Best 4 Ukrainian Easter Cheese Paska Recipes

PASKA EASTER BREAD RECIPE (KULICH)

Steps:

• In a large Mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups + 2 Tbsp warm milk, 6 eggs, 1 Tbsp yeast, 2 cups sugar, 2 sticks melted butter (just warm, not hot!), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk in 4 cups flour. Your batter will be thick like sour cream. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place or a warm oven (about 100˚F) for 2 hours.
• Add 5 more cups of flour; one cup at a time or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands (it will still feel sticky but wont' stick to your fingers). I find it's easiest to fold flour in with a silicone spatula. Dough should be soft. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups raisins. Cover and let dough rise another 2 hours in a warm oven (100˚F).
• Divide dough evenly into the three paper baking molds; try not to mix it or stomp it down too much. Let dough rise uncovered in a warm 100˚F oven for an additional 2 hours or until the molds are almost full. Remove from the oven and preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes in the middle of the oven until the top is golden brown. Let cool to room temp or just warm and then tear off the wrapper.
• Once the Breads are at room temperature and wrappers are off, get your frosting ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar with 3 Tbsp lemon juice. Add a little water if it's too thick or a little more powdered sugar if it's too runny. Pour the glaze over each cooled Easter bread. Traditionally, these are topped with colorful sprinkles before the glaze sets.

EASTER CHEESE MOLD: PASHKA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese or farmer's cheese, sugar, cream cheese, and egg yolks, stirring to mix.
• In batches, process the mixture in a food processor, adding an equal amount of cream to each batch, until completely smooth. Transfer back to the bowl.
• Stir in the ground almonds, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the cheese mixture along with the raisins. Mix thoroughly.
• Line a clean, unused 8-cup flower pot with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed-dry cheesecloth. Spoon the cheese mixture into the lined pan, then fold the ends of the cheesecloth neatly over the top. Place a saucer on the cheesecloth, then a 2-pound weight, such as a can, on the saucer. Put the flower pot in a bowl large enough for the liquid to drain into. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Empty the bowl. Unmold the pashka onto a serving plate and carefully remove the cheesecloth. Decorate with candied fruit, pressing some of the fruit into the pashka to form the letters XP, which stands for Khristos voskres ("Christ has risen").

UKRAINIAN EASTER PASKA

Steps:

• Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F and bake an additional 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F. If necessary, cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

UKRAINIAN EASTER PASKA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 warm water (100° to 110°).
• Mix until smooth.
• Set bowl aside until mixture is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• FOR THE SPONGE: Add 4 cups of the flour and milk to yeast mixture.
• With a wooden spoon, mix until well combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 3 eggs, 8 egg yolks, and sugar until light and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
• Add the SPONGE mixture.
• Add salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, orange zest, rum or brandy, melted butter, and vegetable oil.
• Whisk on medium speed until combined.
• Remove whisk attachment from machine, and fit with the dough hook attachment.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add enough of the remaining 8 cups flour until dough comes away from side of bowl.
• Transfer dough to a clean work surface.
• Knead dough, adding any remaining flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a large bowl, and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap.
• Place in a warm spot away from drafts, and let it rise until double in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• {Ihad no dough hook so I used wooden spoon and then my hands,{mix well at least 15 min.
• by hand} Place rack in lower two-thirds of oven, and heat to 350°.
• Butter two 9-inch saucepans.
• Cut a piece of waxed paper{I use parchment paper} about 2 inches longer than the circumference of the saucepan.
• Fold this in half lengthwise to make a double thickness.
• Place inside the saucepan, patting it to adhere to the butter.
• The collar should extend 3 to 4 inches above the rim of the saucepan.
• Seal the 2-inch flap with more butter.
• {Butterwaxed paper or parchment too}[I like to cut out circles and put on the bottom off pan, paska comes out easier] When dough has doubled in bulk, punch down, and set aside one-third of dough in a medium bowl covered with plastic wrap for decorations.
• Divide remaining two-thirds dough evenly between saucepans.
• Place bowl and saucepans of dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, on a clean work surface, shape reserved dough into desired motifs—solar, crosses, rosettes, birds, braids, scrolls, etc.
• Keep any dough that is not being used covered with plastic to prevent it from drying out.
• TO ATTACH MOTIFS: Brush surface of risen dough in saucepans with 3 lightly beaten egg whites.
• Attach decorative dough ornaments, using a toothpicks to secure motifs to loaves and leave them on until paska is baked and then gently remove toothpicks.
• Keep in a warm place to rise until it reaches almost the top of pans, 20 to 30 minutes.
• FOR THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush egg mixture on surface of loaves.
• Bake 350 F.
• for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325°, and bake for an additional 50 minutes.
• Cool paska in pans for 30 minutes.
• When paska has cooled but is still warm, gently remove from pans, and transfer to a rack to cool.
• Makes two 9-inch round loaves.