Easter bread(paska/kulich) is a Russian traditional classic Easter bread. It’s made of sweet yeast dough mixed in with dried fruit like raisins.This recipe comes from my grandmother (Moms Mom),that passed away long time ago,who was an awesome cook and famous for her borscht recipe.Now I think you can see where I got love for cooking….It passes along the line I guess.
Easter bread is made with lots of egg yolks and butter.Similar to brioche or Italian Panettone.It’s a richer version of sweet bread yet is wonderfully light and soft and sweet.Traditional Easter bread is made in round cylinder type molds.But,really it doesn’t matter what shape it is.I like to use regular bread pan or spring foam pan or even muffin pan.I also made some personal breads using a small round mold from Sur La Table ( .40 cents each or .75 for larger one).So you can get panettone molds or choose any mold /pan you like.This recipe is my favorite.It stays fresh like from day 1 (not dry) for few days for sure.
Ingredients:
10 egg yolks
2 cups warm milk
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon yeast
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup melted butter (3 sticks)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
2 cups + 4 cups canadian flour (highly recommended)*
1 -1 1/2 cup raisins (I prefer jumbo or golden raisins) soaked in hot water for 10 min and drained.
* If you can’t get canadian flour ,your second choice would be bread flour, and third choice all-purpose flour. Most Russian stores and Winco Foods carry Canadian flour.
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons choice of milk,heavy cream,squeezed lemon juice,or squeezed orange juice
Directions:
Combine warm milk with 2 cups flour and yeast.Mix well and set aside covered.
In a stand mixer,whip egg yolks with sugar.
Gradually add vanilla,salt,oil and butter to egg yolks.Add milk and flour mixture to egg yolk and butter.Mix until well combined.
Replace whisk attachment with dough hook attachment.
Add in 4 cups of flour and raisins.
Mix dough well.
Cover dough with plastic cover and towel.
Place the bowl with dough in the warmest place in your house or microwave (don’t turn it on).Let the dough rise(about 2 hours).
Divide dough among all molds and let it rise.(about 20 minutes)
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your molds and until the outside is golden brown.
To make glaze:
Combine powdered sugar with milk,cream,lemon juice,or orange juice.
Apply to the tops of easter bread/paska when cooled at room temperature.
Combine warm milk with 2 cups flour and yeast.Mix well and set aside covered.
In a stand mixer,whip egg yolks with sugar.
Gradually add vanilla,salt and butter to egg yolks.Add milk and flour mixture to egg yolk and butter.Mix until well combined.
Replace whisk attachment with dough hook attachment.Add in 4-5 cups of flour and raisins.
Mix dough well.
Cover dough with plastic cover and towel.Place the bowl with dough in the warmest place in your house or microwave (don’t turn it on).Let the dough rise(about 2 hours).
Divide dough among all molds filling them half way.Heat oven to 325 degrees.Bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your molds and until the outside is golden brown.
When cooled at room temperature,remove from molds and apply glaze.Add sprinkles if desired.
Going to try your recipe this Easter to make this ‘Paska’ recipe. I lost my Mom’s, Aunt and Baba’s recipe that my Baba brought over here when she was just a young girl…… yours looks so good………..and I love that it is an old recipe….my Baba came from East Ukraine and their paskas looked like this…
Thanks for sharing…
My pleasure Iryna! loosing a good recipe is like loosing a treasure…I wrote all moms recipes in to two notebooks when I was a teen….just incase.Give it a try and let me know.Thanks!
This bread looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it! I’ve had a bread like this before but I didn’t know what it was called!!! So excited!
It really is delicious Lindsey, Its so good with coffee in the morning or tea.Can’t wait to make it again for Easter.Thank you!
This is my first attempt at paska, and am just wondering if I use a regular spring form pan, will this recipe make just one paska or more? Definitely will try this weekend for a practice run, but it sounds great!
Regular 8 or 9 inch will work and will equal 2 paskas.Try it and let me. Thanks!
*know
I can’t tell you how happy I was to find this recipe! I had one that was very similar saved to my computer two years ago which died. Of course I hadn’t written it down after I made it and have been looking ever since for one that sounded close. I’ve never baked mine in a container though, they’ve always been domes baked on a cookie sheet. Is this dough sturdy enough or would I want to bake it in a spring form? I’m so excited to give this one a try!!!!!
Oh….I hate loosing good recipes, and I don’t know why it always happens to “good” recipes. Yes this is pretty sturdy dough,I think it might work to bake it in a dome shape,but I never tried baking that way though.I would say you can give it a try….Thanks!
