Paska

This is my fifth year making paska for Easter morning!  I'm not sure if I had paska at other Mennonite churches before I came to North Fresno. But I definitely remember having paska on Easter morning at Sunrise service (and John Wall still makes it)!  It has a distinct taste from other sweet breads that our family has come to recognize with Easter.  It makes me happy to cook foods that you only get once a year...and also reflect a piece of our cultural and religious heritage.  I decided this year to photograph my steps.  Since making paska takes a long time, my lighting changed continually through my kitchen window.  Kinda fun to experiment as well!

I can't claim this recipe.  It comes from Hedy Pletz, and can be found in our church cookbook, Another Spice of Life.

Set 1 package of yeast (2 1/4 tsp) to rise with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tsp sugar

Scald 1/2 cup milk.  Mix it in a bowl with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 sugar.

Add 2 TBSP honey with 1/2 cup cold milk.  Mix the cold milk mixture, the hot milk mixture, and the yeast mixture together in one bowl.  Set aside until bubbly.

In the meantime, separate 5 eggs.  Thanks Jill and Adam for sharing your eggs with us this week!  

To the five yolks add 1 cup sugar, 

as well as 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp cardamom (aargh, the low light wouldn't let me focus).

Beat the 5 egg whites in another bowl until peaks form.

Soften one cup of butter.  Mix together the yeast sponge, the butter, and the egg yolk mixture.

Then fold the egg whites in too.

All folded in!

Add 5 1/2 cups of flour.  You'll need to mix it in by hand so you don't beat out all the air from the whites.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few turns just to make sure it's all incorporated.  Add up to 1/2 cup flour as needed (but the dough WILL be sticky).  Cover and set to rise for 3 to 4 hours until doubled.

Done with it's first rise.  Separate into half for two loaves...or one loaf and 3 littles.  

Set to rise again, one or two hours until doubled.

Done with their second rise.  

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes (although watch the little ones...mine only went 23 minutes)

While the bread is cooking make a butter frosting by whipping 6 TBSP butter with 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Then add 2-3 TBSP milk to reach desired consistency.

Our family MUST have the round colored sprinkles on top as well!  

All done!  

Hope you have a wonderful, blessed Easter, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ! 

 He is risen!  He is risen indeed!