• Activate the yeast. Warm up the milk to 105-115℉. Add the milk to the large bowl (the one you will be using to mix the dough). Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar and 7 grams of yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy. If it is not foamy, your yeast may not be fresh, and you will need to discard and repeat the process with the fresh yeast.
• Mix eggs and sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk 5 egg yolks, 150 grams of sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Whisk until creamy, and the mixture becomes a lighter color. Add lemon zest (if using) and whisk again. The sugar does not need to be fully dissolved. You can also use a mixer for this step.
• Combine ingredients. Add egg mixture to the activated yeast. Stir in 100 grams of melted (but not hot) butter. Stir it all with a whisk until combined. Does not have to be perfectly smooth.
• Add flour. Start adding flour, stirring the dough with a spatula. Once it is hard to do with a spatula, it's time to use your hands. Do not add all the flour at the same time. You may need 80 grams more or less. The dough should be quite sticky, do not add more flour.
• Knead the dough. Since the dough is quite sticky, start by stretching and folding it. Keep doing it until the dough becomes more elastic. You can use it on a flat surface or in a bowl. You can also grease your hands slightly with oil. Once the dough is less sticky, continue to knead with your hands for about 20 minutes or until you have an elastic dough that holds shape well in a ball.

  You can also use a stand mixer and a dough hook to knead the dough.
• First proof. Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 60-90 minutes in a warm place, until doubled in size.
• Shape and second proof. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. I used a kitchen scale for accuracy. Slightly grease hands with oil and form two balls. Place them in Paska molds. Cover with a towel and let rise for another 30-40 minutes.
• Bake. Preheat oven to 350℉. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the tops are golden brown. I like to use the food thermometer to make sure they are cooked inside. The internal temperature should reach 198℉-205℉.
• Let cool down and glaze (optional). Let Paskas cool down in molds. After they complete cool down, you can remove molds add the glaze on top.

Simple lemon glaze

• In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Whisk until you have thin pourable glaze, adding more lemon juice as needed.