Poppy Seed Roll (Polish Makowiec)
This traditional Polish holiday bread has a beautiful filling of poppy seeds, citrus peel and almonds. The poppy seeds must be ground first so you’ll need a spice grinder or an old fashioned meat grinder. And be sure to toast the almonds first. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Makes: One loaf
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups bread (or all purpose) flour
- 1 packet (2 tsp/7 gms/1/4 oz) yeast - instant or active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup milk (I use 1% or 2% low fat milk) heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- about 3/4 cup extra flour
- 1 cup poppy seeds
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup ground toasted almonds (20 count)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- zest of 1/2 a lemon & 1/2 an orange
Dough:
Filling:
Instructions:
- Grind poppy seeds (see note below).
- Place in a small bowl, stir in boiling water & let stand uncovered.
- Grind almonds and set aside.
- Place flour, yeast, sugar, & salt in large mixing bowl.
- Stir in milk followed by oil & egg.
- Beat on high for 2 minutes. Stir in extra flour until dough forms a mass.
- Place dough on floured board and knead 100 turns (about 2 minutes). Cover & let rest 10 minutes.
- Meantime, add ground almonds, sugar, vanilla & zests to poppy seeds.
- Roll dough into a 10 x 12 shape. Spread filling almost to edges, roll starting at 10-inch end and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Pinch and tuck ends under.
- Cover with a towel and rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 hours or until double in size.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for 35 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes & drizzle with glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + about 2 Tbsp. milk, added slowly)
- (Another option): Before baking, you can brush with eggwash and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Note: If using a spice grinder (mine is a Cuisinart Spice & Nut Grinder) grind seeds slowly, 2 Tbsp. at a time, until they feel moist – about 10 seconds per each portion. Scoop out any that stick to the bottom of the grinder as you go. Once they are all ground, I use the same grinder to grind the almonds.
I was born in Slovakia. Came to USA 40 years ago. I bake poppy seed and pecan strudel every year. Sometimes they crack and sometimes they don’t.
I cant figure it out why, but I don’t care, they are tasting wonderful. When you cut them you cannot tell. Nothing is ever perfect in home cooking. But it tastes incredible. This is my personal Christmas favorite.
Comment to the Solo poppy seed can. If it was bitter, than it was old. You need to check the expiration date. I always taste my ingredients to avoid disaster.
I have been using the Solo can last 40 years. I have to buy more cans, bc they never have enough or none on shelves.
When I came to USA I couldn’t find poppy seed and when I did it was just too expensive. But I found the can and I love it. I put lemon juice and rum and lemon peel. It tastes great. Everybody loves my poppy seed strudel.
Jenny, I would like to know if you have a recipe for walnut filling for nut rolls. I know you have a recipe with poppy seed, but I am not a poppy seed lover. I saw that a number of people have asked for a nut filling recipe and if possible, I would also like to know if you have a version of the nut roll recipe. Thanks
Walnut filling:
▢ 4 cups walnuts ground
▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
▢ 1 cup half and half half whole milk, half heavy cream
▢ 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla or Vanilla Paste
Bring the cream and milk to a boil in a saucepan. Be careful; as soon as it comes to a boil, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Dissolve the sugar in the hot milk, then add the ground nuts, vanilla, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon. Let the nut filling cool to room temperature.
Anyone use sugar substitute. I cannot eat too much sugar. Thoughts on substitute brand would be appreciated.
I am going to try making this roll with Solo cake and Pastry Poppy seed filling. One can is 12.5 ounces, is this to much or not enough.
We love your recipes. Easy and delicious.
Last time I made this, I used one can and it wasn’t enough. I’m trying again today (December 23, 2022) with two cans.
I love Jenny’s recipes and was looking for this poppyseed roll recipe. I grew up helping my Grandma & Mom make this.
Their secret was grating a peeled apple into the poppyseed filling. My Croatian priest tells me his Mom did exactly the same thing! I think it makes the mixture less dense and sugary sweet. Regardless, I’ve continued the tradition .
Normally I don’t like comments from people who haven’t tried the recipe. But had to share the Apple tip. Will ABSOLUTELY try this recipe and report back.😋
Has anyone tried making the dough on the dough cycle of a bread maker?
Hey Jenny,
Have a question just for you….
