Scalded Easter Bread (Paska) — Foolproof, Soft & Moist

✅ Advantages:

• The scalded dough activates gluten, so the bread stays soft longer
• Tender, moist texture
• Simple process, suitable even for beginners

📏 Yield:

About 1.6 kg of dough — enough for 3–4 loaves (depending on molds)

🛒 Ingredients (for 3 loaves):

• 250 ml milk
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 150 g butter
• 30 g fresh yeast
• ⅓ tsp salt
• 1 packet (10 g) vanilla sugar
• 4 eggs (or 2 whole eggs + 3 yolks)
• 230–250 g sugar
• ~700 g flour
• 250 g raisins (washed and dried)
• 2 tbsp orange paste (or zest of 1 orange)
• 1 tbsp cognac or rum (optional)
• Turmeric (optional, for color)

🌸 Aromatic Emulsion (optional):

Mix: orange zest, vanilla sugar, 2 tsp honey, and cognac.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
(You can add it directly to the dough, but the emulsion gives a richer aroma.)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

see continuation on next page