Ukrainian Easter Cheese Paska Recipes

UKRAINIAN EASTER CHEESE (PASKA)

Steps:

• Combine farmer cheese, cream cheese, butter, and egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix on low speed to combine. Add sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, and orange zest; mix until Paska mixture is smooth.
• Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth, leaving an overhang on all sides. Place over a plate that will catch any additional liquid that drains out.
• Spoon Paska mixture into cheesecloth. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the mixture. Cover with a plate and set a heavy weight on top.
• Chill until Paska is firm, overnight to 24 hours.
• Remove weighted plate and unfold cheesecloth ends. Use cheesecloth ends to lift Paska out. Invert onto a plate and peel away cheesecloth.

UKRAINIAN EASTER PASKA

Steps:

• Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F and bake an additional 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F. If necessary, cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

EASTER CHEESE MOLD: PASHKA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese or farmer's cheese, sugar, cream cheese, and egg yolks, stirring to mix.
• In batches, process the mixture in a food processor, adding an equal amount of cream to each batch, until completely smooth. Transfer back to the bowl.
• Stir in the ground almonds, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the cheese mixture along with the raisins. Mix thoroughly.
• Line a clean, unused 8-cup flower pot with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed-dry cheesecloth. Spoon the cheese mixture into the lined pan, then fold the ends of the cheesecloth neatly over the top. Place a saucer on the cheesecloth, then a 2-pound weight, such as a can, on the saucer. Put the flower pot in a bowl large enough for the liquid to drain into. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Empty the bowl. Unmold the pashka onto a serving plate and carefully remove the cheesecloth. Decorate with candied fruit, pressing some of the fruit into the pashka to form the letters XP, which stands for Khristos voskres ("Christ has risen").

PASKA, UKRAINIAN EASTER BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring eggs to room temperature. Separate eggs and place yolks in a large mixing bowl, reserving egg whites in another bowl. Mix 2 cup of scalded milk with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix well. Let cool until milk is warm. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let stand for approximately 10 minutes. This mixture should start bubbling. Beat egg yolks in large mixing bowl with electric hand held mixer. Add 2 cups of sugar gradually and continue beating until light and frothy. Beat egg whites until very stiff. Mix together yolk mixture and yeast mixture. Then add the butter, oil, orange zest and juice and salt. Beat until smooth. Using hand mixer on low setting, alternate with the egg whites and flour, until it is starting to thicken, then start kneading with your hands for approximately 15 minutes in total. When dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl, rub palms of hands with oil and rub over dough so it doesn't dry out. Cover with damp kitchen towel and let rise until the dough doubles in size. In the meantime, grease 6 tins with crisco and sprinkle inside with bread crumbs. Fill each tin about 1/2 full. Place on cookie sheets and let rise again until they spill just over the top. Cover again with damp cloth. Brush with beaten egg and milk just before baking. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 300°F. For small paskas, it can take as little as 30 to 45 minutes. Larger ones may take one hour. To tell if paska is done, turn out of pan and tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it is done. If it sounds flat put it back into the oven. Serve warm.

UKRAINIAN EASTER BREAD (PASKA)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and 1 tablespoon of the sugar until very warm (120 to 130 F). Pour into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle over the yeast. Allow to stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
• Sift 1 cup of the flour over the yeast mixture and with a wooden spoon, stir until a batter forms. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place (80 F to 85 F) until mixture looks puffy and spongy, about 1/2 hour.
• In another bowl or a 4 cup measure whisk the eggs and egg yolks together with the vanilla extract, grated lemon zest, and salt.
• Sift another 2 cups of flour over the risen yeast flour mixture, and make a well in the center. Pour in the egg mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes a soft, sticky dough; the dough should be as soft as possible, so do not add more flour unless it is very wet.
• Using your hand, spread the butter over the dough and work into the dough, folding it over itself and kneading into the dough until the butter is completely incorporated. Cover with the dish towel and leave to rise again in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
• Butter a 2 pound coffee can. Line the bottom with nonstick baking parchment, and butter again.
• Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the raisins, golden raisins over the dough, and knead until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
• Form the dough into a ball shape, and ease into the coffee can. Cover and leave to rise again until the dough reaches the top of the can, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F Brush the top of the dough with a little milk and if you like sprinkle with about a tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake about 1/2 hour longer; if the paska browns too quickly, cover with foil. Remove to a wire rack to cool in the can for about 5 minutes, then carefully unmold, top side up, to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

UKRAINIAN EASTER PASKA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 warm water (100° to 110°).
• Mix until smooth.
• Set bowl aside until mixture is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• FOR THE SPONGE: Add 4 cups of the flour and milk to yeast mixture.
• With a wooden spoon, mix until well combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 3 eggs, 8 egg yolks, and sugar until light and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.
• Add the SPONGE mixture.
• Add salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, orange zest, rum or brandy, melted butter, and vegetable oil.
• Whisk on medium speed until combined.
• Remove whisk attachment from machine, and fit with the dough hook attachment.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add enough of the remaining 8 cups flour until dough comes away from side of bowl.
• Transfer dough to a clean work surface.
• Knead dough, adding any remaining flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a large bowl, and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap.
• Place in a warm spot away from drafts, and let it rise until double in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• {Ihad no dough hook so I used wooden spoon and then my hands,{mix well at least 15 min.
• by hand} Place rack in lower two-thirds of oven, and heat to 350°.
• Butter two 9-inch saucepans.
• Cut a piece of waxed paper{I use parchment paper} about 2 inches longer than the circumference of the saucepan.
• Fold this in half lengthwise to make a double thickness.
• Place inside the saucepan, patting it to adhere to the butter.
• The collar should extend 3 to 4 inches above the rim of the saucepan.
• Seal the 2-inch flap with more butter.
• {Butterwaxed paper or parchment too}[I like to cut out circles and put on the bottom off pan, paska comes out easier] When dough has doubled in bulk, punch down, and set aside one-third of dough in a medium bowl covered with plastic wrap for decorations.
• Divide remaining two-thirds dough evenly between saucepans.
• Place bowl and saucepans of dough in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, on a clean work surface, shape reserved dough into desired motifs—solar, crosses, rosettes, birds, braids, scrolls, etc.
• Keep any dough that is not being used covered with plastic to prevent it from drying out.
• TO ATTACH MOTIFS: Brush surface of risen dough in saucepans with 3 lightly beaten egg whites.
• Attach decorative dough ornaments, using a toothpicks to secure motifs to loaves and leave them on until paska is baked and then gently remove toothpicks.
• Keep in a warm place to rise until it reaches almost the top of pans, 20 to 30 minutes.
• FOR THE GLAZE: In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon water.
• Brush egg mixture on surface of loaves.
• Bake 350 F.
• for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325°, and bake for an additional 50 minutes.
• Cool paska in pans for 30 minutes.
• When paska has cooled but is still warm, gently remove from pans, and transfer to a rack to cool.
• Makes two 9-inch round loaves.