Bakers Poppy Seed Filling Recipes

HUNGARIAN POPPY SEED FILLING

Steps:

• Grind the poppy seeds in a mill or coffee grinder.
• Combine the milk, margarine, and sugar in a saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Gradually pour about half of the hot milk into the beaten eggs, whisking constantly. Return the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan.
• Continue to cook and stir until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a metal spoon. (Run your finger down the coated spoon: it should draw a clear line.) Add the poppy seeds and stir well to blend.
• Remove from heat; cool before using. Store unused filling in the refrigerator for up to five days.

OLD WORLD POPPY SEED ROLL

Steps:

• Place poppy seeds into a food processor and process until seeds are ground, about 1 minute.
• Mix poppy seeds with 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, lemon juice, and hot milk in a bowl; stir to combine. Cover poppy seed filling and refrigerate while making bread (filling will set up and thicken as it chills).
• Mix yeast with water and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Allow to stand until the yeast forms a creamy layer.
• Whisk flour with salt in a bowl; use a pastry cutter to cut 1/4 cup butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour yeast mixture and egg yolk into flour mixture and stir to make a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and slightly springy, about 5 minutes. If dough is too sticky, knead in more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time.
• Cut dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a 12x16-inch rectangle.
• Spread half the poppy seed filling over each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the 1-inch border back over the filling on all sides and press down.
• Pick up the shorter side of a dough rectangle and roll it like a jelly roll; repeat with second rectangle. Pinch ends together or tuck ends under to prevent filling from leaking out.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place rolls seam sides down on the baking sheet and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat egg white in a bowl until frothy; brush the rolls with beaten egg white.
• Bake in preheated oven until dark golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cover rolls with a clean kitchen towel until cool to keep crust soft. Cool completely before slicing.

SWEET BUNS WITH POPPY SEEDS

Steps:

• Makes 16 medium sized pastries.
• Click the link for Sweet Yeast Bread recipe and prepare 1 batch of dough according to those instructions, cover and allow it to proof until doubled in size (~2 hrs).

POPPY SEED COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Begin by preparing the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the ground poppy seeds, sugar, and 1 ¾ cups of the milk. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
• Combine the cornstarch with the remaining milk and stir into the poppy seed mixture. Cook until very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool completely to room temperature. Filling may be made a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
• Next, prepare the dough. In a small bowl combine the yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Mix until it is combined and allow the mixture to stand until the yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer combine the yeast with the remaining sugar, flour, milk, butter, 2 eggs, and salt. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes, or until just combined, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 8 minutes, or until a smooth ball forms.
• If mixing by hand, mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until they form a shaggy ball, then turn out onto a well floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough forms a smooth ball.
• Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and allow the dough to rise until double in bulk, about 2 hours.
• While the dough rises prepare glaze. In a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. The mixture should be roughly the consistency of honey. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, or a heavy duty plastic bag, and set aside at room temperature.
• Prepare a baking sheet with baking parchment that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide the dough in half. Roll one half of the dough out to roughly 10x12-inches.
• Spread half the prepared filling over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border along all of the edges. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling.
• Then roll the dough tightly along the short edge as you would for cinnamon rolls.
• Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow the bread to rise for 1 hour. Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Beat the remaining egg and use it to brush each loaf. Bake the bread for 25-28 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and firm. Let the bread cool for 20 minutes before glazing. Snip the tip of the pastry bag, or one corner of the plastic bag, and drizzle the glaze over the warm bread. Let the bread cool until it is just slightly warm before serving.

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.

HOW TO MAKE POPPYSEED FILLING (2 WAYS)

Steps:

• Rinse poppy seeds thoroughly in a fine mesh colander, then drain them and transfer to a medium sauce pan.
• Add 3 cups water to the pot. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. (Don't boil). Turn off. Cover with lid and let it sit for 30 minutes. Return to a simmer (don't boil). Turn off. Cover and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
• Drain poppy seeds well through a colander or by keeping lid on and placing several layers of cheese cloth on lid to catch stray poppy seeds. Life is just easier when you use a fine mesh sieve.
• Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder, using the fine grinding plate. I use my KitchenAid food grinder attachment for my stand mixer. You can also use a coffee grinder and do it in smaller batches. Note: If using a meat grinder, you need to push firmly. The seeds won't grind well unless they are under pressure. P.S. I've tried putting them through a food processor and it did not work. Drain off excess liquid if any has accumulated in the bowl.
• Mix 8-10 ounces of sweetened condensed milk into ground poppy seeds. I like to add 10 oz. Add raisins if desired (depending on the recipe you're making). Store in tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.