Poppy Seed Roll

Poppy Seed Roll   (Polish Makowiec)

This traditional Polish holiday bread has a beautiful filling of poppy seeds, citrus peel and almonds. The poppy seeds must be ground first so you’ll need a spice grinder or an old fashioned meat grinder. And be sure to toast the almonds first. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 40 minutes   Cook Time: 35 minutes  

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 1/2 cups bread (or all purpose) flour
1 packet (2 tsp/7 gms/1/4 oz) yeast - instant or active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat milk) heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
about 3/4 cup extra flour
Filling:
1 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup boiling water
1/4 cup ground toasted almonds (20 count)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest of 1/2 a lemon & 1/2 an orange

Directions:
Grind poppy seeds (see note below).
Place in a small bowl, stir in boiling water & let stand uncovered.
Grind almonds and set aside.
Place flour, yeast, sugar, & salt in large mixing bowl.
Stir in milk followed by oil & egg.
Beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir in extra flour until dough forms a mass.
Place dough on floured board and knead 100 turns (about 2 minutes). Cover & let rest 10 minutes.
Meantime, add ground almonds, sugar, vanilla & zests to poppy seeds.
Roll dough into a 10 x 12 shape. Spread filling almost to edges, roll starting at 10-inch end and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Pinch and tuck ends under.
Cover with a towel and rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours or until double in size.
Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for 35 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes & drizzle with glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + about 2 Tbsp. milk, added slowly)
(Another option): Before baking, you can brush with eggwash and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  

Note: If using a spice grinder (mine is a Cuisinart Spice & Nut Grinder) grind seeds slowly, 2 Tbsp. at a time, until they feel moist – about 10 seconds per each portion. Scoop out any that stick to the bottom of the grinder as you go. Once they are all ground, I use the same grinder to grind the almonds.

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread is filled and rolled up with cinnamon, sugar, and raisins and topped with melted butter and more cinnamon and sugar.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Rise Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

Bread
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, divided
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water, about 110°F (but no more than 120°F)
⅛ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
Filling

3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Directions
In a large bowl, mix 1½ cups of the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and yeast.

Add warm water, oil, and egg, and mix until smooth.
Add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough comes together.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, or until smooth and springy.

Place dough into a large greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

When ready, punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 18x10-inch rectangle.
Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the top of the dough and spread it out to coat the entire surface.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the butter, reserving a little for the topping. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the cinnamon-sugar.

Starting on the short side, roll up the rectangle. Pinch the edge of the dough to seal it. Fold the open ends under to seal.

Place loaf, seam side down into the prepared loaf pan.
Brush another tablespoon of melted butter over the bread. Sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Cover. Let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

When ready, bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and brush with remaining melted butter. Let bread cool a bit before serving.