Web-exclusive: Hungarian Poppy Seed Rolls

This recipe was sent to us by Maria in Takaka who got it from her her former mother-in-law, Kati Erdelyi. "In Hungary every house had these rolls at Xmas and Easter", writes Maria. "There are several variations for the fillings - available on the internet."

 

The following recipe makes quite a plain cake so you may wish to add a handful of sultanas and some lemon zest to the filling for extra flavour and sweetness. It’s important that the poppy seeds taste fresh so buy them from a store that sells bulk spices or has a good turnover.

 

 

 

• 125g butter
• 225g plain flour
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 egg yolks
• About 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten (for glaze)

• 2 cups ground poppy seeds (see method)
• ½ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup milk

Pastry: Rub butter into flours. Add sugar, yogurt, egg yolks and enough milk to make soft, pliable dough. Turn out on to a floured surface, knead lightly then leave to rest for 30 minutes.

 

Filling: As poppy seeds are very small they tend to slip through most mechanical grinders. Kati used a special gadget to do the job but an electric coffee/spice grinder works well. Grind small amounts at a time, about 2-3 tablespoons, until the seeds look fluffy. The seeds will become slightly moist as they release their oil. You will need about 1¾ cups poppy seeds to make 2 cups ground seeds. Combine ground seeds with sugar and milk in a bowl.

 

Preheat oven to 200°C. Briefly knead rested dough then divide in half and roll out into oblongs about 6mm thick. Spread poppy seed paste over dough, leaving a 1cm margin around the edges, then roll up lengthways.

 

Place rolls seam side down on a lined oven tray and brush all over with beaten egg. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the rolls are browning too quickly, turn the oven down slightly for the final 10 minutes.

 

Serve cold, cut into thick slices. The rolls can be kept in plastic bags in the fridge for a couple of weeks or frozen for several months. 

 

Makes 2 rolls; about 24 slices