This is from our long-time family friend and just a wonderful person, Toni Selby. She used to make this bread for our family and bring it to us every Easter since we can remember. Her youngest son got her to make bread for all the neighbors and for some volunteer jobs he did. At her bread-making peak, Mrs. Selby was making 65 loaves each Easter season! I got a chance to sit with her April 21, 2011, to help her make her bread, and it was so great! She used techniques that I didn't know about (hence, the updated version below) and where the recipe usually makes 5 loaves, we ended up with 20 loaves from doing 3x the recipe! She's turning 70 this year, and told me that she's been making this recipe since she was 20! It's a family recipe that they share, and one of her older sisters had taught her to make it. I'm so happy to be part of this tradition, keeping it alive!
PASCUSA BREAD (Easter Bread)
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted (reserve 1/4 cup to add to the end of kneading)
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 quart whole milk, heated in microwave to lukewarm
2 pkgs dry active yeast
2 tbsp sugar
10 cups bread flour (Robin Hood or King Arthur)
1 tsp salt
Glaze: mix an undetermined amount of confectioners sugar with water and vanilla
This recipe assumes a basic knowledge of baking bread.
Add sugar to butter, and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating into mixture, and let sit for awhile.
Heat milk to lukewarm in the microwave and set aside while you prepare yeast mixture. For yeast mixture, combine and gently stir yeast with 1/4 cup of the lukewarm milk and 2 tbsp sugar. Let sit until it starts to foam up, then add in about 2 tbsp flour and let sit a few more minutes. Add to creamed mixture. Sift flour and salt into creamed mixture, alternately with lukewarm milk, and work in each time until ready to knead. (note: if milk has cooled too much, then just re-heat to lukewarm again)
Keep the dough sticky, and knead until it is pliable but still "light".
At the end, add in 1/4 cup of melted butter, should still be sticky, but easy to work with.
Raise till double, and then punch down gently in sections (not just the middle), then let rest a few minutes. Test to see if it's still rising. Do this by putting a little flour on your fingers and putting onto dough and checking a few minutes later. if still rising, then wait a little longer and test again.
Shape into loaves (great for braided rolls). Push down in middle and put on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Place a large boiled egg in center. Make small twists to go as a cross on top, and pinch to sides. Note: dough will rise while baking, so keep room between loaves. Raise loaves for about 30 minutes.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for about 25 to 30 minutes (temp variations depend on the oven, some back hotter; temp is until it is evenly browned all over)...may need to turn around in oven, or switch racks half way through.
When done baking, gently pour or spoon glaze over the top. Let cool, store in sealed container. I like to put on plates or trays, and cover with plastic wrap. Or, if giving as gifts, place on a paperplate and insert into a large freezer bag.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted (reserve 1/4 cup to add to the end of kneading)
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 quart whole milk, heated in microwave to lukewarm
2 pkgs dry active yeast
2 tbsp sugar
10 cups bread flour (Robin Hood or King Arthur)
1 tsp salt
Glaze: mix an undetermined amount of confectioners sugar with water and vanilla
This recipe assumes a basic knowledge of baking bread.
Add sugar to butter, and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating into mixture, and let sit for awhile.
Heat milk to lukewarm in the microwave and set aside while you prepare yeast mixture. For yeast mixture, combine and gently stir yeast with 1/4 cup of the lukewarm milk and 2 tbsp sugar. Let sit until it starts to foam up, then add in about 2 tbsp flour and let sit a few more minutes. Add to creamed mixture. Sift flour and salt into creamed mixture, alternately with lukewarm milk, and work in each time until ready to knead. (note: if milk has cooled too much, then just re-heat to lukewarm again)
Keep the dough sticky, and knead until it is pliable but still "light".
At the end, add in 1/4 cup of melted butter, should still be sticky, but easy to work with.
Raise till double, and then punch down gently in sections (not just the middle), then let rest a few minutes. Test to see if it's still rising. Do this by putting a little flour on your fingers and putting onto dough and checking a few minutes later. if still rising, then wait a little longer and test again.
Shape into loaves (great for braided rolls). Push down in middle and put on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Place a large boiled egg in center. Make small twists to go as a cross on top, and pinch to sides. Note: dough will rise while baking, so keep room between loaves. Raise loaves for about 30 minutes.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for about 25 to 30 minutes (temp variations depend on the oven, some back hotter; temp is until it is evenly browned all over)...may need to turn around in oven, or switch racks half way through.
When done baking, gently pour or spoon glaze over the top. Let cool, store in sealed container. I like to put on plates or trays, and cover with plastic wrap. Or, if giving as gifts, place on a paperplate and insert into a large freezer bag.
***This is just one suggestion about how to braid/form the loaves. The Selby tradition is to have the kids also help, and they come up with some interesting ideas and designs! You can even bake it in loaf pans if desired. Have fun!
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Thank you for posting! Have a super fabulous extraordinary day! I am!