Mary Capp Bowan's Paska

Description

Russian Easter bread

Contributed by World Recipes Y-Group

This Y-group is international. Good food from all parts of the world. A place where we can share the wonderful food from all over the world.

Ingredients

• ½ cup each sugar and shortening
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg. yeast (mom always used Red Star® - regular, not quick)
• 6 cups flour, plus (mom always used Robin Hood®)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups milk or 1 cup warm water with 3 tsp dry milk powder, and 1 cup milk
• 1 cup golden raisins (sultanas)

Directions

1. Place dry ingredients in bowl.
2. Warm milk (or milk and water), add eggs and vanilla.
3. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and work together about 4 minutes.
4. Cover and rest dough 10 minutes.
5. Add raisins and knead for 8–10 minutes or until hands remain clean from dough.
6. Add flour as necessary, but do not make the dough very stiff, the softer, the better.
7. Raise until double, punch down, shape and raise again. Bake at 400 °F for 40–50 minutes.
8. To shape in traditional manner, divide dough in half.
9. Place each in a 3 lbs (or as close as possible to that size) clean coffee can, reserving a little dough from each to make a cross-shaped braid on top.
10. Raise until double.
11. Before baking, brush with beaten egg over top generously.