Poppy Seed Roll
A beloved Ukrainian baked roll made from a soft yeasted dough filled with a rich, fragrant ground poppy seed and honey filling.
Ingredients
- 500 gall-purpose flour
- 250 mllukewarm milk
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 80 gsugar
- 60 gunsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 250 gground poppy seeds
- 100 gsugar
- 150 mlhot milk
- 1 tbsphoney
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 egg
Method
- Dissolve yeast and a pinch of sugar in lukewarm milk, let stand 5-10 minutes. Combine flour, remaining sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture, beaten egg, and melted butter. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
- For filling: combine ground poppy seeds, sugar, and hot milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 10-15 minutes until thickened to a paste. Stir in honey and lemon zest. Cool completely.
- Roll dough into a 30x40 cm rectangle. Spread cooled poppy seed filling evenly, leaving a 2 cm border along one long edge.
- Starting from the opposite edge, roll tightly into a log. Pinch the seam and ends to seal.
- Transfer seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Brush with egg wash. Bake for 30-40 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
FAQ
The poppy seeds weren't ground finely enough, or the filling is too wet. Run them through a meat grinder or food processor. Add an egg or a spoonful of semolina as a binder to help the filling hold together.
Roll the dough thin (3–4 mm) and leave a 2–3 cm border without filling. Roll tightly with no air pockets. If the dough is too elastic, let it rest 10 minutes before rolling.
Too much flour was used when rolling, or it was overbaked. Yeasted dough dries out fast — pull it out as soon as the crust turns golden. Brush with butter immediately after baking.
Yes, ready-made poppy seed paste (such as Solo brand) saves time. Thin it slightly with warm milk if it's too thick to spread. Add lemon zest for a fresher flavor.
Wrap in plastic wrap immediately after cooling — otherwise it dries out within hours. Keeps at room temperature 2 days, in the refrigerator 5 days. Freezes well for up to 2 months.
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Comments (1)
I weigh every ingredient for poppy seed roll instead of using cups. Baking is chemistry. An extra tablespoon of all-purpose flour can push this from perfectly balanced to dense and heavy. A $15 scale pays for itself immediately.