First of all, my heritage is Polish and also Irish, Italian, Welsh and Spanish. But my mom’s mom was PURE Polish and a PERFECT loving grandmother – she came to the US from the Warsaw area in 1902. I was raised with many of her Polish recipes and traditions.
Second, I know you like us to follow your recipes as specified, but I have an idea / question for you on this one….because I sometimes crave something DIFFERENT with CHOCOLATE – not the same-old chocolate recipes (AND like to have healthier options like ones offered in your recipes).
So…my question:
Was thinking of making this recipe and splitting the dough in half, making two smaller rolls. One exactly the same and the second with:
1) DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS or CHOPPED HIGH CACAO % CHOCOLATE – SPRINKLED on top of the FILLING BEFORE ROLLING – (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup)….THEN
2) ADD some BAKING COCOA (maybe 2 TBSP) to the icing for the FULL CHOCOLATE EFFECT.
I know this is not at all traditional (but more of a traditional mix-up- just like me) and may be different in a fun-kind-of way….what do you think? If I try it, will let you know.
LOVE THIS CAKE OF YOURS!!!!!
Love,
– Paula
Hi Jenny,
What a delicious and easy recipe! Planned to make for Easter, but time ran too short…so I baked this beautiful cake today for the first time. My Busia used to make this and wished I had her recipe, luckliy now have YOURS (AND think this one is lighter and tastes better). Cut it in half, tried “one piece”…. and had more….and….now have about 3/4 of the cake to share SOOOO GOOOOD! Well, since it has healthy almonds and poppyseeds, maybe will skip dinner today 😉
THANK YOU, DEAR JENNY, FOR A SIMPLY DELECTABLE and GREAT-LOOKING Poppy Seed Roll / MAKOWIEC / Coffee Cake.
– Paula
Hi Jenny,
Love your poppyseed roll but do you have a recipe for a nut roll?
Thank you!
Krysia
do i need yeast or flour for this recipe?
Anybody who wants a good result should really invest in proper poppyseed mill (e.g. available at Amazon), it gives better results.
My grandmothers recipe is slightly different. For the scalding of the poppy seeds, I use (for 500 g of seeds) 50 g of (unsalted of course) butter, boiled with about 1/2 cup of milk. When cooled add 1 egg yolk (the white goes into the dough), 50 g of ground almonds, 100 g of sugar, 50+ g of raisins and quite a lot of cinnamon. If you have real vanilla, add to taste – don’t use artificial vanillin flavour, it spoils the taste.
Hi, Jenny Can Cook. This Easter I used SOLO poppy seed filling to make my poppy seed coffee cake. The filling was inedible. I can only attribute it to the fact that corn syrup is being used. What a shame. To ruin a wonderful product with so much history for the sake of a few dollars is heartbreaking. No more SOLO products for me.
I agree with you about the Solo product – there is something sickly sweet about it. Perhaps the artificial vanilla flavour? Also important to know if the poppyseeds are fresh. They can be stale and you need to taste a bit – it should taste nutty and not bitter. Stale seeds can ruin te recipe.
My poppy seed rolls always split open while baking & half of the filling spreads out on the baking pan. I pinched the seams & sealed with egg whites & had the seam side down while baking. What am I doing wrong?
Did you ever figure it out? The same thing always happens to me. Not for nut roll just poppyseed.
I suspect you roll the dough too tightly.
My mother made Poppy seed Roll from scratch one year, and it was delicious. It also opened many places because she rolled the dough way too thin and rolled too tightly. I am debated whether to try it myself for Christmas.
Hello Jenny,
I just found your Website and I must say that I find you so refreshing and funny, I had to laugh out loud several times.
I love making sourdough bread after much trial and error, but I must say, you have made me want to try several of your bread recipes.
Thank you for having so much information on your Website and you are so specific with your instructions, which helps enormously.
Good luck and I will definitely
be keeping up with you.
Linda
I came across your video looking for recipes for poppyseed filling for hamentashen. I do love this poppyseed cake, and plan to make it as well! May I suggest that instead of struggling with the plastic wrap, just tip a big enough glass bowl over the dough as it rests!
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I have been making poppyseed rolls for many years now. My mother in law used hot milk in the filling, I will maybe reduce this amount next time. You made watching this fun, cancelled Czech, lol.
My polish husband proved that it is delicious.
I made this for the first time.
It was easy and simple to follow through.
Thank you very much.
