Poppy Seed Yeast Buns

I recently posted a recipe for cinnamon buns, which were very soft and fluffy.

I thought – Why not use the traditional sweet Polish poppy seed mixture instead of the cinnamon mixture? – and so I did.

A mixture of strong and plain flours is used making the dough softer and a little harder to handle. After the first rising the dough is NOT knocked back, just used as it is to make a rectangular shape. Putting the buns into a deep foil lined roasting tin helps to let them rise into shape.

Ingredients – Dough

• 250g strong flour
• 250g plain flour
• Half a tablespoon of dried yeast
• 50g butter
• 50g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• Around 330ml milk

Method

• Line a roasting tin with foil taking it all up the sides.
• Warm a little of the milk and add the yeast.
• Leave for around 10 minutes.
• Mix the flours together.
• Rub the butter into the flour – like breadcrumbs.
• Add the sugar.
• Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture.
• Add the beaten egg.
• Slowly add the milk – you might not need all of it.
• Use a knife first to start to bring everything together
• Then use your hands and form a soft dough ball.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for at least 5 minutes – even up to 10 minutes.
• Place the dough into a bowl, cover (a disposable shower cap is good) and leave to rise until the dough has doubled in size.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board.
• DO NOT KNOCK BACK THE DOUGH.
• Using you fingers gently flatten and shape the dough into a rectangle.
• Cover the dough with the poppy seed mixture.
• Roll into a log.
• Slice into thick pieces.
• Place the pieces into the tin.
• Cover and leave to rise.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200°C
• Once all the pieces are touching put in the hot oven.
• Bake for around 20 mins – check and maybe cover after 15mins.
• Drizzle some icing made from lemon juice and icing sugar over these or just dust with icing sugar.
• Leave to cool in the tin on a cake grid.

Ingredients – Poppy seed mix

• 180ml of milk (full fat or semi)
• Around 100ml of runny honey (extra may be needed)
• 120g of poppy seeds *
• 50g of raisins
• Strong Earl Grey tea
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• *
• * You can grind the poppy seeds – I used a little electric grinder.

Method

• Make some strong Earl Grey tea.
• Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with the hot tea and leave till they go cold.
• Into a small saucepan put the poppy seeds and the milk.
• Bring to the boil then lower the heat.
• Simmer gently for around 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Take care not to let the mixture burn.
• Add the honey and continue heating and stirring.
• Drain the raisins and add them to the mixture and mix them in.
• Keep stirring and try and drive off any liquid left.
• Taste for sweetness – you may want to add more honey.
• Leave to go completely cold before using.
• Add the grated lemon rind.
• *
• If this is too much filling – you can always freeze some.