Oplatki, Christmas wafers shared by family members during Christmas dinner in Poland, hold cultural significance in Poland and other Eastern European countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania.
In this tradition, the oldest person at the table breaks a piece off the wafer, passing it along to everyone present. Beyond its culinary aspect, Oplatki carries profound spiritual meaning, symbolizing unity and reflecting the communion observed in the Catholic faith.
Oplatki
Chef’s Pencil Staff
Oplatkiis a thin, unleavened wafer made of flour and water, similar to the altar bread in the Roman Catholic Church. It is embossed with religious images like a figure of the Godchild, the blessed Mary, and the holy angels.
1/2cupplain flour+ 1 tablespoon (preferably high-gluten flour but can be gluten-free too)
1cupwater(or as much as necessary to form a pancake dough consistency)
1pinchsaltto taste
honey or sweetener(e.g. agave syrup) to taste
Additional Ingredients:
1tspxanthan gum(only if using gluten-free flour)
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl until homogenized. You should achieve a nalesniki (crepe) batter consistency.
Ladle the batter into a hot Teflon (non-stick) pan in small quantities, making sure to spread it out as much as possible. Do not grease the pan as the wafer will absorb the oils and lose its signature crispness.
Cook the wafer on low heat until dry. Be careful not to burn the oplatek as they are very thin and don't take long to cook.
Carefully take the oplatek out of the pan and place on a rack to cool.
You can also cook the oplatki on a special hot iron form or mold if you have one on hand to achieve the nativity pattern.
Notes
Alternatively, you can pour the prepared mixture into a heated frying pan or waffle iron. Bake until the dough turns yellow. Cool. After about three weeks, the wafer will turn white.
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How do you store them for three weeks so they turn white?
Also, can they be baked on an ungreased sheet pan for a short time instead of cooking in a pan so they cook more evenly?
Thank you and
Życzenia Świąteczne
Hi Życzenia,
If you want them to turn nice and white, just store the oplatki in a dry place at room temp — not in the fridge. You can keep them in a paper envelope or parchment, and then slip that inside a loose plastic bag (don’t seal it tight). After a couple of weeks, they naturally lose that translucent look and turn the traditional matte white. If they get a little soft, you can pop them in a barely warm oven for a bit to crisp them back up.
As for baking — yes, you can bake them on an ungreased sheet pan instead of cooking in a pan. Just use a low oven (around 150°C) and bake for a few minutes, flipping once so they dry evenly. Keep an eye on them, because they can brown really fast — you want them dry, not toasted. It’s not exactly the same as using a wafer iron, but it works pretty well!
I’m sorry, this was terrible – dough was incredibly runny and extraordinarily difficult to work with.
How do you store them for three weeks so they turn white?
Also, can they be baked on an ungreased sheet pan for a short time instead of cooking in a pan so they cook more evenly?
Thank you and
Życzenia Świąteczne
Hi Życzenia,
If you want them to turn nice and white, just store the oplatki in a dry place at room temp — not in the fridge. You can keep them in a paper envelope or parchment, and then slip that inside a loose plastic bag (don’t seal it tight). After a couple of weeks, they naturally lose that translucent look and turn the traditional matte white. If they get a little soft, you can pop them in a barely warm oven for a bit to crisp them back up.
As for baking — yes, you can bake them on an ungreased sheet pan instead of cooking in a pan. Just use a low oven (around 150°C) and bake for a few minutes, flipping once so they dry evenly. Keep an eye on them, because they can brown really fast — you want them dry, not toasted. It’s not exactly the same as using a wafer iron, but it works pretty well!
I’m sorry, this was terrible – dough was incredibly runny and extraordinarily difficult to work with.