Paska

Name: Paska
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk (warm); 3 tsp active dry yeast; 4 tbsp sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 egg yolk; 4 tbsp butter (softened); 3.5 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp cardamom (ground); 1/2 cup raisins; 4 tbsp candied citrus peel (optional), chopped; 1 egg white (for wash)

Traditional Ukrainian sweet Easter bread enriched with eggs, butter, and dried fruit - a deeply golden, tender loaf with a slightly sweet flavor and festive spice.

80 minMediumServes 12320 cal/serving

UkrainianBreakfastOvenVegetarian

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk (warm)
3 tsp active dry yeast
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg yolk
4 tbsp butter (softened)
3.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cardamom (ground)
1/2 cup raisins
4 tbsp candied citrus peel (optional), chopped
1 egg white (for wash)

Instructions

1

Pour 1 cup whole milk (warm) into a bowl and sprinkle 3 tsp active dry yeast with a pinch of sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2

Add remaining 4 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 egg yolk, and 4 tbsp butter (softened) to the yeast mixture. Stir well.
3

Gradually add 3.5 cups all-purpose flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be rich and slightly sticky.
4

Mix in 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp cardamom (ground). Fold in 1/2 cup raisins and 4 tbsp chopped candied citrus peel (optional).
5

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.
6

Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into a round loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7

Brush the top with lightly beaten 1 egg white (for wash).
8

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
9

Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Questions

Can I make Paska dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1 cup whole milk (warm), 4 tbsp butter (softened). Swap the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Paska gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 3.5 cups all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make Paska ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Paska?

Yes. As written it serves 12. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

Serve it with

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