A DELIGHTFUL TREAT

Petra Galler’s  Butter, Butter cookbook has gorgeous, rich, decadent recipes for any home baker. Inspired by the author’s Jewish heritage, the recipes have a very European sensibility, with a touch of Middle Eastern flavours. They are sophisticated, featuring some nostalgic classics with a twist, that are easy to make.

Poppyseeds are often seen in Eastern European baking, and these scrolls, or makowiec, are found in every bakery, especially around the Christmas season.

These are truly delicious, not too sweet, and the perfect accompaniment with a mid-morning tea or coffee. If left to my own devices, a batch barely lasts a hot minute at my house.

The poppyseeds don’t have to be ground super fine; a rough blitz in a spice grinder will do the job. If you are after a little more texture, sprinkle a handful of chopped walnuts or almonds over the poppyseed filling before rolling.

Polish Poppyseed Scrolls

Makes 24 scrolls

Sour Cream Pastry

• 600 g (1lb 5oz) plain flour

• 60 g (2¼oz) icing sugar

• 250 g (9oz) butter

• 10 g (¼oz) instant dried yeast

• zest of 1 lemon

• zest of 1 orange

• 100 g (3½oz) sour cream

• 90 ml (3 fl oz) milk

• 1 egg yolk

Poppyseed Filling

• 180 g (6¼oz) poppyseeds, ground to a

rough powder

• 160 ml (5¼fl oz) milk

• 100 g (3½oz) caster sugar

• 100 g (3½oz) dates, pitted and finely

chopped

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

• ¼ tsp flaky salt

• zest of 1 lemon

• zest of 1 orange

• 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

• 30 g (1oz) raw sugar, to sprinkle

For the Sour Cream Pastry, in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, icing sugar, butter and yeast until it’s the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add all remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture starts forming into clumps. Tip out into a large bowl and bring together with your hands. The dough will be on the firmer side; give it a good 2–3 minutes of elbow grease. Shape into a rectangle, about 2 cm thick. Cover with cling film and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a medium pot over a medium heat and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is nice and thick. Set aside to cool completely before using.

When you are ready to start assembling, place the dough on a lightly floured bench and divide in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough out until you have a 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in) rectangle, about 5–6mm (¼in) in thickness. I use a ruler here to get a perfect rectangle. Keep any pastry trimmings you have; you never know when they could come in handy!

Grease and line a large oven tray. Evenly spread half the poppyseed filling over the dough, leaving a 1cm (½in) border all the way around. With the longest end closest to you, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder, with the seam at the bottom. Place on the prepared baking tray and repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling. Lightly cover with a tea towel and set aside to rest for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-bake. Brush the rolls with egg wash and bake for 35–40 minutes; the rolls should look puffy and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Use a serrated knife to slice the rolls into 2.5cm (1in) thick slices.

Arrange the slices on the baking trays, sprinkle with raw sugar and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the trays.

Serve warm or at room temperature — they’re delicious either way!

Recipe extracted from Butter, Butter by Petra Galler, published by Allen & Unwin, RRP $49.99.  Photography by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios).