Add warm water to a small bowl and mix in the yeast and the sugar.
Set aside the yeast for 5 minutes until frothy.
Basic Dough
Pour warmed milk over butter, add the sugar and warm water.
Stir until the butter melts.
Add the milk mixture to a bread maker, with the flour, salt, eggs and activated yeast mixture.
Set the bread maker to knead the dough.
If making by hand, knead by hand until smooth and elastic.
Cover the dough and place in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size.
Activate Yeast - Cheese Dough
Add warm milk to a small bowl and mix in the yeast and the sugar.
Set the yeast aside for 5 minutes until frothy.
Cheese Dough
Mix cottage cheese with spoon until smooth.
In a bowl combine raisins, yeast mixture and cottage cheese.
Add egg yolks, remaining sugar, salt and lemon zest to the cheese mixture and stir until combined.
Place the cheese mixture in the empty bread maker, add baking powder and flour; Set the bread maker to knead the dough.
Once the cycle is complete it's time to assemble the loaves.
Assemble Paska
Preheat oven to 325 F or 170 degrees celcius.
Turn the basic dough out onto lightly floured board and divide into 4 parts. 1 part is for decorating the top of the loaf if you don't intend to glaze the loaf. The remaining 3 are for the 3 loaves.
Shape 3 of the dough loaves into rounds. Let basic dough rounds stand on board, covered, for 15 minutes.
Take 1 part of basic dough on board; lightly punch it down a little.
Divide cheese dough into thirds.
Roll out 1 part of cheese dough into long log and place it around the edge of basic dough loaf.
Gently turn the edges of the basic dough over to enclose the cheese dough.
Place dough in a round pan and let it rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Repeat for remaining 2 basic dough rounds and remaining 2 parts of cheese dough.
Optional Decorations
The final basic dough round is used to make a decorative plait around the top of the loaf. (not shown, I iced my Easter Cake)
If you are going to make a plait, divide the remaining basic dough into 3 sections.
Take one section and divide it into three again. Make a plait with the dough and add it to the top of the bread.
Brush the bread loaf with egg yolk and sprinkle with caster sugar.
Repeat for the remaining loaves
Bake the loaves for 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 350 F (180 celsius) and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes.