Paska Slovak Easter Bread

While Czechs bake sweet mazanec bread at Easter, our neighbors in Slovakia prepare their soft and fluffy paska bread. Traditional paska bread is made from yeast dough, has a slightly sugary taste, and is topped with braids laid in the shape of a cross, referring to Christian symbolism.

Course bread

Cuisine Slovak

Keyword Easter recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Rising time 1 30

Total Time 2 10

Servings bread

Calories 1870kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup lukewarm milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon warm water
1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
½ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

For egg wash

½ egg

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Combine 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
Pour in ½ cup lukewarm milk (not hot!) and 1 Tablespoon warm water, crack in 1 egg, and add pieces of softened ½ stick unsalted butter.
Process the mixture into a smooth, soft dough. Start by roughly mixing the ingredients in the bowl with a wooden spoon. Then, turn the mixture onto a floured surface, keeping a small handful of flour nearby. Begin kneading the dough with your hands, and if it sticks, dip it into the prepared flour. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky and becomes beautifully elastic.
Return the smooth ball of dough to the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl of dough in a warm spot to rise for an hour until the volume doubles. Halfway through the rising time, knead the dough briefly to support further leavening.
Prepare the pan in which you will bake the paska bread. I used a small 8-inch springform pan. Lightly grease the pan with butter and line the bottom and sides with baking paper. The butter helps the paper stick to the sides of the pan and hold nicely.
From the risen bread dough, separate a portion about the size of an egg. Divide this dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a thin strand. Twist two strands together to make a simple braid, and repeat with the remaining two strands.
Shape the remaining dough into a loaf and place it, seam side down, in the lined pan. Arrange the prepared braids over the loaf in the shape of a cross, tucking their ends slightly between the loaf and the sides of the pan.
Cover the prepared paska bread with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
Make an egg wash by whisking ½ egg with a fork. Brush the entire surface of the bread, including the braids, with the egg wash.
Preheat the oven to 370 °F. Transfer the Paska bread to a center wire rack, close the oven door, and bake for about 25-30 minutes, depending on its size.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 1 piece of 8-inches Paska bread.
SERVING: Paska bread is traditionally served on Easter morning. Arrange boiled eggs, smoked meat, slices of ham, and sausages (klobasa or kielbasa) on the table. Slice the Paska and enjoy it with all these delicious accompaniments.
Special tip: Use metal dog bowls for baking. They have a conical shape and the bread can be easily removed from them. You can even buy bowls in various sizes for those who want to make breads of different sizes. It might seem a little odd, but it really works!
Instead of lining the pan with baking paper, only grease it with butter. If the pan is not too tall and has a conical shape (wider at the top than at the bottom), the bread will be easy to remove after baking.

Nutrition