This is my Baba’s Ukrainian Easter Bread recipe and we call it Babka. Here on the Canadian Prairies, Ukrainian settlers called this eggy raisin filled bread Babka, not Paska. Whatever you call it, it’s the best UKRAINIAN EASTER BREAD ever!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 ounce package traditional active dry yeast
- 2-1/4 cups warm water 110° to 115°F
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil
- 6-1/4 to 6-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
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Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp of the sugar and wait for the yeast to start bubbling.
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Add the remaining sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups flour. Using a dough hook attached to your stand mixer, beat the dough until smooth.
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Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough that only slightly sticks to your hands. Let the dough hook knead the dough for another 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
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Alternatively if you don't have a mixer, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and then knead until smooth and elastic, around 8-10 minutes.
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Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning the dough around to grease all sides to prevent it from drying.Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
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Punch the dough down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape each piece of dough into a loaf.
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Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover again and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 30-45 minutes.
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Bake the loaves in the oven at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. You can also use an instant thermometer to see if the bread has reached 200 °F in the middle, meaning it's done.
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Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.