Eggless Slovak Paska Bread is a soft, decorative bread with a soft and delicious brioche texture. It is topped with braids usually in the form of a cross. You may know it as pashka, paschka, veľkonočný koláč or biely chlieb.
This yeasted bread is slightly sweet and very addictive. You can bake it in a round cake tin or make 40 cute birds called ‘peeps’. It is baked during Easter so Christian symbolism is very much in play here.
This is an eggless Slovak bread recipe but in the Ukraine, Slovakia and some Eastern European regions eggs are a common ingredient. The other Easter favourites are, of course, Cheesy blintzes, dyed eggs, the Easter braid, flaounes, devilled eggs, and devilled tomatoes for vegetarians.
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A little about Paska
Like I said, the taste and texture of paska are similar to brioche. I have seen this bread with dried fruits and lemon zest. However, I bake it without any. This way we can enjoy the bread with cheese, jam, or honey as we wish. It also goes well as a side for our gravies. Pairing it with ham, eggs, and sausages is very popular too.
Psst! When baking remember to take into account that the bread just disappears in tummies in no time. So make extra!
Ingredients
- Milk: I use dairy milk with 6% fat. I have never tried using only water (I think a celebratory bread deserves milk).
- Sugar: This bread is on the sweeter side. I will not recommend reducing it or using a substitute.
- Salt: I use regular table salt.
- Butter: Use any salted butter.
- Yeast: I use instant yeast but you can use active yeast. Just remember to proof the yeast before mixing it into the dough.
- Warm water: Use lukewarm water to prove the yeast and to mix the dough.
- Curd and baking soda: I am substituting eggs with curd and baking soda here. Use it at room temperature.
- All-purpose flour: The texture of this bread is only possible with all-purpose flour or maida.
Method:
- Melt the butter and stir in sugar and milk.
- Prove the yeast in sugared warm water.
- Mix in curds, milk mixture, and flour to make the dough.
- Knead till the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball and let it rise till it doubles in size.
- After the rise, degas the dough and make 3 parts.
- Shape as needed.
- Transfer to a preheated oven and bake.
Substitute
- I am using a mix of curd and baking soda. The original recipe calls for 3 eggs. You can always try that.
Potips:
- Before you start the recipe check if your yeast is active. I have had too many failures because the yeast had expired. Just mix ¼ teaspoon of yeast and sugar in 4 tablespoon of warm water. Set it in a warm place. If your yeast is good you will see bubbles in 5-10 minutes.
- Use all ingredients at room temperature.
- Remember to work fast especially since this dough is ultra-soft.
- If you’re using unsalted butter, remember to add ¼ teaspoon of additional salt.
Related recipes
These are some recipes you may like to try for Easter:
Pairing
What do I serve Eggless Slovak Paska Bread Recipe with
Summary
A soft sweet and delicious bread that pairs well with curries and stews. But you can enjoy it for breakfast or with soup.
Eggless Slovak Paska Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar for dough
- ½ tablespoon sugar for yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 170 grams unsalted butter (¾ cups)
- 3 ¾ teaspoon instant dry yeast
- ½ cup warm water 43 C or 110 F
- ½ cup Yoghurt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour divided
- Milk for the egg wash
Instructions
- Heat milk, ¼ cup sugar, salt and butter over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.
- Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water in a mixing bowl that has been warmed. Let proof for 5 minutes.
- Add curd, milk mixture and 2 ½ cups flour.
- It’s time to start kneading the dough.
If you’re using a tool:
- With the dough hook attachment, mix on speed 2 for 1 minute.
- Continue mixing and add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time.
- Mix for about 2 minutes or until dough clings to the hook and leaves the side of the bowl clean. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
If you’re using your hands:
- Begin mixing the dough with 2 ½ cups of flour.
- Add ½ cup of flour and continue to mix till the mixture comes together.
- Transfer to the work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Your dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Either way, the dough will be sticky to the touch do not worry. Continue the process:
Rise
- Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a greased bowl. Turn the dough over so that it is greased on the top too.
- Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
To make the bread:
- Punch down the dough to degas it and divide it into three parts. One part to make peeps and the other 2 make your round paska bread.
For the round bread:
- Divide each ball into 2 parts one big and the other a smaller portion for decorations. There is no measure here.
- Shape each into a round loaf and place it in greased round (7x3-inch) moulds.
- With the reserved dough, decorate with the cross in the centre or braids around the edge.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled.
- Heat oven to 350°F /180°C degrees.
- Gently brush the tops of the risen dough with milk.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from pans immediately brush with melted butter and cool on a wire rack.
For the peeps:
- You will need ⅛ of the dough for every peep. Use the first rise dough to make the peeps.
- Shape the dough into a log. Keep one side thicker than the other.
- Take the thinner side and knot it. Let the knot have a small portion sticking out is the head like a beak.
- Stick in some cloves as eyes. Shape the tail feathers in the thicker part of the dough with a sharp knife. Take care not to cut through. I suggest you do the cutting on the greased cookie tray.
- Let it rise for 20 minutes before baking at 350°F /180°C.
- Remove from pans immediately brush with melted butter and cool on a wire rack.
Namrata says
Beautifully risen. Wow, I wish I could bake bread like this!
themadscientistskitchen says
Try it Namarata its simple.
Priya Srinivasan says
Slovak paska bread looks fabulous archana. To make a brioche bread eggless is definitely a task! Will definitely try this in my kitchen! Lovely share!
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 thanks, Priya.