Plait Bread

Guyanese plait bread is a soft, fluffy loaf of bread that is as beautiful as it is delicious. Serve it during the holidays with pepperpot or indulge as often as you'd like!

Course Bread

Cuisine Guyanese

Keyword 3 plait bread recipe, Guyanese plait bread, how to bake guyanese plait bread, plait bread, plait bread guyana, plait bread recipe, plait bread vs challah, plaiting bread dough

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 25

Total Time 2 25

Servings Servings

Calories 278kcal

Author Althea Brown

Equipment

Whisk
Rubber Spatula
Mixing Bowl
Baking Sheet

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dry active yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water 110 °F
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (room temperature) ok to use vegan butter, plus 1 tablespoon for basting after baking

Instructions

In a small bowl combine the warm water and sugar. Mix until the sugar dissolves, then add the yeast and give it a stir. Cover with a towel and set aside in a warm place to bloom.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt and mix together well. Then using a fork or your fingers mix the butter into the flour until the mixture looks crumbly.
Next, form a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture then add the bloomed yeast. Mix together to slowly form a pancake batter consistency, this is best achieved using a whisk. Then use your hands or a rubber spatula to pull the rest of the flour into the mixture to form a soft dough ball.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes into a smooth ball or until the dough bounces back when pressed with a finger.
Place dough ball into a greased bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise until it doubles in size. This takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
When the dough doubles in size, punch down and knead again into a smooth ball then cut a 2 inch piece of dough off from the ball and set aside. Divide the remaining dough into 3 equal parts and roll into even logs that are about 12 to 15 inches long. Next plait the three pieces into a braid by going right over left with alternating the logs/strands of dough.
Roll the 2 inch piece of dough that was set aside earlier into a long strip, place the strip on top of the braided loaf, then place the loaf on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for an hour at room temperature or until it doubles in size.
When ready to bake Preheat over to 350 °F. Add the bread to the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes (30 if you like it dark), until it is golden brown
Remove from the oven and brush with 1 tablespoon of butter, cover with a towel and allow to cool completely before serving.

Notes

To speed up the dough rising process, place covered dough in a warm oven (turn oven on to 200°F for 10 minutes, then shut it off). This is great to speed up the first proof, but should not be used for the second proof or your plait will rip apart.
For best results let the second proof happen at room temperature and let it proof for the full hour.
After my bread cools I place it into a bread bag to keep it fresh. If you don't have a bread bag you can wrap it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it from drying out.

Nutrition