Chef’s Handyman, Poppy Seed Cake

Grandma makes the best poppy seed cake ever. It’s a tradition in our family that she invites us for coffee or tea during the Christmas season. The Chef’s Handyman kitchen will be closed until the 2nd of January 2018. Many thanks to all our Chef’s Handyman food magazine readers. The Chef’s Handyman Team wishes you a

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, all the best.

We will be back in January 2018 with new ideas around the kitchen and many delicious recipe creations. Have a great time, your Chef’s Handyman team.

Poppy Seed Cake

For the filling, combine ground poppy seeds, cinnamon powder, 1 cup of hot milk, 2 tbs. of sugar, 5 tbs. of honey, 1 tbs. of vanilla sugar, 1 tbs. of lemon rind and raisins. Place in a pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir from time to time to avoid scorching them. Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle poppy seed mixture with orange blossom water. Cool for 30 minutes.

To make dough, knead 5 oz. of butter (room temperature), 4 oz. of sugar, 2 egg yolks, 3 tbs. of milk, 16 oz. of flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar together until combined. Roll dough out on a parchment paper.

Apply cooled poppy seed mixture on the top of dough. Use bottom sheet of paper to shape dough into roll, like a roulade. Press both ends together. Prick with a fork, as you would a pie crust. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cake on baking sheet. Apply egg yolk on the top. Bake in oven at 180°C (350°F) for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack.

Shopping list for 1 poppy seed cake: 5 oz. butter, 9 fl. oz. milk, 3 egg yolk, 16 oz. flour, 5 oz. sugar, 1 tbsp. baking powder, 134 oz. grated poppy seed, 1 tbsp. vanilla sugar, 5 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. lemon rind, 2 tbsp. orange blossom water, 2 oz. raisins.