Hungarian Poppy Seed Filling Recipe 45

Steps:

• Place poppy seeds into a food processor and process until seeds are ground, about 1 minute.
• Mix poppy seeds with 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, lemon juice, and hot milk in a bowl; stir to combine. Cover poppy seed filling and refrigerate while making bread (filling will set up and thicken as it chills).
• Mix yeast with water and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Allow to stand until the yeast forms a creamy layer.
• Whisk flour with salt in a bowl; use a pastry cutter to cut 1/4 cup butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour yeast mixture and egg yolk into flour mixture and stir to make a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and slightly springy, about 5 minutes. If dough is too sticky, knead in more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time.
• Cut dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a 12x16-inch rectangle.
• Spread half the poppy seed filling over each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the 1-inch border back over the filling on all sides and press down.
• Pick up the shorter side of a dough rectangle and roll it like a jelly roll; repeat with second rectangle. Pinch ends together or tuck ends under to prevent filling from leaking out.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place rolls seam sides down on the baking sheet and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat egg white in a bowl until frothy; brush the rolls with beaten egg white.
• Bake in preheated oven until dark golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cover rolls with a clean kitchen towel until cool to keep crust soft. Cool completely before slicing.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and egg yolks; add sour cream and extract.
• Mix in flour; mix until smooth.
• Gather dough into a ball.
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface.
• With palms of hands, shape dough into a smooth roll.
• Slice dough into 48 pieces (if dough is too soft and sticky to handle, chill for a short time).
• Roll each piece into a ball (about the size of a walnut).
• Can be refrigerated overnight at this point.
• In a heavy 1 1/2 qt saucepan, combine all filling ingredients and mix together.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened (5 minutes).
• Remove from heat and cool.
• Filling should be smooth and easy to spread, if on standing it thickens too much, stir in a little milk.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour or powdered sugar.
• Roll one dough ball out at a time into a circle 1/16-inch thick.
• Place 1-2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each circle.
• Gently lifting nearest edge, roll over to cover filling (continuing to roll so that the dough overlaps on the bottom); pinch the ends slightly around the filling and shape into a crescent by curving the ends in slightly.
• Place crescent onto lightly greased cookie sheet so that the overlapped side remains on the bottom.
• In this way, make crescents from each of the remaining dough balls, sprinkling the work surface lightly between each cookie.
• Bake until lightly browned 10-15 minutes; remove to cooling racks.
• When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, water and sugar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and cold butter with a pastry cutter or by hand.
• Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks (save the whites!), sour cream, and yeast mixer. You will know that you yeast has "bloomed" properly if it has formed a frothy dome on top. This has 100% to due with the water temperature.
• Mix this together until it forms a dough ball.
• Remove dough from bowl and clean bowl. Grease clean bowl and place dough back inches Cover with a tea towel and put in a warm spot while making filling. I just toss it in the microwave or the oven and it rises just fine.
• To make the filling:.
• Place all the filling ingredients in a heavy bottom saucepan and heat to a boil over medium-low heat. Stir constantly. This takes about 20 minutes, but don't leave it because it will scorch.
• Pore into a clean bowl and put in the refrigerator until completely cool. I cheat by put it in the freezer and stirring it every 15 or so minutes.
• When the filling has cooled, divide risen dough into four balls.
• Roll them out on a lightly floured surface into 12"-15" squares. You can set them aside stacked on each other while you are filling them to save room.
• Spread them with a even layer of poppy seed filling about 1/2" from the edge. Roll them loosely into logs and place on cookie sheets.
• Let them sit for 20 minutes to rise a little.
• Preheat oven to 425F.
• Rolls with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks and slice into 1/2" slices.
• Enjoy!