Poppy Seed Roll
A classic Jewish/Russian/Hungarian pastry, as good as you can buy at a bakery. This is fun to make and the results look beautiful. Let it sit for a few hours before you cut it, so the flavours blend completely. Then brew up some tea and slice at an angle. Divide the rolls into pieces and freeze for those times when you want an in-between meal treat.
Back to Yeast Breads, Desserts, Breakfast and Brunch.
Ingredients for the Dough
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/8 cup/3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature
1 cup lukewarm milk
Ingredients for the Poppy Seed Filling
1 1/3 cups poppy seeds
5/8 cups milk
3/4 cups honey
3/8 cups chopped walnuts
3/4 cup raisins, chopped
1-2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated or chopped finely
Ingredients for Finishing - Optional
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon cold water
1 1/2 cup icing sugar or more
1-2 tablespoons milk or more
1/4-1/2 cup slivered almonds
Method for the Dough
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm milk. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and place in a warm location for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.
Combine 4 cups of the flour, the sugar and the salt in a bowl. Cut the pieces of butter into the flour mixture.
Make a well and add the egg yolks and the whole egg. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix all together.
Add the warm milk slowly and combine until the dough is sticky.
Sprinkle a board with the remaining 2 cups of flour. Turn the dough out onto the board and knead the flour into the dough, about 5-7 minutes. Add more flour if necessary. The dough should be soft and smooth.
Grease a bowl and round the dough up in the bowl, making sure the top of the dough is also greased. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
Method for the Poppy Seeds
Grind the poppy seeds in small portions in a clean coffee grinder or by hand with a mortar and pestle.
Heat the milk to boiling in a saucepan, uncovered. Add the ground poppy seeds and mix quickly, removing the pan from heat immediately. Let sit for 30 minutes.
While the poppy seeds are soaking, chop the walnuts, raisins and lemon zest. After the seeds are soaked, mix in the raisins, nuts, honey and lemon zest and set aside.
Assembly and Finishing
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it onto a floured board. Divide in 4.
Grease a baking pan or cover with parchment paper.
Roll each section of dough into a 10" x 12" rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup poppy seed thinly over the dough, leaving a 1" border all around.
Roll up slowly from the long edge. Seal the ends and place seam side down on the pan.
If using, mix the egg yolk with the teaspoon of cold water. Baste the rolls with the mixture.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool completely before adding the icing.
If using, toast almond slivers on a pan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. As soon as the almonds begin browning remove from heat to prevent burning.
If using, make the icing, Add milk in tiny quantities to the icing sugar until the icing is the consistency of your choice. Don't pour the milk in large amounts - a bit at a time so the icing doesn't get too liquidy.
Drizzle the icing by the teaspoonful over the cooled rolls and sprinkle the almonds on right away so they stick.
Suggestion: Let the rolls sit for a few hours before serving so the flavours blend.
Poppy Seed Roll
A classic Jewish/Russian/Hungarian pastry, as good as you can buy at a bakery. This is fun to make and the results look beautiful. Let it sit for a few hours before you cut it, so the flavours blend completely. Then brew up some tea and slice at an angle. Divide the rolls into pieces and freeze for those times when you want an in-between meal treat.
Back to Yeast Breads, Desserts, Breakfast and Brunch.
Ingredients for the Dough
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages active dry yeast or 1/10 lb. cake yeast
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/8 cup/3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature
1 cup lukewarm milk
Ingredients for the Poppy Seed Filling
1 1/3 cups poppy seeds
5/8 cups milk
3/4 cups honey
3/8 cups chopped walnuts
3/4 cup raisins, chopped
1-2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated or chopped finely
Ingredients for Finishing - Optional
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon cold water
1 1/2 cup icing sugar or more
1-2 tablespoons milk or more
1/4-1/2 cup slivered almonds
Method for the Dough
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm milk. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and place in a warm location for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.
Combine 4 cups of the flour, the sugar and the salt in a bowl. Cut the pieces of butter into the flour mixture.
Make a well and add the egg yolks and the whole egg. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix all together.
Add the warm milk slowly and combine until the dough is sticky.
Sprinkle a board with the remaining 2 cups of flour. Turn the dough out onto the board and knead the flour into the dough, about 5-7 minutes. Add more flour if necessary. The dough should be soft and smooth.
Grease a bowl and round the dough up in the bowl, making sure the top of the dough is also greased. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
Method for the Poppy Seeds
Grind the poppy seeds in small portions in a clean coffee grinder or by hand with a mortar and pestle.
Heat the milk to boiling in a saucepan, uncovered. Add the ground poppy seeds and mix quickly, removing the pan from heat immediately. Let sit for 30 minutes.
While the poppy seeds are soaking, chop the walnuts, raisins and lemon zest. After the seeds are soaked, mix in the raisins, nuts, honey and lemon zest and set aside.
Assembly and Finishing
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it onto a floured board. Divide in 4.
Grease a baking pan or cover with parchment paper.
Roll each section of dough into a 10" x 12" rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup poppy seed thinly over the dough, leaving a 1" border all around.
Roll up slowly from the long edge. Seal the ends and place seam side down on the pan.
If using, mix the egg yolk with the teaspoon of cold water. Baste the rolls with the mixture.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool completely before adding the icing.
If using, toast almond slivers on a pan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. As soon as the almonds begin browning remove from heat to prevent burning.
If using, make the icing, Add milk in tiny quantities to the icing sugar until the icing is the consistency of your choice. Don't pour the milk in large amounts - a bit at a time so the icing doesn't get too liquidy.
Drizzle the icing by the teaspoonful over the cooled rolls and sprinkle the almonds on right away so they stick.
Suggestion: Let the rolls sit for a few hours before serving so the flavours blend.
