Guyanese Plait Bread

1. Place yeast into 1/4 cup warm water to bloom. The warm water should be temperature somewhere between 100 - 110 degrees, add 1 tsp of sugar. Let it bloom for about 5-6 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift 3 cups all-purpose flour. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup chopped cold butter. Mix until you get coarse crumbs.
3. Add liquid ingredients.  Add water, yeast, and egg to flour mixture and begin to combine. Knead it until it forms a tight dough ball.
4. Set oven temperature to warm for about 15 minutes and then turn it off.  We need to create an environment for the bread to proof or "rise".
5. Lightly spray another clean mixing bowl with oil or butter and transfer dough ball.  Cover mixing bowl with a towel and place into warm oven for 1 hour or until your dough ball doubles in size.
6. After proofing, transfer dough ball onto a floured surface and begin kneading, you may also knead dough in the same large bowl.  See pictures above on how to properly knead the dough. Knead for about 8-10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth.
7. After dough ball has become smooth and elastic, weigh entire dough ball on a food scale and divide your number by three. You will be breaking your dough ball into three pieces and they must all equal the same or very similar weight.  Be sure to tare your scale when you put the dough ball on it.
8. Take each piece of dough ball and fold it into itself to make a round smooth ball.
9. Roll out the dough ball into the shape of a log and tuck the dough under itself so the top of the log is smooth and underneath the log has a seam. Use the same technique as in this.
10. Measure the length of each log to make sure they are all the same length.  Begin to braid the bread by following the pictorial instructions above.
11. After bread has been braided, place on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased and allow to proof in oven uncovered for 30-40 minutes.  Over-proofing will make the braid come apart.
12. Remove dough from oven and now turn oven to 315 degrees. Brush some melted butter on top of bread dough, this is what will help to keep the dough soft.
13. Bake bread for 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven, wait five minutes then place bread loaf in a plastic bag, this helps to keep the crust soft.

Yield: One large loaf