German Poppy Seed Gugelhupf Mohngugelhupf Recipes

MOHNHöRNCHEN FROM CLASSIC GERMAN BAKING

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• To make the rolls:.
• If using fresh yeast, crumble the yeast into a small bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar and salt. (If using instant yeast, stir the yeast, sugar, salt, and flour together in a bowl and proceed to Step 4.).
• Melt the butter and combine with the milk. The mixture should be lukewarm. Whisk in the egg.
• If using fresh yeast, pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the yeast mixture and add the flour. (If using instant yeast, pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture.) Stir together until shaggy; dump out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and silky. If the dough seems too sticky, you can add up to 2 tablespoons more flour, but no more; you want the dough to stay as soft as possible.
• Form the dough into a ball and place back in the bowl. Cover with a clean dishcloth and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and knead briefly. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions (about 3 ounces/85g each). Roll out each portion of dough into a triangle that is about 8 inches/20cm long on each side. Starting with a long side (not a tip), roll up each piece and form into a crescent roll with the tip secured underneath. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, you can roll the original ball of dough out to a 15-inch/38cm round and cut the round into 10 equal wedges. Roll up the wedges and form them into crescents. Cover the baking sheet with the dishcloth and place in a warm, draft-free spot for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
• When the rolls have proofed again, make the topping: Beat the egg yolk with the milk for an egg wash. Remove the dishcloth and brush the rolls thinly with the egg wash. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over them.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are a rich golden brown. They will be very soft to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving. The rolls are best eaten the day they are made.
• Recipe courtesy of CLASSIC GERMAN BAKING by Luisa Weiss. Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Classic-German-Baking-Pfeffernüsse-Streuselkuchen/dp/1607748258.

GERMAN POPPY SEED GUGELHUPF MOHNGUGELHUPF

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F Using a cylinder shaped pastry brush, butter the inside of a 9 to 9 1/2 inch Gugelhupf mold or fluted cake pan. Coat with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Beat the butter in a medium bowl using a handheld electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. Return the speed to high and beat until the mixture is very pale and light in texture, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, then the lemon zest.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl, and stir in the ground poppy seeds. Mix the milk, rum, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup. Stir in half of the flour, then half of the milk, then repeat. Spread evenly in the pan.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the rack to unmold and cool completely.
• MAKE AHEAD: The cake is best the day it is made. Cover leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. To refresh, heat slices in a toaster oven.
• NOTE: Buy poppy seeds in bulk from a purveyor with a steady turnover, such as a central European delicatessen or Middle East or Indian grocer (poppy seeds are used in the cuisines of the East, too). Poppy seeds in tiny jars from the supermarket are likely to be prohibitively expensive and rancid. Store poppy seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze them for up to 6 months. Always give poppy seeds a good sniff before using to check for any hint of rancidity.
• Poppy seeds are usually ground before use to crack their tough hulls, which releases their flavor and moisture. Use an electric coffee grinder or blender. Grind the seeds in 1/4 cup batches until they look smaller than whole seeds and begin to clump together. A blender takes longer than a grinder, about 1 minute and be sure to stop the blender occasionally to loosen the ground seeds that collect around the blade. Serves 10-12.
• Kaffehaus.Rick Rodgers.