Jenny,
I belong to a bunch of Polish social media groups that focus on recipes and traditions. Invariably someone is looking for a recipe that their babcia or ciocia used to make. Instead of digging through my recipes and having to retype them online, I usually just provide them with a link to your recipe for that item. Dzienkuje for keeping the traditions alive.
I love how you make something that seems complicated seem doable! Am anxious to try this!
BTW, I hate Glad wrap for the very reason I saw you struggle with it. UGH!! I only buy Kirkland stretch-tite plastic food wrap. Its no hassle wrap!! But, if you have to use Glad, pop in the tabs at the ends of the box to help secure the roll. It makes unrolling it so much easier. The company should really sell it this way!
Loved the song and your humor!
This is my favorite childhood cake. After 30 something years i can finally taste the childhood! I LOVE IT. THANK YOU. BTW I add Rum Flavor instead of vanilla. it is so much butter.
Jenny, LOVE your poppyseed coffee cake !! My parents immigrated from Italy but we grew up in a diverse neighborhood. In particular, we had a woman of German descent who lived across the street, and she would send over poppyseed bread, and my Mom was hooked ! I still have the recipe that my Mom secured from Mrs.S, but sadly, I don’t have my Mom anymore. Your YouTube video saved me when I had particular questions. So thank you. And, I love your singing and your jokes!! God bless.
I have been making poppyseed rolls for years but this is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen ..I picked up a lot of tips. I also have a small kitchen. You don’t need a big elaborate kitchen to cook or bake! Thank you… Amazing recipe and explained slowly and thoroughly!
Jenny,
My Polish friend made a poppyseed roll and she used canned poppyseed filling/. I made my bread just like hers and it came out well. I do have a question regarding another type of sweet bread that my Polish Babcia used to make. I have not found a recipe that comes close to hers. This bread was very yellow in color and it was quite sweet. Babcia used to make it into round loaves and also made some rolls in U shapes that we called “pants”. This was so good sliced and toasted. If you have any recommendations as to where I could find a similar recipe or if you have one I would love it. Thanks so much for sharing these traditional foods.
I think the bread you ask about is either Ukrainian Paska or Polish Babka.
Both get the yellow color from Saffron(world’s most expensive spice)
Where do u get the canned poppy seed from
Dear Jenny, thank you so much for your amazing recipes, I made different styles breads and made this gorgeous delicious poppy seed roll today, which came out just perfect! My husband asked to say his own thank to you as well ?
Hi Jenny, thank you so much for your amazing recipe! I am a 16 year old, and have never made a poppy seed roll before. This mother’s day I decided to surprise my mom with one of her favorite baked goods, and she was so happy with what I made using your recipe. Thank you so much!!!
That’s great to hear. This is a challenging recipe for anyone so you clearly made your mother happy and also very proud of you. Comments like yours really make my day. Thank you!
I would love to have a walnut filling recipe for this roll. Do your think you could provide one?
Hi Jenny! Thanks so much for all of your amazing recipes.
Here’s a walnut filling recipe my Babička used to make for us when we were kids.
• ½ C sugar
• ¼ C water
• 1 C walnuts – chopped
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp lemon rind
• ½ C Golden raisins
Boil sugar and water to make syrup. Pour syrup mixture over walnuts. Add remaining ingredients. Let cool and spread on rolled out dough.
Hope you like it 🙂
Hi Jenny!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe!! I found your website searching for Mohn Hefezopf on YouTube (German poppy sweet bread). As a kid, my Oma always made these for me and I wasn’t able to duplicate her recipe. Your recipe is terrific! I am eating a slice right now. I’m in heaven! My mom is jealous (I sent her a pic of my success). I have a feeling I’ll have to bring one to the next family picnic.
I’m excited to try more of your delicious recipes. Some look very similar to German ones. Thanks Jenny! Oh, and I remember your talk show! I used to watch it. What a blast from the past.
Hi Jenny!
I’m excited to try your recipe. I remember it from being a little girl when my Grandmother made it. This looks like the real deal! And now that I am a Grandmother, I will be making it too!
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Hello Jenny. I have so enjoyed seeing some old family recipes and watching you bake. You are my inspiration to bring out the flour and butter to start baking.! I found your holiday section and wonder if know of a bread recipe I have been searching for with out success.
I loved being around my grandparents when they were cooking as I am third generation Polish. Unfortunately recipes were not handed down. Now as I reminisce, I wish they had been.
