Guyanese Plait Bread

Guyanese Plait Bread

Excerpted from Mad Love: Big Flavors Made to Share, from South Asia to the West Indies by Devan Rajkumar. Photography by Suech and Beck. Copyright © 2023, Devan Rajkumar. Republished with the permission of Figure 1 Publishing.

You can purchase Mad Love: Big Flavors Made to Share, from South Asia to the West Indies here.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (59 ml) sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) active dry yeast
• 3½ cups (828 ml) flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1½ tsp (5 ml) salt
• 6 Tbsp (89 ml) melted butter (divided), plus extra for greasing

Method:

In a bowl, combine sugar, yeast and 1½ cups (355 ml) warm water. Gently mix with a spoon. Cover with a dish towel and set aside for 10 minutes, until foamy.

In a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine flour, salt and 5 Tbsp melted butter. (You can also use your hands to mix everything in a bowl.) Pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 5–6 minutes, until dough comes together. Remove dough from the mixer and shape into a ball with your hands. Transfer the dough ball to a greased bowl. Cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise for an hour, until doubled in size.

Grease a large baking sheet.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Set aside ¼ cup (59 g) of dough. (This will be used to make a decorative mini braid.) Divide the remaining dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each piece into an 18-inch length.

Secure the ends of the three pieces together. Braid the bread, then press the ends into themselves. Divide the reserved dough into three. Roll each piece to the length of the loaf, then braid the three strands together. Lay the thin braided cord down the middle of the loaf.

Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet and set aside to proof for 45 minutes in a warm place. When it is almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.

Brush the top with the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter, then slice and serve.