This recipe sounds amazing! I’m going to try this week. One question, does it matter if you use instant yeast?
Thanks,
Jen
Thank you Jen! I used regular active dry yeast…. don’t really know about fast acting yeast.Sorry…
After I place the dough in molds do I need to let it rise again before baking?
oops,yes!about 20 minutes.(sorry,made correction)
I am so excited to make this on Wednesday!!! Thank you for posting our traditional sweet bread paska recipe. Love this.
can’t wait too! my pleasure!
Nadia, thank you so much for this recipe! I made this bread as a trial for Easter and it is delish!!! Thanks again.
Glad to hear you like it….I made it two times this week with my mom and sisters. Thanks for feedback.Happy Easter!
Nadia, just wanted to let you know that I made 3 more breads today and told my family to keep their hands off or there will be no Babka for Easter! have a Blessed Easter!!!
Wow, Awesome!!!! Thank you!!!
Oh this is a perfect recipe! I can’t wait to make it tomorrow. I have tons of leftover egg yolks (from macarons) and I was looking for a way to use them up. Thanks!
It is a great way to use your egg yolks. I have tons of egg whites,so will be making macarons and and meringue berry roll with it.Enjoy!
Does any one knows if it is ok to freeze egg whites?
I never tried freezing them, but I googled it and it said that you can, just thaw overnite before using them.
Oh, thank you so much because I made your wonderful bread 2 times this week and have lots of egg whites and would not wish for them to go to waste. Thanks again!
Does any one knows if it is ok to freeze egg whites? Thank you!
This bread came out delicious, most paskas I made in the past were dry and crumbly after a day, this one is still moist and yummy. I would probably add more yeast to mine though, I don’t think it rose enough (My yeast is probably around 8 months old, refrigerated). By the way, the sugar/water glaze stays on much better than the traditional egg white/sugar glaze. I will definitely be making this more often, not just on Easter. Thanks for the wonderful recipe
Thank you Katy! Using fresh yeast will be the best result, and using just egg yolks is the secret to perfect fresh paska for days(I wrap it in plastic wrap)….I love this glaze too,It actually stays on the bread and doesn’t fall off like egg white glaze.
Hi Natasha, Thanks for posting this wonderful Kulich recipe – I can’t wait to try it. You mention that you made it in your loaf pan – what are the dimensions please? I assume you used 1/3 of the dough mix, yes? My husband hankers after Paska bread, his mother passed away, with her the recipe. I’ve made Easter babka, never Paska and I’ve settled on your recipe – I don’t think it’s difficult and your pictures sold me:)
Thank you Marie! I used 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ high loaf pan,but you can use any size or shape you want.Yes, about 1/4-1/3 of dough per loaf.Give it a try and let me know.My grandma passed away, but glad my mom saved most of her recipes.
Nadia, sorry! (I had Natasha in my head)
Hi Nadia,I made your poppy seed roll this week,and it comes delicious,just wondering if I can make this dough in bread mashin?
Hi Viktoria, I didn’t try it in bread make, but I think it should work.
Nadia, hi!
I am so glad to find this recipe! My nanny was from Ukraine and she used to bake these and I loved them and forever associate them with her. She’s passed away a long time ago, and while I am not Christian myself, my significant other is, and I am going to try baking these for him this year! My last attempt at kulichi was terrible, and (since I know how to bake bread), I suspect it was the recipe (probably too-high temperature for baking).
If I make a whole recipe, and bake it in a standard bread pan, how many of those will it make? If I have small amount of dough left over after the bread pan I can bake those in little ramekins.
Veronika
HI Veronika,I would say probably up to 3 bread loaves pan. and you can use any size. But i would bake them smaller size and big size separatly. baking time will be a little less for smaller ones.Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Nadia,
Do you think gluten free flour would work in this recipe?
Thanks,
Hi Nadia,
So you think gluten free flour would work in this recipe?
Thanks,
Sorry, didn’t try with gluten free flour.
Hello,
In the ingredients on top where you show step by step instructions it says 2 cups milk is needed.
All the way on the bottom it says 1 1/2 cups.
Which is it?
Thank you
sorry, I’ll correct that . its 2 cups.
Adorable! I never made Paska rectangular shape, so cute!
thank you Valya!
Your paska is excellent. Everyone who ate it, praised highly and asked for the recipe.
Could you please advise how I can print the recipe? When I select the Print option, it goes to something called zip list and then advises that the feature is not available.
There are 2 different measurements of yeast given.
1 tbsp and also 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. which is correct?
Hi Christine, It’s 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon. Sorry,I’ll try to work on for that print button.