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.