Long story short, at Easter there was always the ‘Easter bread’ made with black caraway seed (?) and layer of dry farmers cheese. We called it
“Kowatz” this is of course my pronunciation and spelling to memory. If you know of this bread cake, I would love to see a recipe and even watch you make it ! Polishinheart, Patti
I’m sorry I am not familiar with this recipe.
Here is several websites to help you: https://polishforums.com/archives/2005-2009/food/kolacz-cheese-wheel-cake-7964/;
https://www.thespruceeats.com/polish-wheel-cake-kolacz-weselny-1136940;
https://www.acoalcrackerinthekitchen.com/2019/03/21/kolacz-slaski-sweet-cheese-bread/
Hello Ida ! Thank you for the information regarding the Easter bread search.
The closest recipe is with the “coalcracker” ! It is not the poppy seed bread that many have replied to. It is the round, sweet cheese Kolacz.
I still have not determined the seed flavor.
I was told by a cousin it was Russian Caraway (which is hard to find) or maybe Anise. I do not recall the taste being that of poppy seed. Might you have any suggestions on that? Your comments and those of others have been very appreciated. Thank you Ida, stay well, be safe.
I’m a 2nd gen daughter to a Polish son…so my dad, having never lifted a finger, would try to tell my 2nd Gen German mom how to cook it. I too understood the phonetic name to be Kowatz. My dad claimed it was made with farmer’s cheese (my grandma had her own cow and made her own butter) and the bread included cinnamon and raisins. My dad’s sisters don’t recall that recipe. I have a couple different Polish cookbooks and I think I finally found it, or something pretty close.
I THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT POPPYSEED ROLL❣️ALMOST WILLING TO BET….GOOD LUCK…
You might be thinking of kołacz
Hi Jenny. We met many years ago when you were doing your TV show. I had no idea then that you were Polish or that you knew how to cook. Had I known…
My Polish grandmother was a professional baker at a famous Polish bakery in Ohio in the 1940’s. Her Poppyseed Roll was just one of many favorites from my childhood. She used the grinder you showed in your video. She would never use canned poppyseed. Blasphemy. Unfortunately, my grandmother died when I was young and she left very few recipes. None for her Poppyseed Roll. Your video has inspired me.
When I tasted other poppyseed rolls as a child (every aunt thought she was a star baker), they seemed dryer and less moist than my grandmother’s version. I don’t want my sweet-yeast-dough to come out dry or dense. You can’t tell this detail from the video.
Many sweet-yeast-doughs call for butter and sour cream, and lengthy proofs to build flavor. Bakers claim that fat makes the dough more tender and moist. So I’m a little concerned that your recipe may not meet my objectives. Can anyone allay my suspicions?
As for keeping the stuffing inside the roll, Paul Hollywood, from British Bake Off, offers a technique for sweet-yeast-doughs in their Masterclass series. You can also dampen the outer edges of the dough with water and then press the dough to create a seal. That’s the easiest way to prevent stuffing from coming out.
THIS POPPYSEED IS OUTSTANDING AND TRUE POLLACK❣️?❣️?IT IS TO DIE FOR….BUT….I DONT RECOMMEND IT FOR YOU…YOU SOUND JUST TO TOO PICKY‼️IT IS WONDERFUL‼️‼️‼️‼️?YOUR LOSS❣️???SO SOOOOO SAD❣️?❣️?????
Hi. I’ve tried, literally, EVERY trick to seal my poppyseed rolls. NONE have worked. I also have a terrible time trying to roll them as tightly as they should be. Mine are always too loose. Because of the rolls “spilling their guts” all over my baking sheet, I’ve purchased 2 double French bread pans. They brown the crust a little too quickly, so I have to time things carefully, but I don’t lose anywhere near the amount of filling that I used to lose.
Can you use the solo poppy seeds
Made it for this 2018 Christmas, the best holiday sweet bread ever had!….. instead poppy seeds I made it with grounded walnuts+almonds+cocoaPowder+sugar+milk+vanilaPasteExtract+3tears of pure almondExtract.
Hello, l will look forward to trying the poppyseed filling and would also like to try your walnut, almond filling. Would you please email me and also republish your filling ingredients, as your list got cut-off. It is probably vanilla and almond extract. Is there any other ingredient that was cut- off? Thank you! I was hoping to make this today for my brother – houseguest.?
