Poppy Buns

/ April 1, 2015

I recently read an article about the effects of our Western love affair with quinoa, which claimed that our desperation to cut down on wheat has led to price increases in quinoa, practically making it impossible for Bolivian farmers to keep some of their produce for their own consumption. Although I really like quinoa – and wouldn’t mind eating it more often – I have found that here in the West,our attitude to food is at times bordering on the hysterical.

I am absolutely convinced that our food is making us sick, but I refuse to accept that it’s all down to wheat or milk. I don’t want to dismiss coeliac disease or lactose intolerance at all, but I do think we should not completely ignore the merits of those foods that our ancestors – parents, grandparents, and further back – have been eating. Mostly locally produced, home cooked and ideally varied, they should provide us with all we need. Funnily enough, what they didn’t have access to was fast food, sweets, fizzy drinks and ready-meals. Produced to maximise shelf-life as well as profits, I am absolutely convinced that they are much more responsible for indigestion or sluggishness than enemy no. 1, ‘wheat’.Poppy buns 2

My one-man campaign to make you fall in love with wheat again is reaching a new high these days with the celebration of Easter: forget the chocolate eggs, Easter is the time for yeasted breads! And for something very special, I suggest filling them with poppy seeds. Their subtle aroma and unique texture explains its popularity as a filling for all sorts of cakes in Germany, Austria and the neighbouring countries. There you can buy the filling ready made, whereas here in the UK you will need to grind down the poppy seeds using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. But trust me: it’s well worth it.

For starters I’ll present you with these pretty poppy buns – after Easter I’ll show you another take on the poppy seeds, this time a real classic from Bohemia, the home of the dumpling.Poppy bun cake

Poppy Buns (makes 14)

For the dough:

  • 500g plain flour
  • 250ml lukewarm milk
  • 1 tsp dried active yeast
  • 40g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 100g soft, unsalted butter
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 100g poppy seeds, ground or pounded
  • 100g sugar
  • 150ml milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2cl rum

For glazing:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbs milk

Measure out the flour into a large bowl. Make a dent into the middle where you add the yeast and a pinch of the sugar, then add the milk. Stir to mix the yeast with the milk, then leave it ti stand for a few minutes until you can see some bubbles forming on the surface. Add the remaining ingredients and knead until the dough is beginning to come up in bubbles.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and rest the dough until it has almost doubled in size. Depending on your kitchen (warmth and draughts) this takes between 45 minutes and 2 hours.

In the meantime, mix the ground poppy seeds in a small casserole with the sugar and milk and bring it to boil. Once it is bubbling nicely, remove it from the heat and let it cool down a bit. Add the egg and rum when it is lukewarm.

When your dough is ready, Knock it back on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a square of ca. 50cm x 50 cm or 20in x 20in. Spread the poppyseed filling evenly on the surface, then roll up the dough to one long sausage. See my tutorial on chelsea buns for pictures.Poppy buns raw

Grease a cake tin (I used a 26cm diameter springform) or a similar-sized ovenproof form. Cut the sausage into 14 slices, each ca. 3cm or 1in thick, and place them into the tin. Sorry about the mess – the filling was a little too runny, I suppose… Cover with the tea towel and leave it to rest for another 15 minutes or so. Use the time to heat the oven to 200C / 400F.

For the glaze, mix the egg yolk with the milk and brush it onto the surface of the cake. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.Poppy bun cake 2

Serve warm – preferably with a cup of coffee or two, but I am sure you can offset the flour and sugar by drinking a glass of water instead 😉Poppy buns

Happy Easter!

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26 thoughts on “Poppy Buns”

  2. This looks wonderful, poppy seeds are very common in Russian cuisine as well, my mom uses them quite alot in cakes and desserts. And I agree with you about everything you say about wheat, fast foods, and ready meals. Wheat is not the problem, it is what kind of wheat we eat, and how much that is problematic. And even poor quality wheat is better than ready-made meals, with too much sugar, salt, and preservatives. In France farmers have started growing one variety of white quinoa, and I have been able to find French-grown quinoa on a regular basis, though it is a bit more expensive than the Peruvian and Bolivian types. But I am ready to pay the price, as it is for a right cause.

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  3. I couldn’t agree more Ginger! I know quinoa has it’s benefits and I like it, but I don’t eat it because I can’t do so in good conscience when I have no good reason why I can’t eat wheat. We in the Western world do often blindly follow food trends, oblivious to the effects they have on the places where it’s grown and it’s people. I do try and limit my dairy but that’s because I have an inflammatory illness and it’s dairy can be pretty inflammatory (I don’t do a great job at it though, I just love my dairy products too much!). And you are right, the “war” on harmful foods should be focused on processed foods and additives (although, not ignoring food deserts and the effects poverty has on the foods people eat), I definitely eat way more processed food than I’m happy with and it’s something I personally need to work on!

    And with my little rant done I’m gonna go back to drooling over these poppy buns! They look amazing, way better than hot cross buns for Easter I think!

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  4. I try to like quinoa, really but it just doesn’t float my boat. I made some the other day, it’s ok but not my favorite. I do love wheat, bread, cakes, pies whatever is made from flour. I also love dairy, milk, butter etc… I have never really tried doing without it completely so couldn’t say if t would feel like a new person if if went without but I have no complaints about how i feel now. Love the poppy buns, beautiful and delicious and I loved poppy seeds, they are not used very often in baking or in recipes I see. Your rolls are wonderful.

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  5. Ginger, these buns are beautiful, and I agree with everything you said about wheat. To be fair, today’s commercially produced wheat is definitely stripped of most of it’s nutrients, but I think that in moderation, unless you have celiac disease or an allergy, it can’t hurt!

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  6. I just love baking bread, and these buns are going on my list. My husband will love these. I totally agree with what you said. I think these processed foods and preservatives are so horrible for us. I am not huge on quinoa either. I cook what I like to eat and think anything prepared at home is so much better for us.

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  7. Hi!
    I have also read about the quinoa-boom and its effects – I try to use other grains more often now and I am only buying it fair trade!
    Anyhow, your poppy seed buns look amazing! I love how they are so nicely browned on the outside and so fluffy on the inside… Yum!

    Have a baketastic day,
    Your Backdirndl

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  11. I completely agree with everything you’ve said. I fully believe that people are making themselves unwell was a result of filling their bodies with chemicals and processed foods; why don’t people make the connection between what they put into their bodies and their health?? If you fill your body with rubbish you will be ill, end of. People take more care of what they put in their cars!
    Your rolls look as amazing as always 😀😀😀

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  13. My cupboard is full of the so-called super foods – quinoa, flax seeds, chia, and so on. But 9 out of 10 times I look in it, I seem to reach for the familiar wheat flour. Oh well, I tried… LOVE the poppy buns!! That second to last picture ought to be on the cover of a magazine!! Btw, do I have your email address?

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  15. Gorgeous, gorgeous bread! Sadly, here in Brooklyn, poppy seeds are found only on bagels. I’ve made scones with them sometimes, but have never ventured into the really traditional German pastries. That will have to change.

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  17. Lovely looking bread Ginger! Agree.. And still eat wheat – I have recently enjoyed using spelt flour more too! Thank you for the great post! 🙂

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    • Now I’m blushing … Taking the pictures I still find the stressiest part of the process, though. Fortunately the light is getting better now which makes it a little easier!

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      • I agree! The lighting does make all the difference, and unfortunately we are coming into winter here in New Zealand so I’m having a hard time working around that. Not really wanting to make dinner at 3:00!

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