Homemade Poppy Seed Filling For Makowiec And Other Cakes Recipes

HOMEMADE POPPY SEED FILLING FOR MAKOWIEC AND OTHER CAKES

Steps:

• To get rid of any impurities, soak poppy seeds in water first. Collect any dirt that floats to the top with a slotted spoon.
• Rinse the poppy seeds and drain them on a sieve lined with gauze (cheese cloth or a muslin square). It can stay there for up to an hour if you're doing something else in the meantime.
• [Raisins] Rinse raisins under running water. Place them in a small bowl and pour 2-3 tablespoons of almond spirit or golden rum over them. Cover the bowl with a small plate and set aside.
• [Fresh Orange Peel] Chop fresh orange peel (finely) and set aside.
• Pour 2.5 cups of milk into a cooking pot (1.5 qt / litre pot should be large enough) and bring it to boil.
• Drop all the poppy seeds in. Are they fully submerged in milk? If not, pour in some more.
• Reduce the heat to 'low' and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Poppy seeds absorb the milk quite a bit, so make sure there's enough of it.
• Drain the poppy seeds on a sieve lined with gauze, cheese cloth or a muslin square. If you can, try to squeeze out as much milk as possible.
• Using a disc with the smallest holes, grind the poppy seeds 2 to 3 times.
• Separate yolks from egg whites. Whisk yolks together with 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar, set aside.
• Place chopped walnuts and almonds in a wide pot (or a deep frying pan). Add a pinch of salt and roast them for 4-5 minutes on a medium heat, not allowing the nuts to burn.
• Add in 2 sticks of butter. Add 4 tablespoons of honey and 4 tablespoons of chopped orange peel. Let the orange peel fry for a bit, a few minutes is enough.
• Add in ground poppy seeds, chopped dried fruit and alcohol-soaked raisins. Mix everything together with a spatula, gradually adding egg yolks mixed with powdered sugar. Take the pot off the heat.
• Whip the remaining egg whites until stiff, adding 5 tablespoons of powdered sugar near the end of whipping. Gently add them into the poppy mass.
• And we're done! The poppy seed filling is ready to use in 'Makowiec' (Polish Poppy Seed Roll) or another dessert.

MAKOWIEC (POPPY SEED CAKE/ROLL)

Steps:

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

POPPY SEED ROLL (MAKOWIEC) & BREAD MACHINE METHOD

Steps:

• Scald milk and stir in sugar, salt and shortening or butter.
• Cool to lukewarm.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Stir until dissolved, then stir into the lukewarm milk mixture.
• Add beaten eggs and 3 cups flour.
• Beat until smooth and stir in an additional 2 cups flour.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic.
• Place in a greased bowl and brush top with vegetable oil.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until double in bulk (about 1 hour).
• Punch down and turn out onto lightly floured board.
• Cut into 2 rounds or 4 to make smaller loafs.
• Roll out one dough into a rectangle about 12x9.
• Spread 1 can of filling within 1 inch of sides.
• Roll up long side into a roll.
• Pinch seams tight so no filling escapes. You can use egg slightly beaten to seal. I always have poppy seed escape.
• A Hint if you want it to keep the shape of the roll place it in parchment paper securing the seams of the parchment and make sure the seam of the dough is down. I prefer to bake in loaf pans as you see in the pictures I posted here.
• Place on pan and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for 30 minutes.
• Until nicely browned.
• Remove parchment if using and let cool.
• You can top with a powdered sugar glaze or slice and spread some sweet butter on it.
• Alternative Bread machine Method:.
• Place the eggs, room temperature buttermilk, and 1/2 water in first unless your machine has wet last then reverse. Cover with 2 cups flour add butter and salt top with the rest of the flour and sugar. Make a small indent in the flour and place yeast in (Using 2 1/2 teaspoons Rapid Rise Active yeast for bread machines).
• Set on dough cycle and let process for a bit if it needs more water slowly add. Then follow with rolling and filling as above. I found that the last rising was 15 minutes with this method!

POPPY SEED FILLING

Steps:

• Scald poppyseed in boiling water and strain in cheese cloth.
• Grind poppyseeds in a blender until smooth.
• Add sugar,honey,eggyolks, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, blending constantly.
• Beat egg whites till stiff.
• Fold in poppyseed mixture.
• Sprinkle with flour and mix well.