Poppy Filled Ring Roll... or something.

Poppy-filled ring loaf

My husband has really taken to baking. He loves it! I'm happy that I was able to introduce him to something he really enjoys and if our area had a baking class, I'd probably get him a term as a birthday present. Sadly, the only ones I've found are the community college campus that is almost an hour away, so that will have to wait.

He's been in a super-baking mood lately, making all sorts of things out of his favorite bread book, Beard On Bread. He made a pizza loaf, which came out wonderfully (and he is now under orders to make another one for me). It's a loaf that's rolled around a filling of spicy tomato sauce and cheese.

After that particular success, my husband wanted to try doing another loaf using our small 4 cup mold. We still need to source a good ring mold for him because so far the best we can do is a cast iron skillet with a ramekin in the middle or the jello/decorative cake mold.

Despite the makeshift equipment, this came out so well! My husband made up the filling on the spot - he wanted something like some of the poppy recipes he grew up with, but also wanted my dad to be able to eat it. (He loves poppy too, but can't easily eat the whole seeds.) Grinding the seeds finely in a coffee grinder seemed to work though - especially when we found out we get even more poppy flavor that way.

I have not been able to think of a name for this; if I had, I would have posted this this morning. Sad, huh? In any case, the filling is sweet and chewy, just right with a glass of milk. In case you're wondering, he's under orders to make this one again too.

To my American readers, happy Thanksgiving! We'll be chowing down on turkey, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts tomorrow, along with some of my husband's Parker House rolls. Hope you have a great holiday -- and, if you're not celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope you have a great holiday season!

Poppy Filled Ring Roll [printable recipe]

Adapted from Beard on Bread

Filling:

  • 3 tbsp poppy seeds, ground1
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup raisins, chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp butter, melted

Dough:

  • 2 cups ap flour
  • 4 tsp gluten flour (optional)
  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 3/4 tsp instant yeast
  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp applesauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Eggwash:

  • 1 egg
  • milk

Mix warm water, sugar and yeast together. Add flours, salt and applesauce to the yeast mixture and stir together into a stiff dough. Knead until satiny smooth and elastic. Let rise until doubled in bulk.

While the dough rises, beat together all of the filling ingredients until smooth, except for the melted butter.

Roll out into a rectangle about 14" long and 7" wide. Spread the poppy mixture evenly over the surface, leaving about 1" all around the edges. Brush butter lightly over the mixture. Roll up from the long side to make a long sausage. Pinch the seam and ends well to seal. Lay into a 4 cup ring mold2, with the ends overlapping, and let rise until doubled in bulk again.

Before baking

While the roll rises, preheat the oven to 400F. Beat together the eggwash by whisking together one egg and a splash of milk. When the roll is ready to go into the oven, brush with eggwash and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven to 350F and continue to bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Test for doneness by removing the roll from the oven and turning it out of the mold onto a towel. Tap the bottom - it should sound hollow. If not, return it to the mold and continue to bake. Otherwise, remove it to a wire rack and let cool.

Serve with a tall glass of milk.

Notes:

  1. Use a coffee grinder for this, a food processor is not able to effectively pulverize the seeds. If you'd rather not grind the seeds, that's fine. Just soak them in enough milk to cover for a few hours, then drain them and continue with the recipe.
  2. If you don't have a 4-cup mold, try an 8" cast iron skillet with a 1/2 cup ceramic/ovensafe ramekin in the middle. Alternatively, double the recipe and use an angel food cake pan or bundt pan.