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Rich, moist and flavorful Paska (Easter bread)

Total Time 1 day
Servings 16 loaves of Paska
This recipe makes 16 Paska loaves, each weighing 500 grams.

Ingredients

  • 10 eggs
  • 1.5 kg sugar
  • 400 g butter
  • 1 l milk
  • 300 g sour cream
  • 400 g matsoni (or plain yogurt)
  • 4 tbsp yeast
  • 200 ml vegetable oil
  • 3 kg flour (sifted)
  • 600 g raisins
  • 2 tsp ground cardamon
  • 2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 g vanilla sugar
  • 4 lemon zest
  • 2 orange zest
  • 100 ml brandy (or vodka)

Instructions 

Spice & citrus mixture:

  • Combine the spices and citrus zest, pour in the brandy, mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until added to the dough. (You can prepare this infusion 1–2 weeks in advance.)

Mixture #1:

  • Mix 200 ml of warm milk with the yeast and 1 tsp of sugar. Stir, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 10–15 minutes to activate the yeast.

Mixture #2:

  • Add 1 kg of sugar, salt, and butter to 800 ml of boiling milk. Stir until the sugar and butter are completely dissolved.

Mixture #3:

  • Separate egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks with the remaining 500 g of sugar until creamy. Then whisk in the sour cream and matsoni (yogurt).

Meringue:

  • Beat the egg whites into a meringue, then mix in the vanilla.
  • Combine mixtures #1, #2, and #3, then gently fold in the meringue. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
  • Gradually add sifted flour and knead the dough. Add the oil and continue kneading for 30 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 4–6 hours, until the dough doubles in size.
  • Add the spice-citrus-brandy infusion and raisins (lightly dusted with flour to distribute evenly), knead thoroughly. Let rise again for 2–3 hours, until doubled in size.
  • Fill baking forms to one-third full with dough (use paper molds that don’t require greasing). Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled.
  • Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 40–50 minutes, depending on the size of the loaves. Check with a wooden skewer — if it comes out dry, they’re done.
    Do not cut the Paska for at least one day after baking. It becomes more flavorful, dense, and moist after a couple of days.
    Enjoy!
Course: Pastry
Keyword: easterbread, paska