Potica/Poppy Seed Kuglehoff

Coasty's Note:

This sweet bread has a few names – Potica being the Slovenian name and I have also had something similar called Kuglehoff. The Kuglehoff is either chocolate coated or just dusted with icing sugar. What ever you call it, you will need a large bundt tin to give it the traditional shape. Potica is best made the day before. It just doesn’t taste the same if you eat it the same day it is baked.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 600 g flour , warmed
• 60 g fresh yeast
• 250 ml milk , warm
• 100 g butter , softened
• 3 egg yolks
• 100 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum , dark
• 1 lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 500 g poppy seeds
• 250 ml milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 150 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla icing sugar

Directions:

1. Place poppy seeds and milk in pan and cook bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes Allow to cool.
2. Separate eggs and mix the yolks sugar, honey and vanilla into cooled poppy seed mix. Put aside.
3. Sift the flour making sure it is warm. Crumb the yeast into a large cup, add 2 tbsp warm milk, 1 tsp sugar, set the yeast into a warm place for rise.
4. Mix the butter, sugar and egg yolks and beat until the sugar is well dissolved and the mixture is frothy. Warm up the milk, mix in salt, lemon peel, rum and the butter mixture.
5. Combine the flour, yeast mixture and yeast mixture to form a dough. Either knead the dough until smooth or place in a mixer with a dough hook.
6. Place dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm place until it doubles in size.
7. Just before you start the next stage – beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Take about ¼ and mix through the poppy seed mixture to loosen up then fold the remainder of the egg whites through.
8. Punch down dough and turn onto a floured cloth (this makes it easier to roll up) Roll out to about the thickness of the first joint on you little finger. Spread the poppy seed mixture on dough leaving a 5cm border at one edge.
9. Roll the potica gently, but make sure there are no air pockets left in the roll.
10. Grease the bundt pan with butter and dust with bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the potica into the pan, the edge should be at the bottom.
11. Cover the pan with a cloth and set in a warm place to rise to double the size.
12. Heat oven to 200C and bake 1 hour. If the top is browning too much cover with baking paper.
13. Remove from oven and turn out immediately. Do not cut until cooled completely.