Wednesday, 15 April 2020

Paska is an important part of Easter celebration

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Home made Paska and Krashenka. Home made Paska and Krashenka. Photo: Olena Yanykh.

Before 20th century Paska were made without a baking tin and did not have a glaze top. This bread was decorated with figures made from a dough.

Paska is a traditional Easter sweet bread which is very popular in Ukraine and some other countries. Some Ukrainian Paska’s recipes are very similar to Russian Kulich.

Paskas are usually made in different sizes, sometimes one for each member of the family and a big one for the whole family. Small Paskas are also made to give away as a gift. Paska is being baked in advance on Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday before Easter. These days it can be bought in any grocery store.

The decoration of Paska and its recipes are different and depend on the region. For example, in Galicia and Zakarpattia Paska is round and has a special decoration on the top.

It was believed that it’s a sin to eat Paska before consecration. To consecrate Paska people come to the church on Sunday morning. The night before they prepare a basket with Paskas, eggs and some other food that is served to the family for breakfast after returning from the church.

Ingredients

For dough:
milk – 250 ml
butter – 200 g
raisin – 200 g (if you wish)
veggy oil – 1 tbsp
egg yolk – from 8 eggs
egg white – from 1 egg
sugar – 250 g
vanila – 1 tsp (or 1 packet of vanila sugar)
flour – 600 g
salt – 0,5 tsp
dry yeast – 11 g

For glaze:
egg white – from 2 eggs
sugar powder – 150 g
lemon juice – a couple drops

Direction

To make sponge sift a half of flour two times (it’s important!! The flour will get air and the dough will come out better) and mix it with yeast. Add warm milk. Knead the dough, cover it with a towel and let rise it in a warm place for an hour until doubled.

easter cakes to make sponge sift ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Add sugar and vanilla to egg yolks and egg white and whisk until the mixture turns white.

easter bread mixture turns white ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Take butter out of the fridge in advance, so it gets warm and becomes soft. Rinse raisin, dry with a paper towel and dust with flour. Add egg mixture and raisin to the sponge and start kneading gradualy adding the rest of the flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hand.

easter bread take butter ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Cover the dough again and let it rise in a warm place. When the dough doubled punch it down and let it rise again. Brush the baking tin with some butter and dust it with flour. Add some dough to the baking tin to fill only 1/3 of it, cover it and let it rise again.

easter cakes add some dough to the baking ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Preheat oven to 180 С (350 F). Bake paskas for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

To make the glaze whisk egg whites with sugar powder and add some drops of lemon juice. Cover the top of paskas and decorate the way you wish before the glaze harden.

easter bread ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Your Paska is ready and you are ready for Easter.

easter sweet bread and colored eggs ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

Happy Easter,

easter cakes holiday table ukraine curiousua com photo olene yanykh

And bon appétit!

Source: www.vmirevkusnogo.ru

Translation by Oksana Iocco

 

Read 1286 times Last modified on Thursday, 16 April 2020

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