Paska

Directions

Makes: 30 buns
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Combine one teaspoon sugar, water and yeast in a bowl and let proof for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix scalded milk—milk brought nearly to a boil and then cooled—to five cups of flour. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Set the bowl aside in a warm location for about 15 minutes.

Stir in eggs, ⅓ cup sugar, salt and butter. Gradually add five to six cups of flour, one cup at a time, until a smooth and soft dough forms. The dough should be sticky, but still pull away from the sides of the bowl. If using a stand mixer, knead the last of the flour by hand to prevent a tough bread caused by too much flour and overworking.
    
Put dough into a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise in a warm location until doubled, about one hour. Then form into buns—three inches in diameter—and let rise again for another hour on slightly greased cookie sheets covered by tea towel.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake buns for 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately flip the buns upside down on tea towels to cool.

Prepare the icing by mixing icing sugar, butter and milk. Once the buns have cooled, ice generously and top with sprinkles.