Russian Easter Bread "Paska"

Russian Paska is a sweet yeast-risen bread typically served at Easter. It just wouldn't be Easter Sunday in Russia without a piece of this tall, cylindrical bread.  Another name for it, is Kulich. I been making this recipe for many years. It's really easy, I make dough in the bread maker.


You'll need a 2-pound coffee can and a few small ones to bake it in. 

   Ingredients for Paska:
Yeast starer: (2 tsp dry yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp sugar)

12 oz warm milk 
1 stick of melted butter 
3 eggs 
1/4 cup sour cream 
1 cup sugar  
1 tsp salt 
2 tsp vanilla
5 to 6 cups flour (I use Canadian flour)
1 cup raisins 

UPDATE on the recipe: Use half half and a few ounces of heavy whipping instead of milk. Add a few tablespoons of honey. Add orange peel too. When wrapped it stays soft and moist for days.

White glaze:
2 egg whites
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp orange flavor or vanilla 

This is the flour that I use. 

For starter: put  dry yeast in the cup, add warm water to melt it. Add 1 tsp of sugar and flour mix and put in the warm spot. It will rise in 15 minutes. This is a good way to check if your yeast is good.

Mix all liquid ingredients in the bowl. 

Add sifted flour. Mix with spoon and add yeast starter. Then pour it into the bread maker. Set it on dough. Check it when it's mixing if it's too liquid add a little more flour.

Put raisins into a bowl and pour boiling water in it. Let it soften for 1 hr, while dough is mixing. Then strain it really well.

Add raisins to the dough at the end of mixing time. Or mix it in gently when the cycle is done. 

Use parchment paper for lining the inside of the cans. Spray it really good with oil. 

Then fill with dough each can half full. 

Let it rise in the warm spot for 1 1/2 hours. I was cooking and baking cupcakes so it was perfectly rising on my stove. Preheat oven to 325 F.

Bake  40 to 55 min until golden color. Time will depend on the stove. Smaller cans were ready in 35 mins.  Take the paski out and let em cool on the wire rack.

 To make glaze: put egg whites into the mixing bowl.

Add powdered sugar. 

Mix well and add orange oil. 

 Brush it on the to of Paska.

Sprinkle on top. 

Enjoy!!!