Sweet Bread - Bulka (Bulka & Paska)

[Olga Drozd]

Sweet Bread (Bulka & Paska)

Soft and tasty. 1/2 cup lukewarm water 1 tsp. sugar 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (2 pkg.) 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 tsp. salt 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 lemon rind, grated 3/4 cup raisins 4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in the lukewarm water.  Sprinkle yeast over top and set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar and butter together until sugar is dissolved.  Pour into a large mixing bowl and stir in salt.  Cool slightly.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and yeast mixture.  Stir in the rest of the flour with your hands.  Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for at least 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and satiny.  Form into a smooth ball and place in a greased bowl.  Cover with a piece of greased wax paper and a damp cloth. Let rise in warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.  Punch down dough and divide into 3 pieces.

Form into smooth balls and press each into a well greased, 8 x 4 x 3 loaf pan or empty coffee can.  Fill only half full.  Cover again with greased wax paper and damp cloth and allow to double in size, about 1 1/4 hours.

Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden.  Place pans on rack to cool, then remove bread.

Optional:  When cool, drizzle with icing made of icing sugar and lemon juice.

I used two clay cookers for my bulka recipe.