Poppyseed Crescent Recipes

POPPY SEED CRESCENTS

Steps:

• To make dough: Combine eggs in a 1-cup measuring cup with enough warm water to equal 3/4 cup and transfer egg/water to large bowl and then stir in the yeast. Let stand until mixture bubbles (5 minutes).
• Whisk in 3/4 cup flour, milk, sugar and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in warm area 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Batter can be refrigerated for 24 hours, stirring bubbles out of batter before refrigerating and then bring to room temperature before continuing).
• Combine remaining flour (3 cups) with salt in a large bowl. Add butter and mix, working butter into flour with fingertips--butter should remain about the size of a lima bean and not be totally incorporated into flour. (If yeast mixture is not ready to use refrigerate flour/butter mixture until ready to use).
• Pour yeast batter into flour/butter mixture, folding in using a rubber spatula, moistening the flour but not breaking up the butter. Dough will be crumbly.
• Turn dough onto floured board, patting dough into a 12 x18 inch rectangle. With a metal spatula fold right 1/3 of dough towards center, then left 1/3 over to cover. Lift folded dough up from board and sprinkle with flour. Repeat 3 more times. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes or up to 24 hours before proceeding.
• To make filling: Using a food processor, combine poppy seeds, hazel nuts and raisins, mincing using of/off turns. DO NOT FORM A PASTE.
• Heat milk with sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Add poppy seed mixture and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in lemon juice and lemon peel. Let cool.
• To make glaze: In a small bowl beat almond glaze until softened. Beat in almond extract. Gradually add egg white, mixing constantly until smooth.
• To assemble pastries: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Divide dough in half (return one half to refrigerator).
• On a floured board roll dough out to form a 7 x 30-inch rectangle. Trim dough to make dough exactly 7 x 30 and have edges even.
• Mark dough at 3-inch intervals on both long sides. Cut dough diagonally into triangles going in a zig-zag pattern from one side to the next.
• At the base of each triangle, cut 1/2 inch long slit in dough. Place one teaspoon filling on each triangle one inch from base, spread dough out slightly on each side of slit, lifting dough over filling and rolling up completely towards the point. Transfer to pastry sheet, point side down. Curve slightly o form crescents. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover pastries with plastic wrap. Repeat with second half of dough and remaining filling. Let pastries rest for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Brush pastries with glaze, avoiding cut edges.
• Bake 10 minutes, reduce oven temp to 350°F and bake 10 more minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack.

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.

MáKOS KIFLI (HUNGARIAN POPPY SEED CRESCENTS) KIPFLI / KIP

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and egg yolks; add sour cream and extract.
• Mix in flour; mix until smooth.
• Gather dough into a ball.
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface.
• With palms of hands, shape dough into a smooth roll.
• Slice dough into 48 pieces (if dough is too soft and sticky to handle, chill for a short time).
• Roll each piece into a ball (about the size of a walnut).
• Can be refrigerated overnight at this point.
• In a heavy 1 1/2 qt saucepan, combine all filling ingredients and mix together.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened (5 minutes).
• Remove from heat and cool.
• Filling should be smooth and easy to spread, if on standing it thickens too much, stir in a little milk.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour or powdered sugar.
• Roll one dough ball out at a time into a circle 1/16-inch thick.
• Place 1-2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each circle.
• Gently lifting nearest edge, roll over to cover filling (continuing to roll so that the dough overlaps on the bottom); pinch the ends slightly around the filling and shape into a crescent by curving the ends in slightly.
• Place crescent onto lightly greased cookie sheet so that the overlapped side remains on the bottom.
• In this way, make crescents from each of the remaining dough balls, sprinkling the work surface lightly between each cookie.
• Bake until lightly browned 10-15 minutes; remove to cooling racks.
• When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.