I am sharing my Ukrainian Plentika Bread recipe here to keep it safe as the paper I have it on is getting very worn out and I don’t ever want to lose this recipe because it is important to me.

I want to begin by saying this isn’t my recipe. This is my friend, Oksana L’s recipe, who taught a wonderful Masterclass about Ukrainian Braided Wedding Plentika Bread. This recipe uses the Metric system (which now that I have learned it, I prefer it!). This recipe can also be used for: Kosar, Lezhen’, Diven’, and Kolach.

• 1. 300 g milk
• 2. 14 g fresh yeast (or 7 g Active Dry Yeast)
• 3. 40 g sugar
• 4. 100 g eggs (if your eggs are too big, separate the whites to adjust to 100. It is better to have more yolk than white if you do need to subtract.)
• 5. 670 g Bread Flour
• 6. 14 g salt
• 7. 100 g butter

Using a kitchen scale, add the ingredients step by step beginning with #1.

Warm milk to just warm to touch. Mix in sugar and add the yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate and froth up.

Add the eggs, flour, salt, and butter.

Start kneading. Knead for 10 minutes. Really beat the shit out of the dough. I mean form a club with it, slap it on the table as hard as you can, really beat it up. The rougher the better. Then form dough into a ball.

Place dough ball inside of plastic bag (grocery bag works fine – cut end of bag and cut open to make a flat sheet to keep dough under while forming) and keep on table for 1 hour. Roughly, punch down the dough, and proof for 1 more hour then make Braid. — Alternatively, place dough in refrigerator and leave overnight to save for later baking.

Divide bread into 3-4-5-6 parts and cover with cut plastic bag sheet. Roll out each strand and form the Braid. Proof the braid covered with plastic for 1-2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Egg wash the braid twice, sprinkle seeds (I used poppy & sesame) on top. For egg wash, separate the yolks, putting the whites aside (you can use the whites for another recipe).

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Ukrainian Superstitions & Kitchen Rules:

💙💛 It is bad luck to not sit while bread is baking – you MUST stay off your feet.

💙💛 Do not eat fresh bread out of the oven, let it cool down first. If you are having company over, it is best to bake the bread ahead of time so that the bread is cooled by the time your guest arrives, but leaves your home smelling of freshly baked bread for them.

💙💛 You are not allowed to think negative thoughts or speak negative words while baking/cooking. The food absorbs the energy you put out into the universe, bad energy will cause food to be “bad.” You only want to put love into your food. The food knows.

💙💛 Always add salt to dough, even if the recipe you are using does not call for it.

💙💛 At weddings, couples break the Plentika Bread and whoever takes the bigger piece becomes the “Ruler of the Family.”

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov