Paska (Ukrainian Easter Bread)
from https://www.tasteofhome.com/, Recipe by Millie Cherniwchan, Smoky Lake, Alberta

Paska bread, an egg-enriched bread with a beautiful braided top, is an Easter staple in Ukraine. As a child growing up in a New York City apartment, some neighbors in our building were from Ukraine, and I quickly learned to adore their Easter traditions. When the holiday came around, we would sit at their table for hours on end, decorating eggs with beeswax and brilliant-colored dyes, and eating slices of paska bread. The rich, eggy loaves were served for Easter brunch or dinner, but they’re so good you can enjoy them year-round.

Many Catholic countries, especially in Eastern Europe, have special Easter breads and cakes—from hot cross buns to Italian breads baked around hard-boiled eggs. Paska bread is a beautiful loaf, similar to brioche, made with an enriched dough that includes eggs, sugar and milk. It can be tall or wide, glazed or studded with dried fruit, and is often braided or decorated with elaborate (usually religious) symbols.

Many compare it to babka or kolach, another braided Ukranian bread, but they’re pretty different. Babka is typically sweeter and richer than paska and often includes flavorings (think chocolate babka, cinnamon babka or apple babka). It’s usually filled, rolled, then twisted into a loaf or round shape and baked before being sliced to reveal the fillings. Kolach (not kolaches, which are Polish or Czech) is also an enriched bread, only served for Christmas and other celebratory meals.

BrownEyedBaker adds 1 cup of raisins and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla for one loaf. The recipe from https://korenainthekitchen.com/ (see Other Designs below) adds 1 tsp. vanilla, the grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon, and 3 tbsp (30 g) rum or brandy (or bourbon) for the three loaves. In the instructions, she says "two 9" round springform pans would be perfect"; she made hers in three deep, round cake tins in descending sizes that she found at the thrift store." I have also seen pictures of this in loaf pans with decorations, for instance a braid down the length with side decorations.

Modern versions are often brightened with pristine egg-white glaze, colorful sprinkles, or poppy seeds.

Cut recipe in half for one loaf.

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
4 cups warm water (110° to 115°), divided
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
13-1/2 to 14-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
6 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon salt
[2 cups raisins, optional]

EGG GLAZE:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups water. Beat in the milk powder and 5 cups flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Add eggs, butter, salt and remaining 1/3 cup sugar; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half and set 1 portion aside. Divide remaining portion in half; press each portion into a well-greased 10-in. springform pan. Divide reserved dough into 6 balls. Shape each ball into a 30-in. rope; make 2 braids of 3 ropes each. Place a braid around the edge of each pan, forming a circle. Trim ends of braids, reserving dough scraps. Pinch ends of braids to seal.

Shape scraps into 2 long thin ropes; form into rosettes or crosses. Place 1 decoration on the center of each loaf. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

For glaze, in a small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 breads

Other designs from https://korenainthekitchen.com/:

For each loaf (she is decorating 3 loaves), make a twisted rope around the edge by rolling out two long snakes of dough and twisting them together. Form the rope into a circle and lay it around the edge of the loaf.

To make the 4-cornered cross, roll out a log of dough with fat ends. Split each end of the log into two strands, then roll them into tapered lengths and coil up each one.

For a sun-motif (sorta – it should have a few more arms), roll out a strand dough into a thin snake. Coil the ends in opposite directions and attach to the top of the paska. Repeat with another strand of dough (up to 4 strands total) and arrange on top of the paska so it overlaps the first one and the ends point in all four directions, like a compass.

For the twisted strand, make two long thin stands of dough and twist them together, leaving several inches untwisted at each end. Coil up the ends. You could also make two of these and overlap them to make another 4-cornered cross symbol.

To make a flower/rosette, roll out a long snake of dough, then flatten it with a rolling pin. Make little notches down one side with a knife, then roll it up from one end, letting the notched side fall open to form the petals. Pinch the closed end together to secure.

Secure all decorations with toothpicks so they stay put while rising and baking. Cover with a tea towel and let the decorated dough rise.