Makowiec (Poppy Seed Cake/Roll)

A traditional Polish dessert, especially popular during the Christmas season. My grandmother used to make one for each son, or else they would fight over them! It's a lot of work, but totally worth it, it's delicious.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• DOUGH

• 4  teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  cup milk, warmed
• 3  cups flour
• 1  egg
• 1  egg yolk
• 4  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4  tablespoons butter, melted

• FILLING

• 1⁄2 lb poppy seed, rinsed
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄4 cup raisins
• 3⁄4 cup  almonds, ground
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4  tablespoons honey
• 1  egg white
• 1  egg white, lightly beaten

Directions

1. For the dough: Mix together yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Pour in milk, stir until dissolved.
3. Whisk in 1 cup of flour, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
5. Knead remaining 2 cups flour and butter into yeast mixture, adding each alternately a little at a time.
6. Kneed until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.
7. Place dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
8. For the filling: Simmer poppy seeds in a medium pot full of water until soft, about 40 minutes.
9. Drain and puree in a food processor, about 4 minutes.
10. Return poppy seed puree to same saucepan.
11. Add sugar, butter, raisins, almonds, vanilla extract, and honey.
12. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
13. Set aside to cool.
14. To Cook: Preheat oven to 350*F.
15. Roll out dough to a 16" x 12" rectangle.
16. Whisk egg white in a bowl into stiff peaks, fold into the poppy seed filling.
17. Spread over dough, leaving a 1" border all around.
18. Fold dough lengthwise in thirds to form a long log.
19. Pinch ends to seal.
20. Place cake on nonstick baking sheet, brush with beaten egg white, and bake until it sounds hollow when tapped, about 50 minutes.
21. Cool before serving.