Paska - Ukrainian Yeast Bread for Easter

Preparation

• 1
  Lightly warm the milk until lukewarm. Then stir in 20g white sugar and add the yeast. Weigh 400g flour in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of this flour to the mixture and stir. Let the dough stand covered and rise for about 20 minutes.
• 2
  Beat three egg yolks with the remaining sugar (180g) until creamy using a hand mixer. Then stir in vanilla extract and sour cream (To substitute, you can mix crème fraîche with sour half-cream in a 1:1 ratio). Add the yeast mixture. Gradually stir the remaining flour into the mixture. Cover the dough again and let it rise for about 1-2 hours.
• 3
  Place the dough in a large bowl. Gradually knead in the remaining flour (170g). Then gradually work in the soft butter. Work the dough for about 15 minutes either by hand or with dough hooks. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise again for 2 hours until its volume has doubled. It may be necessary to let the dough rise even longer.
• 4
  Spread the dough on a work surface and if you want to incorporate raisins/dried fruit, distribute them on the dough and knead briefly. Otherwise, knead the dough vigorously once. Then divide into two equal parts and place into the prepared molds (paper molds with 13cm diameter and 8.5cm height). Let stand covered until the volume has doubled (this can easily take another 2 hours).
• 5
  Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat and bake the Paska on the lower rack for about 1 hour. If the surface becomes too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Perform a toothpick test. Depending on the oven, it may take longer.
• 6
  For the glaze, beat an egg white with the powdered sugar until a toothpaste-like consistency is formed. Spread the glaze on the dome and sprinkle with sprinkles.