Makowiec

Ingredients

Dough

• 600 gplain flour
• 10 ginstant yeast
• 80 gcaster sugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 250 mlwarm milk
• 3egg yolks
• 100 gbutter, softened
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tspvanilla extract

Poppy seed filling

• 400 gblue poppy seeds
• 500 mlmilk, for scalding
• 150 gcaster sugar
• 100 ghoney
• 80 gbutter
• 100 graisins
• 80 gcandied orange peel, chopped
• 60 gchopped walnuts or almonds
• 2egg whites
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• grated zest of 1 orange

To finish

• 1egg, beaten
• 150 gicing sugar
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• candied peel, to decorate

Directions

1. Use blue poppy seeds, which are what Polish recipes mean. The seeds must be scalded and then ground, and neither step can be skipped. Put the poppy seeds in a bowl. Bring the milk to the boil and pour it over them. Cover the bowl and leave it for at least an hour. Pour the seeds through a fine sieve lined with muslin.
2. Let them drain thoroughly, then squeeze the cloth. They should be damp rather than wet. Melt the butter in a wide pan over a low heat. Add the ground poppy paste, the sugar and the honey. Cook it gently for fifteen minutes, stirring often. Add the raisins, candied peel, nuts, vanilla and orange zest.
3. Cook it for another five minutes. Let the filling cool completely. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold them into the cooled poppy filling. This lightens it and stops it sitting as a dense band.
4. Warm the milk to blood temperature and no hotter. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix it to a rough dough and knead for five minutes. Add the softened butter a piece at a time. Knead each piece in fully before adding the next.
5. Keep kneading for ten minutes after the last of it goes in. The dough should become smooth, soft and glossy. Put it in an oiled bowl and cover it. Let it rise until doubled, which takes about ninety minutes. Divide the risen dough into two.
6. Roll each half into a rectangle about thirty by forty centimetres. Roll it thin, since a thick dough gives a poor swirl. Spread half the poppy filling over each rectangle. Leave a clear margin of two centimetres along one long edge. Roll it up tightly from the long side. Roll firmly so no air gaps form between the layers.
7. Pinch the final seam closed along its length. Lay the rolls seam side down on lined trays. Cover them loosely and prove for forty-five minutes. Heat the oven to 180C in good time. Brush the rolls with the beaten egg.
8. Bake them for forty to forty-five minutes. They should be deep golden and sound hollow underneath. Cover them with foil if they colour too fast. Icing a warm loaf makes the icing run straight off. Whisk the icing sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. It should be thick enough to sit on the surface.
9. Spread it over the cooled loaves. Scatter chopped candied peel over the wet icing. Let it set for an hour before slicing. Cut it into thick slices to show the spiral. It keeps for four days wrapped and freezes well.

Technique

• The poppy seeds must be scalded and then ground until they release their oil, or the filling is gritty.
• Roll the log tightly, since air gaps make the filling separate during baking.
• A large quantity of poppy seed can produce a positive opiate drug test.

Substitutions

• Ready-made poppy seed filling, sold in tins in Polish shops.
• A food processor in place of a meat grinder, though it grinds less well.

Variations

• Made as a plaited loaf rather than a plain roll.
• With more nuts and less candied peel.
• Baked in a tin for a squarer slice.

History

Poppy seed roll baked for Christmas, when poppy seeds are eaten as a sign of prosperity and, in folk belief, remembrance of the dead.

Frequently asked questions

What is Makowiec?

Makowiec is a dessert from Poland: poppy-seed swirl loaf with raisins and icing, Christmas. Poppy seed roll baked for Christmas, when poppy seeds are eaten as a sign of prosperity and, in folk belief, remembrance of the dead.

How long does Makowiec take to make?

Makowiec takes 1 hour plus 2 hours rising of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 loaves. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Makowiec?

Yes, within limits. Ready-made poppy seed filling, sold in tins in Polish shops. A food processor in place of a meat grinder, though it grinds less well.

What is the most important thing to get right in Makowiec?

Use blue poppy seeds, which are what Polish recipes mean. The seeds must be scalded and then ground, and neither step can be skipped. Put the poppy seeds in a bowl. Bring the milk to the boil and pour it over them. Cover the bowl and leave it for at least an hour. Pour the seeds through a fine sieve lined with muslin.