Baking Great Bread at HomeA soft, buttery Easter bread with a little citrus and a lot of meaning
IntermediateHenry's Paska EasterBread
by Henry Hunter
The Easter loaf worth waking up early for.
Fermentation
4–6 hours (sourdough levain) + 4–6 hours bulk
Bake Time
35–40 minutes
Yield
Serves 10–12
Perfection is not required
"Perfection is not required. Progress is."— Henry Hunter
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
Paska is one of the oldest breads still baked in home kitchens. Across Ukraine, Poland, and Eastern Europe, families have been pulling this golden, egg-enriched loaf out of the oven every Easter morning for centuries — decorated with braided crosses, wheat sheaves, or rosettes pressed into the top before the final rise. It's not everyday bread. It's bread that means something.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Sweet Stiff Levain
This is the engine. Building a stiff, sweetened levain reduces sourness and performs better in a fat-rich dough.
Main Dough
Optional Inclusions
Finish
Pro Tip
Use bread flour, not all-purpose. Enriched doughs need the extra protein to hold structure through all that butter and sugar.
Day 1 — Morning
Build the Sweet Stiff Levain
This isn't your regular levain. Stiffening it with less liquid and adding sugar reduces acidity.
Click each step to mark complete
Mix the levain
Combine the , flour, milk, and sugar. Mix until no dry flour remains.
⏱ Wait Time
4–6 hours
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Levain Fermentation
Shaping
Shaping Options
Paska is traditionally tall and round. The shape carries cultural meaning, so lean into it.
Traditional Round (Recommended)
RecommendedClick each step to mark complete
Shape a tight round
Fold edges to center, flip, drag toward you to build tension, place seam-side down in pan.
Decorative cross or braid
Reserve a small piece of dough before panning. Roll into ropes, form a cross on top, press gently to adhere.
Loaf Pan
Click each step to mark complete
Shape as a batard
Works great in a standard 9x5 loaf pan if you don't have a tall round pan. Score down the center before baking.
Proof Test: Ready when the dough crowns above the pan edge and springs back slowly — not immediately — when pressed with a floured finger.
The Final Step
Bake
Low temperature, full bake. This loaf needs time to set all the way through.
Baking Methods
Equipment: Tall round pan, springform, or coffee can
Preheat to 350°F (175°C)
Give the oven a full 30 minutes to come to temperature.
Egg wash
Brush gently. Don't press — you'll deflate the proof.
Bake 35–40 minutes
Tent with foil at 20 minutes if browning fast. Pull at 190–195°F (88–90°C) internal temp.
Cool before slicing
At least 45–60 minutes. The crumb is still setting.
"A tall loaf takes longer to bake through than it looks. Use your thermometer. Color on top doesn't tell you what's happening in the center."
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice • 12 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
3–4 days wrapped in cloth or a bread bag. The tangzhong (yeasted version) extends softness noticeably.
Refrigerated
Up to 5 days, tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
Frozen
Up to 3 months. Slice first so you can pull individual pieces.
Refresh
Warm at 325°F (165°C) for 8-10 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 15-20 seconds.
💡 Warm at 325°F (165°C) for 8–10 minutes or toast individual slices. Refrigeration stales enriched breads faster than room temp storage.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
Temperature is the quiet variable that makes or breaks a sourdough. SourHouse built the Goldie and the Dough Bed to hold your starter and dough in the sweet spot without guessing, without babysitting. Same tools I keep on my counter. Use code HBK23 for 10% off everything in their store.
SourHouse Goldie and Dough Bed
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