This delightful Ukrainian poppy seed roll (makivnyk) is 100 times better than any Christmas cake. Flavorful, soft, airy, and tender.
Just perfect for the occasion.
The makivnyk recipe is for three rolls – one for you and two others for your parents and guests.
Ingredients:
Dough
- 500 g (17,5 oz) flour
- 180 ml milk
- 150 g (5 oz) dairy butter
- 6 egg yolks
- 43 g (1,5 oz) fresh yeast/21 g (2 tbsp) dry yeast
- 8 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
Filling
- 500 g (17,5 oz) poppy seeds
- 200 g (7oz) sugar
- 100 g (3,5 oz) raisins
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 egg whites
Cooking
Pre-dough
Preheat milk to room temperature and combine it with yeast, 1 tbsp of sugar, and 4 tbsp of flour. Mix everything thoroughly, cover with cling wrap, and leave to rise.
Combine the pre-dough with the remaining sugar and flour. Add in salt and egg yolks. Pour in a thin stream of melted dairy butter and knead the dough. Cover the dough with a napkin and leave to rise for a couple of hours.
Filling
Put poppy seeds in a bowl and pour boiling water above, cover the bowl with a plate and leave for 30-40 minutes. Remove the plate and cool poppy seeds to room temperature. Drain poppy seeds well through a sieve to get rid of excess moisture. If poppy seeds are already ground, you don’t need to grind them again.
For the filling, combine poppy seeds, sugar, raisins, honey, and oil. Use a mixer to beat egg whites to stiff peaks and then carefully add them to the filling.
Shaping
Divide the prepared dough into three equal portions. Roll each piece into a rectangle (about 3 mm thickness). Spread 1/3 of the filling mass, leaving 2 cm along the edges of the dough, and wrap a roll. Pinch the ends of the roll and place the roll on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper greased with oil. Cover the roll with another piece of parchment paper. Repeat everything to shape 2 more rolls.
Baking
Bake three poppy seed rolls in the oven at 190°C (374°F) for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy your meal!
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