Thank you Jenny for this wonderful recipe and demo!?
I soak the poppy seed about 6 hours in warm water. Drape a white dish towel over collander place poppy seed on towel and drain a few minutes. Then tie towel corner s together and lay on top dishwasher rack. Mother hung towel over cabinet knob…not good.. I have a Rival grinder that is wonerful. I can grind the 4 cups in 20 min, then add the rest…no fruit juice. For 8 cups of flour, I use 4 7×9 pans greased with Crisco. Recipe 100 years old from Germany.
Doing a search for this recipe as my Grandmother made it and haven’t had it in 30 years!! The memories came flooding back!! It will now be a traditional holiday treat for my family!! thank you thank you!!
Hello again Jenny. My Mother used to make poppy seed bread, nut bread, and plain. They were delicious. She also made what she called Dutch cake. It was one layer and it had a cream top (not too thick) with fruit like sliced peaches in it. It may have been sour cream. Not one of us (her 5 children) have the recipe. Do you know of this cake and have the recipe? Do you also have a recipe for plain poppy seed bread? The bread was sweet, no icing, and I don’t think she added anything to the poppy seeds. Thanks.
It may be this…Dakota Fruit Kuchen. https://prairiecalifornian.com/
Thanks for the recipe information Ann.
I tried this recipe and it came out great!!
Wondering how best to store it?
Have u ever tried making 2smaller loaves with this recipe? How did u modify to make 2loaves! Thx so much!!
I made it and it was delicious!
I made also your no knead bread, just fantastic!
Thanks Jenny!
Gianni.
Thanks a lot for this marvelous recipe Jenny. Yes, you can cook and also teach well, lol. I followed your instructions and made this recipe yesterday for the first time; everybody loved it. Thank you very much. Carl xox
I am so disappointed.,..I want to print the recipes ,only couple I remember from family and each time I try to print from your site that says print, it comes up blank or it prints all the comments people made to you.
i wanted the poppy seed roll and the chrustikies…so disappointed…..loved watching you make these.
Please see the FAQs for printing issues.
Highlight the recipe, then hit “copy”, open your word and paste then “Save As” (I have a folder where I save all copied recipes from Facebook or if I looked up a new recipe and if good to repeat, I put the recipe there. For Jenny’s recipes, I “Bookmarked” since there were so many to try.
I couldn’t print it either so I just copied and pasted it to a word document. It worked fine that way.
I am going to try this recipe. I cannot find it already made in my area so I will try this. I am not great with dough.
I grew up on poppy seed roll my grandma would make it was so good.
HI Jenny – I’ve been looking up recipes for Makowiec and saw your youtube. Some of the other recipes I saw called for boiling and draining the poppy seeds. Do you know why they would want to boil the seeds first. Seems like a lot of flavor would be lost. Historically, maybe it is because some forms of poppy are used to create narcotics. Have you researched any of this? I’m not looking to avoid tiny amounts of morphine but just want to make the best tasting Makowiec. Thanks!
Hi Jenny,
Thank you so much! My mom made this every Christmas! I think hers was somewhat different, but it’s helpful to compare your recipe to hers as I am struggling with reading portions of hers. I am wondering if you have ever used the cans of poppysed from the store instead of boiling the poppyseeds and making your own mixture. I think this may be what my mother ended up doing. Would there be a big difference with using the canned poppyseed mixture?
Thank you so much!
Did you ever use the can poppy seeds?
Jenny,
I just baked it and it is delicious! Many thanks for this wonderful recipe! It was easy to follow even for this inexperienced cook:)!
Have a can of Solo poppy seed filling dated use by Jul 2014, never opened, do you think it is still good
I wouldn’t use it. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and throw it out!
I bought instant active yeast packets. Can I still use them or should I get the regular yeast packets? And can I make this the night before I need to serve it? Thank you! I’m making this for the first time for Easter.
Yes and yes. I updated the recipe to include both types of yeast.
Thank you kindly!
I found a jar of 29 oz of the Poppy Seed filling. How many of those jars would I need? Thank you!
I added up the ingredients and I find that jar is just right. It’s about 2 oz over but it may fit in.
Thank you!
