Makowiec

Ingredients

Poppy-seed filling (make the night before)

• 300 g blue poppy seeds (whole; ground if you can get them, see Notes)
• 500 ml whole milk
• 100 g unsalted butter
• 120 g caster sugar
• 80 g runny honey
• 80 g raisins
• 80 g chopped walnuts
• 50 g candied orange peel (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons rum (or dark rum, optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lemon (zest)
• 2 egg whites (large)
• A pinch of salt

Yeast dough

• 400 g strong white flour
• 7 g instant dried yeast (1 sachet)
• 60 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 150 ml warm whole milk
• 2 egg yolks (large)
• 80 g unsalted butter (soft)
• ½ lemon (zest)

Egg wash

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Lemon glaze

• 150 g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (plus more to thin)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel (to decorate)

Method

Stage 1 - Soak and grind the poppy seeds (night before)

1. Place the poppy seeds in a bowl; cover with boiling water; leave 1 hour.
2. Drain through fine muslin or a coffee filter (regular sieves let them through). Press out excess water.
3. Tip into a heavy pan with the milk; simmer on low for 25-30 minutes until the milk is mostly absorbed.
4. Once cooled, grind in batches in a clean coffee grinder, food processor or mortar until pasty. (Pre-ground poppy seeds skip steps 1-4: simmer them in the milk for 10 minutes, that's enough.)
5. Refrigerate overnight.

Stage 2 - Finish the filling

1. Melt the butter, sugar and honey together in a wide pan over low heat.
2. Stir in the cooked poppy seeds, raisins, walnuts, candied peel, rum if using, vanilla and lemon zest.
3. Cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and smelling toasty.
4. Cool to room temperature.
5. Whisk the 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt to firm peaks; fold into the cool filling. This lightens it so it doesn't tear the dough.

Stage 3 - Yeast dough

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a bowl.
2. Beat the warm milk and egg yolks together; pour in.
3. Mix to a shaggy dough; turn out and knead 8 minutes.
4. Add the soft butter piece by piece, kneading in. Continue kneading 4-5 minutes more until silky and elastic.
5. Cover; prove 1 hour in a warm place until doubled.

Stage 4 - Shape

1. Line a 30 x 12 cm loaf tin with parchment, paper hanging over the long sides.
2. Knock the dough back; roll on a lightly floured surface to a 35 x 30 cm rectangle (3 mm thick).
3. Spread the cool poppy filling across, leaving a 2 cm clear border on all sides.
4. Starting from a long edge, roll up tightly into a log, pinching the seam closed.
5. Place seam-side down in the tin (curve to fit if needed).
6. Cover loosely; prove 45 minutes in a warm place.

Stage 5 - Bake

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2. Whisk the egg yolk with the milk; brush over the log.
3. Bake 40-45 minutes until deep golden and a skewer pushed in comes out clean.
4. Cool in the tin 15 minutes; lift out by the parchment; cool completely on a rack.

Stage 6 - Glaze

1. Whisk the icing sugar with the lemon juice to a thick but pourable consistency. Add a teaspoon more juice if needed.
2. Drizzle across the top of the cooled log in thick lines.
3. Scatter chopped candied peel along the wet glaze.
4. Let the glaze set 30 minutes before slicing.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Slice into 2 cm rounds with a serrated knife. Each slice shows a dark spiral of poppy paste through the pale dough.