Ukrainian Poppy Seed Roll

Olha's Note:

This is the lightest dough and the best tasting filling you have ever tasted.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

DISSOLVE

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package yeast

SIFT

• 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour or 3 2/3 cups unbleached flour, in a large bowl make a well in the middle of flour,add dissolved yeast in well,add around yeast in t
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons soft butter
• 1 beaten egg
• peel of 1 lemon, grated
• 2/3 cup warm milk

POPPY SEED FILLING

• 2 1/3 cups ground poppy seeds (Grind in a coffee grinder, or through finest blade of food chopper, I buy ground poppy seeds at a Ge)
• 1 cup hot boiling milk (or boiled light cream)
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 3/4 cup golden raisin (you may use chopped up prunes)
• 2/3 cup chopped almonds or 2/3 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: Scald with boiling water 2 1/3 cups poppies. I do this about three times. I put the poppies in a large bowl add boiling water and swish them poppies. Wait until the poppies have settled and then pour off the water.
2. After the third wash let the poppies stand in hot water for 1 hour.
3. Drain poppies through a cheesecloth covered net sieve.
4. Air dry in the sieve, preferably overnight.
5. FOR THE DOUGH: MIX and KNEAD for about 10 minutes addin more flour if necessary.
6. This is a soft dough.
7. Let rise in a greased bowl, covered, for about 45 minutes, till doubled in bulk.
8. Punch down and divide into two parts.
9. Roll each into rectangle.
10. Spread with Poppy Seed Filling all over the rectangle.
11. Roll up each rectangle from the long end like a jelly roll.
12. Pinch seams to make edges secure.
13. Place on greased baking sheet.
14. Cover, let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes, brush with egg wash or cream.
15. (I use evaporated milk to brush tops) I like to slash tops lightly about 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart all the way up the roll.
16. BAKE: preheated oven 350 degree F.
17. for about 45 to 50 minutes or until done and brown on top.
18. POPPY SEED FILLING: Stir HOT milk into poppy seeds, add the rest of the ingredients in order. Sometimes I add liquid honey for more sweetness. Add to taste.
19. Stir until cool.
20. When cool fill rolls.

Reviews

[mianbao]

This recipe makes the best sweet bread! It's tender, fluffy and tastes wonderful. I had intended to follow the recipe exactly, but only realized I had forgotten the lemon zest when the shaped bread was rising. The bread is still fantastic, and I'm trying to figure out where this recipe goes right - I used bread flour, didn't need any extra, the dough was soft, but I could knead it, and after kneading it was less sticky, so I could shape it. I did sift the flour, and if that's what does it, I'll sift all my flour when I make bread. At least I'll give it a try. It's hard to belive a bread with only 1 egg in it is so good. This was my first experience with poppy seed filling, and I do think it may take some getting used to. I think it came out the way it should have, though I was surprised at how much of it there was. It was interesting. Thank you for another lovely recipe.