Ukrainian Paska Bread

I was feeling relatively sprightly this morning. So I not only updated the choir website with some photos, but instead of the hot cross buns I'd thought of making, I decided to make some Ukrainian Paska bread, a kind of brioche traditionally made for Easter -- I happened to stumble across a recipe for it online the other day, and it seemed appropriate.

I wasn't about to try my sourdough starter again -- it went back in the fridge once I tested positive and retired to bed -- so I used yeast. It still took quite a while, as it required three rises, and for the first one I forgot I could speed it up by putting it in the microwave on the dough-proof setting. However the results look quite convincing. I halved the recipe but still made a loaf and a spirally one imitating a galaxy (extra). I made a couple of other changes too, so I'll probably put it on my blog once it has passed the taste test. Cooling as we speak!

It's been a lovely spring day, so I'm hoping that tomorrow I will test negative and can leave the house.