Lemon Poppy Seed Slices Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced by half. Add 1 stick butter; stir until melted.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream remaining stick butter and 1 cup sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix in egg and lemonbutter. Mix until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla and 2 teaspoons zest. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.
• Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest. Roll spoonfuls of dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; roll them in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each with the flat end of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with seeds.
• Bake until just browned around bottom edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a tube pan and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and the granulated sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Sift together the flour and the baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and thyme leaves (if desired) and beat until fully combined.
• Pour the batter into the tube pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• For the glaze: While the cake is still warm, in a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar. Pierce the top of the cake with a fork to create holes, then pour the mixture over the cake on the rack, allowing the glaze to soak in. Garnish with thyme leaves if desired and Candied Lemons. This cake is great served warm and will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
• Bring a medium saucepot with water to a boil and remove from the heat. Place the lemon slices in the hot water and let sit 1 to 2 minutes until the slices soften. Drain the slices from the water and place into an ice bath; leave in the ice water until the sugar syrup is ready.
• Put 1 3/4 cups of the granulated sugar and 1 3/4 cups water in a saute pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Place the slices directly into the sugar syrup and cook on medium low for 1 hour. Remove the slices to a rack on a baking sheet to dry.
• Toss the slices in the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container until using.

Steps:

• Make the dough: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until warm but not hot, about 100˚ F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk the melted butter, egg yolks and vanilla into the milk-yeast mixture, then pour into the well and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a wet shaggy dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed, until the dough comes together into a loose, slightly sticky ball, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Mash the poppy seed filling with the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl with a fork until combined; set aside.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface; pat and roll out into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Brush the clean edge with water, then tightly roll up the dough into a log, starting with a long side and rolling toward the clean edge; pinch the seam to seal.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Slice the dough log into 12 pieces with a sharp knife and arrange cut-side up in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Uncover the rolls and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the icing: Mix the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Spread on the warm rolls.

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In separate bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, lemon rind, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of milk. Spread in greased 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan.
• Bake in centre of 325 F oven for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Place pan on rack.
• Lemon Syrup: In saucepan or microwaveable measure, warm sugar and lemon rind and juice until sugar dissolves. With skewer, pierce hot loaf right to bottom in 12 places; pour lemon syrup over loaf.
• Let loaf cool in pan for 30 minutes; turn out onto rack and let cool completely. Wrap and let stand for 12 hours before slicing. Makes 1 loaf, 12 slices.
• Make-Ahead Tip: Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 1 month.