Gluten-Free Christmas wafers Polish Oplatek
The unleavened wafers are usually baked from pure wheat flour and water, are usually rectangular in shape and very thin; they are identical in composition to the round wafers that become the Host after the Consecration during Mass in the Roman Catholic Church. Being only a reminder of the Body of Christ used in private homes, Opłatki lack sanctification by a priest or bishop. The Opłatki wafers are embossed with Christmas related religious images, varying from the nativity scene, especially Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, to the Star of Bethlehem.
At the start of dinner, just after grace, the male head of the household takes the wafer and expresses his hopes for his wife in the new year. He might wish her good health, or ask for forgiveness for some fault. The wife breaks off a piece of the oplatek and eats it. She then reciprocates the good wishes and shares the wafer with her husband. And the ceremonial sharing of wafer and good wishes continues with older relatives, guests and children, starting with the oldest.
"The sharing of this unleavened bread with another person is sharing all that is good with life. It's a time to tell each other, 'I love you, I care about you.' And you do it in an open area, where everyone else can see you."
My husband is Polish and I wanted to be able to keep the tradition, and find a gluten-free solution. I drew my own images in the wafers prior to cooking.
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Served Person: 6
vegan
vegetarian
white meat free
tree nut free
nut free
contains gluten
red meat free
shellfish free
dairy free
pescatarian
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup gf flour i used a combo of rice, tapioca, potato
- 1 teaspoon xantham gum
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup or any sweetener
- Carbohydrate 0.128033610748292 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.001257222218869 g
- Fiber 0.0520694435551559 g
- Protein 0.0043486110994866 g
- Saturated Fat 2.72222222222222E-05 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (21g)
- Sodium 0.900111110798144 mg
- Sugar 0.0759641671931364 g
- Trans Fat 0.00117055555220233 g
- Calories 1 calories
Combine all the ingredients and knead for 10 min. Put dough in the fridge for 10-15 min to chill Roll out dough as thin as you want between layers of plastic wrap. (I ALWAYS roll GF dough between plastic wrap) Transfer to greased cookie sheet (I use wax paper as well for easy removal) Draw or press in nativity design Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 min or until wafers are cooked through. Cook completely and carefully transfer to plate
