Learn how to make a classic Croatian poppy seed and walnut roll with this easy-to-follow recipe! Traditional Croatian holiday dessert that is loved by many for its rich filling and is a staple on family table during Christmas and Easter.
Take 50 ml of milk and 1 tablespoon of flour from the prepared quantity of milk and flour and mix them well with dry yeast. Cover and wait about 10 minutes for the yeast to become foamy.
Sift the rest of the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar, salt, grated orange zest, activated yeast, lard, egg, and egg yolk. Start kneading the dough with a paddle attachment at the slowest speed, then gradually pour in the rest of the milk and oil.
Knead the dough at the lowest speed until it becomes shiny, smooth, and pliable. This should take between 10 and 15 minutes. Avoid adding additional flour unless necessary.
Then transfer the dough to a lightly dusted working surface and divide it into 2 equal balls (weigh them). Place each in a separate bowl.
Cover and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume (about 2 hours).
POPPY SEED FILLING:
Meanwhile, prepare the fillings. Mix the ground poppy seeds with both sugars, add the jam, and start pouring the hot milk over it, stirring constantly.Never pour all the milk at once; depending on the type of poppy seeds, they may absorb more or less liquid. Also, if the filling seems dry, it will need a bit more milk. Set aside to cool completely.
WALNUT FILLING:
Mix the ground walnuts with cinnamon, sugar, and rum. Add the honey and start adding the hot milk, stirring constantly. Leave to cool completely before filling.
ROLLING AND BAKING:
Line a deeper baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and roll it into a rectangle at the length of the pan you will be using (in my case it is 30 cm/11.8 inch).Make sure you roll the dough evenly and not too thin, otherwise, it will crack during baking in those thinly rolled areas.
Spread the rolled-out dough evenly with the poppy seed filling, leaving about 1 cm (0.4 inch) empty on each side. Fold the side edges (or you don't have to fold, in the photo instructions you have both ways) and carefully roll the dough. Transfer to a baking tray. Repeat the process with the walnut filling.
Cover them with plastic foil and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
20 minutes before baking, turn on the oven to 170°C (338°). Make an eggwash and brush both loaves well before baking.
Prick the dough with a fork or toothpick and bake for about 45-50 minutes. At about 25-30 minutes, the poppy seed and walnut roll will probably start to get dark; cover them with aluminum foil and return them to the oven.
When the poppy seed and walnut rolls are done, remove them from the oven and turn them upside down together with the pan. Let them rest like that for up to 10 minutes; this way the filling will not separate from the crust.
Then turn them back over, wrap each loaf in a clean kitchen towel, and let them cool completely before cutting. If desired, you can dust them with powdered sugar when serving.
Notes
This recipe will yield 1 poppy seed loaf and 1 walnut loaf. If you want to make, for example, 2 poppy seed or walnut loaves, the amount of ingredients for the dough remains the same, and you need to double the amount of ingredients for the filling.
Before baking, you can place a piece of parchment paper between the loaves, as I did (see the photos in the post). This way, the loaves won't stick to each other during baking and will cool faster after baking.
Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on ingredients
data and should be used for informational purposes only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on factors such
as portion size, preparation methods and ingredients used.