POPPY SEED AND WALNUT ROLL RECIPE

 

This poppy seed and walnut roll is a version of a popular and delicious Croatian sweet yeast bread with two fillings, poppy seed-raisin, and walnut-raisin.

 

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, zested
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 3/4 ounces milk

Walnut Filling:

• 1 2/3 cups finely ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 3 1/2 fluid ounces boiling milk

Poppy Seed Filling:

• 2/3 cup poppy seeds, finely ground
• 3 1/2 fluid ounces milk
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 7 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing the dough

Directions

STEP 1

Place flour in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds. Stir in dry yeast. Stir in the 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, salt, zest of 1 lemon, the 1/3 cup melted butter, and warm milk, until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the surface is smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Alternately, use an electric mixer to knead dough until smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes.

STEP 2

Form dough into a ball; cover and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, prepare the walnut filling: combine walnuts, the 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup raisins, rum, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and pinch of cinnamon. Pour in the boiling  milk and stir until all ingredients are combined.

STEP 4

For the poppy seed filling, place poppy seeds and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, and cook until milk is steaming, about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup raisins, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon; stir to combine. Cool both fillings to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

STEP 5

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment.

STEP 6

Roll dough into a 3/8-inch thick rectangle. Brush rectangle with melted butter. Spread walnut filling on half of dough; spread poppy seed filling over remaining half of dough rectangle. 

STEP 7

Roll each half of dough toward the middle, press the two halves together at the center, and carefully transfer the roll to the prepared baking sheet. Rest for 10 minutes before baking.

STEP 8
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top and bottom and fillings are hot, about 50 minutes. Cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

Metric Measurements

The original recipe is in metric. If you have a scale, please measure out 400 g flour, 50 g sugar, 80 g melted butter, 200 ml warm milk for the dough plus100 g melted butter to brush on. For the walnut filling you will need 200 g ground walnuts, 100 g sugar, 100 g raisins, and 100 ml boiling milk. The poppy seed filling requires 150 g finely ground poppy seeds, 100 ml milk, 80 g sugar and 50 g raisins.