
For the starter:
- 20 g fresh or dry yeast 8 g (2 ¼ tsp) if using dry yeast
- 100 ml warm milk
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g sugar
For the dough:
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 eggs
- 200 g sugar
- 10 g vanilla sugar
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 550 g wheat flour
- 100 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 80 g raisins (pre-soaked in hot water)
- 100 g candied fruit optional
- zest of 1 lemon (optional but traditional)
For the Glaze:
- 1 large egg white
- 200 g sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Starter: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Add sugar and flour, mix well, cover with a towel, and let it sit in a warm place for about 15 minutes until bubbly.
- Dough: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the cream, salt, and lemon zest (if using). Mix until smooth.
- Add the risen starter to the egg mixture and mix well. Gradually add the flour, kneading as you go. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Knead the softened butter into the dough a little at a time. Once fully incorporated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough (lightly oil your hands if needed). Gently knead in the raisins and candied fruit.
- Divide the dough into 3 parts and shape each part into a ball.
- Place into greased paper molds or baking pans. Cover loosely and let rise for another 30–60 minutes, until the dough reaches the top of the molds.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F. Bake the breads for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the tops brown too quickly, tent them with foil.
- Let the breads cool, then decorate with glaze.
- Glaze: Combine the egg white and sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over a pot of simmering water (double boiler).
- Stir constantly until the sugar fully dissolves (don’t let the bowl touch the water).
- Remove from heat and beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Add lemon juice while mixing to stabilize the glaze.
- Spread over the cooled bread and decorate as desired (sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit, etc.).
Notes
Tip: For extra aroma and flavor, try adding lemon or orange zest to the dough.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!