Paska is an Easter Bread eaten in European countries. It is made with Flour, Sugar , Butter , Eggs , Yeast and Milk . The egg and water mixture is used as Glaze on top of the bread. The bread is made into round loaves and decorated with religious symbols with the bread dough. Slovak Paska Bread was the Suggested for this months Baking Eggless Challenge. Thank you +Gayathri Kumar for the wonderful challenge.
Seriously it was challenging to make this bread without the eggs. First time when i made the bread ,it was super difficult to handle the dough . It was sticky . Still i managed to do the braids. After it was baked , i Couldn't even see a sign of braids in the bread . But the bread was baked well and it tasted really good. So i thought to make the bread again.
Second time it the dough was very easy to handle . I did the braids with no difficulty and the bread turned out perfect .
Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups + Dusting
Yeast - 2 TSP
Sugar - 2 TBL
Salted Butter - 4 TBLS ( Room Temp)
Yogurt - 1/3 Cup + ( Room Temp)
Milk - 1/3 Cup ( Room Temp)
Milk - For milk wash
Instructions:
- In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients together.
- Mix it well so that all the ingredients are combined.
- Add the yogurt and mix it . Add milk little by little and mix it till it forms a dough .
- Transfer the dough into the counter . Add the Butter and knead it well it the dough turns out smooth.
- Knead it for 7-10 minutes . If you feel the dough is dry add a little milk/yogurt and knead it.
- If the dough is sticky dust some flour and knead it .
- When the dough is smooth and elastic , Apply some butter over the dough and keep it in a bowl , cover it with a cling wrap and allow it to rise. It could take 1 hour or more depending on the temperature. ( It took 11/2 hrs as it is super cold here).
- Once the dough has doubled . Punch it to release the air.
- Divide the dough into three portions.
- I used one portion to keep it in the center of the pan .
- Another portion , i braided it , and decorated around the center.
- Third portion , I decorated on top of the first and second portion.
- Cover it with a muslin cloth allow it to rise again.
-Preheat the oven at 350F.
- Brush it with milk and bake it for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Remove it from the pan and allow it cool completely.
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