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.