Here's my Ukrainian grandmother's recipe: Sweet Raisin Paska Bread
Lana, I finally found a 1 lb block of fresh frozen yeast at:
D&G Occasions
625-G Herndon Ave (off Rt 50)
Orlando, Fl 32803
407-894-4458
M-Tues-W & F: 9-6
Thurs: 9-7
Sat: 9-4
The cashier said to just slice off a piece, let it thaw and use it. I did that, expecting it to soften to a soft solid, afterwhich I would add the water and sugar. But this thawed to a liquid! So I just poured it in...I think I used at least 1 TBL, possibly more. Honestly, I wasn't expecting the yeast to be viable and work.
Reduced version for bread machine:
1 cup whole milk
1/3 C butter
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp salt
1/2 C sugar
2 C bread flour ** (not really necessary, you can just use all regular flour too)
2 C regular flour
YEAST (either 1.5 tsp dry bread machine yeast or 1 TBL fresh yeast thawed + 1/4 tsp dry yeast.)
1/2 C golden raisins
Warm butter with the milk. Pour into machine bowl.
Add wet yeast** (if used)
Add sugar, salt, and egg/yolks.
Top with flour
Top with dry yeast
Process on "dough" cycle.
Sprinkle flour on counter, pour out dough, add raisins and knead in. Or else, be smart and add them during the final mixing stage of the dough cycle. That's when you're supposed to add them, but I forgot.
You can either make one large bread on a heavy cookie sheet or else divide dough, flatten, roll into tight tube and place in 2 oiled bread pans. Let rise until doubled (I put mine in the microwave to keep it away from drafts.)
You can brush with egg wash, but I didn't this time.
Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes.
You can also divide the dough into thirds and braid it, tucking under the ends to seal. Or put a dough "cross" on the top.
My bread machine steps puts the liquids in first, then the flours, then tops off with the yeast. The dough cycle runs for 1.5 hours. It's a 1 pound Welbilt machine but can take up to 1.5 lbs. for dough. However, it would have never fit baking it in the pan with the extra rising size.
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Full recipe below.
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 17:34:51 GMT
From: Marilyn in FL (@141.240.32.144 ())
1 large cake yeast (Note: this is the fresh stuff, found in northern states. A small cake of yeast is equivalent to one package of dry yeast, so I guess you can swap 3 packages of dry yeast. I never have, though.)
1/4 C warm water
3 C whole milk
1 C butter
1 1/2 C sugar
12 C flour
3 tsp salt
4 eggs
soft raisins
1 beaten egg for brushing on top of dough
Dissolve yeast in water with 1 tsp sugar.
Scald milk and butter together.
Blend yeast, milk, eggs, sugar and 6C of flour. Mix well.
Start adding remaining flour and stir in raisins, if you're so inclined. Continue adding flour until you have a stiff dough that is not excessively sticky. Save a bit of flour to coat counter surface for kneading step.
Knead for 10 minutes by hand. Note: I've only done this step by hand so I can't defend the merits of bread machine automation. Place dough in a buttered bowl and cover...let rise until doubled. Punch down and let rise TWO more times (this provides a very nice crumb).
Punch down and divide into 6 pieces. Let rest for 10 minutes, then shape into small round loaves, or roll into long logs and braid 3 each into a circle...this would be the stage to inbed hardboiled colored easter eggs into the braid. If I'm feeling particularily ethnic, I'll add an Orthodox cross formed from dough to the top of a round ball.
Brush surface with a beaten egg and let rise for
1/2 hour. Bake 350 for 35 minutes...Watch carefully...the egg wash will want to burn.
Notes:
Any raisins sticking out of the dough will burn. There is nothing you can do about it unless you want to create miniature raisin deflector shields.
Block out your time. This bread is not something you can start an hour before you want to eat it.
For true authenticity, it helps if you shrink to 5 foot tall, wear an apron that has survived multiple wars and speak in a language no one in the house understands. Smile a lot with whatever remaining teeth you have. People will love you and the bread anyway.