Gail and Jenny, hello! Would you share the answer with us about weather canned Solo brand poppyseed filling works well on this recipe? I will be going shopping got the ingredients today to make this cake today. I do not have a grinder. I may just try my Magic Bullet blender. Has anyone tried this successfully grinding the poppyseeds tablespoons at a time?
Hello Jenny, correction of my errors: I WILL GET the ingredients today. – have you, Jenny, or -Has anyone else successfully tried using a Magic Bullet blender or food processor to grind the poppy seeds? I realize that you prefer the Cuisinart spice grinder and I hope to buy one in the future. How do you feel about the Solo brand canned poppyseed filling? How many cups would you add of the canned filling, please? Thank you again for your lovely recipe and demo.
Whether – correction oops
Even though much of the filling seeped out, enough remained so it tasted good. Everyone loved it. It got a bit too done so will try again and try to seal the filling in better and bake a little less time.
Half of the filling oozed out. Haven’t sliced it yet but there seems to be an empty area.
i had the same problem half of the filling oozed out but overall it tasted good.
I needed this so much! I have to use it for a school project on my ansestrey, and my grandfather mentioned that growing up, as his father was Polish, his mother would always make, as he puts it, ‘A type of sweet poppy seed bread’. Thank you!
I grew up looking forward to having these during the holidays when my aunt would come visit from Ohio. Since she has passed no one has been able to replicate her recipe, I can’t believe you have. You have brought back so many wonderful memories of my childhood. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I made this for Christmas and wow did it ever bring back fond memories. I am fortunate enough to live near a large community of Polish immigrants(my grandparents were all from Poland) and can shop for all my ingredients. The butcher shop actually sold containers of their own poppy seed filling made with honey so I was able to skip making the filling from scratch. Thanks so much!
I am looking forward so much to trying your recipe for poppy seed filling. My mother always used the grinder, then added vanilla, sugar, some water, and steamed this over a very slow heat (back of the wood stove). She always claimed crushing the dry poppy seed first was the superior method – had the best flavor. (She was of Romanian-Ukrainian background.) We used this filling for perohe, poppy seed bread, and for adding to cooked wheat. The taste was superb.
Followed the recipe and u tube, but when I put the roll into the oven, at 350 degrees, as it was baking, the roll and filling started oozing out the side. I decided to poke holes in the top thinking it would help. It didn’t ?. What do you think I did wrong?
That’s a common occurence with poppy seed rolls and it happens to me as well. You could try pinching the ends together after rolling and also I think sometimes it’s from letting it rise too much. If you search the internet, you’ll find that it happens a lot and you may see some other solutions.
Jenny
Thank you so much for the poppyseed tools. It is part of my past and make it every year it is a memory of my polish heritage !
Mike in florida
I am a cook and i want to know how to cook polish foods, so i look at your videos and enjoyed then so much.
Hello Jenny. I am so pleased that you’re promoting Polish food. I am Polish, living in England and been watching you on you tube for a good while. Happy to say that I have made the bread, the paczki, golabki the brownie cake following your effortless recipes. You make them so easy and really pleasurable and so effortlessly delicious. Just wanted to say that you are doing a fantastic job. Kind regards,Barbie
Poppy seeds are everywhere (Toronto, GTA), in almost any grocery store, like Whole Foods. Bulk ‘n Barn also has it unpacked. The big problem is grinding the poppy seeds. I have both blade and burr grinders, but none is perfect for poppy seeds. This recipe is all over half Eastern Europe, if not more, and not only in the Slavic world…
I prefer walnuts as they are easier to grind and I mix them with egg whites (unbeaten) +/- milk. My old recipe called for room temperature soft butter and 6 eggs. The result were 4 little rolls (I don’t know an English name for these bread rolls). We did these for Christmas or Easter together with some panettone like big sweet bread.
My grandmother used to make a walnut filled nut bread for the holidays it was a much loved treat. We called it “POTICA”
I am half Italian and half German. My Italian grandmother made this roll with a walnut filling and called it Colache. My German grandmother made the same roll with walnuts, poppy seeds and a prune filling and called it Kloch. Loved it all. Do you have a walnut mixture to use in lieu of the poppy seeds?
Thanks,
Don
Sorry, I do not.
Baba’s Nut Filling
1 lb. ground walnuts (I use a food processor, grind very fine)
6 stiffly beaten egg whites (use yolks for egg wash on top of rolls)
2-3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Fills 5 about 12 inch inch rolls
This was my Baba’s recipe (Ukrainian) for filling her little kolachki but works in the nut rolls just fine.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for sharing this.
