Paska (Ukrainian Easter Bread)

Ingredients

• Wheat flour, all-purpose 450 g
• Milk, warm 150 ml
• Fresh yeast 20 g
• Sugar 125 g
• Butter, melted 100 g
• Eggs 2 large (100 g)
• Egg yolk 1 (17 g)
• Raisins 75 g
• Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
• Salt 1/2 tsp (3 g)
• Lemon zest 1/2 lemon (3 g)
• Egg white, for the icing 1 (33 g)
• Powdered sugar, for the icing 75 g

Instructions

1. 1

   Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar in the warm milk, stir in 75 g of the flour and leave this starter in a warm place for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

2. 2

   Beat the eggs and the egg yolk with the remaining sugar, the salt, vanilla and lemon zest, then add them to the starter with the melted butter.

3. 3

   Add the remaining flour gradually and knead for 10-15 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough; knead in the rinsed and dried raisins.

4. 4

   Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled, then punch it down.

5. 5

   Divide the dough between two buttered tall tins about 12 cm across, filling them one third full, and let rise for 40-60 minutes, until the dough nearly reaches the rim.

6. 6

   Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer comes out dry; cool on their sides for 10 minutes, then upright.

7. 7

   Whisk the egg white with the powdered sugar into a thick white icing, spread it over the tops of the cooled paska and let it set.