Paska, also known as kulich, is a classic sweet bread traditionally served in this little corner of the world throughout spring and especially on Easter Sunday. I have bits and pieces of recipe notes shared by friends and neighbors, including a variety of toppings and methods. The following is this year’s Easter bread, simply dressed in white.
Paska Spring Bread
Kulich
Ingredients
- 281 g all purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
- 7 g instant dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 70 mL whole milk room temperature (1/3 cup)
- 70 g unsalted butter melted room temperature (4 Tablespoons)
- 250 g whole fat cottage cheese room temperature (1 cup) see notes
- 100 g granulated sugar (5-7 Tablespoons) see notes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 lemon
Gelatin Glaze Topping
- 5-6 g gelatin (1 1/4 teaspoons) This sets the glaze stronger, with more of a marshmallow texture and taste.
- 90 mL water (7 Tablespoons) You will use part for gelatin then another part as you prepare the rest of your glaze.
- 100 g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 2 g vanilla sugar 1/2 teaspoon
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Combine flour and yeast, set aside.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk eggs together, add remaining ingredients and combine. Remember, all ingredients best at room temperature.
- Add mixed flour and yeast, stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight. It is best overnight, but test your preference.
- Next day, divide dough in four equal parts, OR less depending on size of molds used. Place in buttered kulich/panettone molds, paper wrappers, heat resistant enamelware cups or even pre-washed cans, fill about 1/2-3/4 depending on how tall you prefer. Cover with thin towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes. Optional: Try placing them in a lightly preheated toaster oven turned off.
- After 40 minutes, when dough has increased in size, bake in preheated 175C/350F oven for 30-35 minutes. Baking times may vary slightly if using varied size molds at the same time, the larger molds take a little longer. Test for doneness with a wooden skewer or thin knife.
- Remove from oven and cool at room temperature.
- Once cooled, carefully remove paper wrappers if used (or leave decorative ones on until ready to serve) and spread warm, just-made glaze over each bread, allowing some to spill over edges. Do not wait for glaze to cool to pour and spread as it will thicken and be difficult to work with.
- Once glaze has set, top and decorate as preferred. Dried fruits and nuts are traditionally used. Fresh fruit, pistachios, dried coconut and chocolate are some of my favorite.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine gelatin powder and 3 Tablespoons water. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over low heat, combine sugar and 4 Tablespoons water, simmer stirring continuously until sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat, add gelatin, stir until combined.
- Add vanilla sugar and lemon juice, mix on low speed with electric mixer until all ingredients thicken and form a slight peek, approximately 2 minutes.
Notes
Important to use whole fat cottage cheese in this recipe, lightly pulsing in blender before mixing in with other ingredients.
If including raisins or other dried fruits as traditionally used, in dough as well as topping, you may opt for less sugar.
If including raisins or other dried fruits as traditionally used, in dough as well as topping, you may opt for less sugar.