I add ground coconut along with sugar, and 1/2 tsp of almond extract to nut filling. It is delish and a game changer in taste !
I’m guessing this is an enameled pot and I have also made this bread in a 3.5 quart Le Crueset. I would say either your oven is hotter than you think or you could move the oven rack up one notch so the bottom gets a little less heat.
I use a Tayor oven temp, on the middle rack and it shows the oven temp is right on. However, never thought to move the rack up a notch. Will give that a try. Thank you, Jenny.
Don
I have a recipe for nut filling. I am part Polish on Mom’s side and part Ukrainian on my father’s side and my Baba was the Ukrainian cook in our family when I was growing up. She made kolachki, which are small individual filled cookie sized delights made from yeast dough. It was definitely NOT healthy, using lard and butter and heavy cream, but oh my these melted in your mouth. Fillings were walnut, lakvar (prune), apricot, cheese, poppy. My mother’s side of the family was Polish and they made what we just called nutrolls (buchtki) very similar to the makowiec recipe here. I’ve used walnut, poppy, lakvar, and cream cheese fillings for my holiday baking of both of these confections. Here is the nut filling recipe I’ve used for both kolachki and buchtki.
Baba’s Nut Filling
1 lb walnuts finely ground (old crank grinder is best, I use food processor, easier)
6 stiffly beaten egg whites
2-3 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Jenny-I enjoy your videos very much and your Polish speaking and stories, too!
Hello, your alternate fillings also sound wonderful. Would you please also share the other filling recipe quantities? Thank you for sharing your nut filling recipe quantities. I look forward to trying these recipes today and would like to try the alternate fillings you mention. I do not have a spice grinder.
Dear Jenny
I found you web site by accident when searching for Polish recipes. I am so pleased that you and your recipes popped up in the search.
I live a small Scottish Borders town that is twinned with Zagan in Poland. Our Civic society is organising an afternoon tea for approximately 100 people with guests from Poland and Italy who are presenting our town with a ‘Statue of Wojtek the Bear.’ (see note below on Wojtek’s story).
I am helping in preparing the food for the event and we wanted to include some Polish recipes. Hence the search. Your site has been so helpful, especially your cookery demonstrations. Plus you made me laugh.
So, along with local food, we will be presenting our guests with Makowiec, Paczki and Pierogi.
Wotjek’s story: While in Iran in 1943, Polish soldiers had rescued a bear cub and ‘adopted’ him. They called him Wotjek. As Wotjek grew he was trained to carry heavy mortar rounds.
At the end of the war Wotjek – who had also learned how to drink beer – was billeted with his Polish soldiers at an army camp in the Scottish Borders.
When the Polish soldiers were demobilised he could not return with them and was taken to Edinburgh Zoo where he eventually died in 1963.
A statue of him is being gifted to our town ‘Duns’ from the people of Zagan, Poland.
Statues of the “soldier bear” are already on display in Krakow, the Sikorski Museum in London and a bronze statue of Wotjek and a soldier is located in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh. So he really was a well know and famous local celebrity.
There are lots of links on the web to tell Wotjek’s story in greater detail and also photographs and some film footage of him.
Any way. Thank you again for sharing your recipes in such an easy and relaxed manner and adding a good dash of humour.
Best wishes
Kevin
I’m happy to share my recipes and thank you for sharing this story.
I made this 2 days ago and it was easier than I expected! The favors were wonderful, but the filling was really loose, so the slices fell apart easily. I did use all purpose flour, not cake flour. I’m wondering if there is a trick to make it stay together better? Tighter rolling? More sugar?
Thank you for the fun videos and healthy polish recipes! I’m excited to try them all. The borscht is next!
I am taking the easy way out. I just got 3 cans of Solo (brand) poppyseed mixture from Amazon. These used to be sold in most grocery stores. You’d find the consistency correct. Also, Solo makes a nut filling and an apricot filling that can be used…at least, that is what the Croation community where I grew up used to use, with, of course, the poppyseed (my favorite). I hope this helps.
I’ve made this bread many times so I don’t think you need to change the recipe. Assuming the followed the recipe exactly, it’s possible you may have measured something incorrectly. If you follow exactly you can see in the video that the filling will not be loose. Let me know if I can help further.