Makowiec (Poppy Seed Cake/Roll)

"A traditional Polish dessert, especially popular during the Christmas season. My grandmother used to make one for each son, or else they would fight over them! It's a lot of work, but totally worth it, it's delicious."
 
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photo by ncmysteryshopper photo by ncmysteryshopper
photo by ncmysteryshopper
photo by ncmysteryshopper photo by ncmysteryshopper
photo by ncmysteryshopper photo by ncmysteryshopper
Ready In:
1hr 50mins
Ingredients:
18
Yields:
1 cake
Serves:
16
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ingredients

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directions

  • For the dough: Mix together yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Pour in milk, stir until dissolved.
  • Whisk in 1 cup of flour, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
  • Knead remaining 2 cups flour and butter into yeast mixture, adding each alternately a little at a time.
  • Kneed until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.
  • Place dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • For the filling: Simmer poppy seeds in a medium pot full of water until soft, about 40 minutes.
  • Drain and puree in a food processor, about 4 minutes.
  • Return poppy seed puree to same saucepan.
  • Add sugar, butter, raisins, almonds, vanilla extract, and honey.
  • Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • To Cook: Preheat oven to 350*F.
  • Roll out dough to a 16" x 12" rectangle.
  • Whisk egg white in a bowl into stiff peaks, fold into the poppy seed filling.
  • Spread over dough, leaving a 1" border all around.
  • Fold dough lengthwise in thirds to form a long log.
  • Pinch ends to seal.
  • Place cake on nonstick baking sheet, brush with beaten egg white, and bake until it sounds hollow when tapped, about 50 minutes.
  • Cool before serving.

Questions & Replies

  1. is it 3 cups of flour?
     
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Reviews

  1. i made this cake today, and it turned out to be exactly like i remember my grandmother's. i remember baking this cake with her when i was a little girl. today, as i was preparing this cake, wonderful memories came flooding back, as i was kneading the yeasty, fragrant dough. the cake looks and tastes just as i remember it. the poppy seed mixture is delicious, also exactly the same. this will be a keeper in my house, and hopefully will pass down this recipe as a family heirloom!
     
  2. We went to my DH's families house for a traditional Polish Easter meal....and this was the PERFECT thing to bring. I used a can of Poppy Seeds (Solo) instead of cooking and grinding the seeds - this saved a TON of time and work. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. Next time I make it, I will definitely put it in a large bread pan so that the bread rises up instead of out. Thank you for submitting this recipe!
     
  3. I think this may be a good recipe, but it's very important to GRIND the poppy seeds, instead of just putting them in a food processor. It doesn't taste good unless they are thoroughly ground. I'm going to give it another try after purchasing a coffee grinder, that's what I've read about this type of cake/roll that most people grind the poppy seeds.
     
  4. Excellent taste! My first generation Polish father in law loved it. There is a small error in the "Directions" section, "#5". It says "knead the remaining 2 cups of flour in" and that should be remaining 5 cups of flour in! Also, I think there should be another instruction between 14 and 15, which instructs to divide the dough in half, since this makes 2 loaves. But the taste was well worth the work.
     
  5. This is the BEST. My husband is from Poland, & he absolutely LOVES this recipe. The only problem with this cake is that it is addicting because it is SO GOOD!!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Recently married, I live in South Florida. I enjoy cooking and entertaining when I can. We recently bought a house and are trying to get our lives together. My husband loves me trying new recipes (as long as they don't have veggies!) which is great, because I love to try them. Everyone that comes to our house becomes a taste tester. :)
 
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