Always bake with a grown-up for help and safety!
Rolled Sugar Cookies
1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Easter cookie cutters (bunnies, carrots, eggs)
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill the dough overnight or at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 – 8 minutes. Cool completely before decorating.
Icing
Mix together 1 cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar, 2 teaspoons milk. Add 2 teaspoons light corn syrup and ¼ teaspoon almond extract. If too thick, add more corn syrup. Separate into bowls and add food colouring. Use to decorate cooled cookies.
Paska – Traditional Polish Egg Bread
You will need lots of time to make bread, because dough needs to rise. This makes 3 loaves.
2 .25 ounce packages active dry yeast
½ cup warm water
½ cup white sugar
3 cups warm milk
16 cups all-purpose flour, divided into 4 cups and 12 cups
6 eggs, beaten
½ cup white sugar
1 cup margarine, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Prepare yeast in ½ cup warm water in a large bowl until slightly frothy.
Dissolve ½ cup sugar in warm milk. Cool to lukewarm. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and 4 cups flour. Mix well with wooden spoon. Cover and put in a dark, warm place until the mixture is bubbly and doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Stir in beaten eggs, ½ cup sugar, margarine, salt and lemon peel. Blend well. Add the rest of the flour ONE CUP AT A TIME to form a very soft dough.
Knead the dough on a floured board about 10 minutes. Grease a bowl and put the dough in it, turning to coat both sides. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch dough down and allow to rise again for about 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 3 parts. Shape into slightly rounded loaves and place on greased baking sheets. Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Beat the last egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush onto loaves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until done. Brush the tops with melted butter for a soft crust.
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