Poppy Seed Roll Recipe

Poppy seed wreath is a familiar poppy seed roll, twisted into a ring shape. The poppy seed roll is delicious on its own, but if you twist it into a wreath, you’ll have a beautiful dish that will adorn your festive table. Be sure to prepare it for a special occasion or just as a treat for tea!

The poppy seed wreath is a popular Ukrainian dish often served during festive occasions, especially at Christmas or Easter. In Ukrainian culture it’s not just a delicious treat, but part of our cultural heritage passed down through generations. It symbolizes traditions, customs, and the hospitality of the Ukrainian people. Therefore, it’s important to preserve this knowledge and memory, especially during these challenging times for our nation.

On my YouTube channel, I have a video of me making a poppy seed wreath for Christmas. Feel free to watch it (turn on the English subtitles)! I appreciate your likes, comments, and subscriptions, as they help to promote the content.

To make a poppy seed roll, yeast dough is typically used, and a filling of poppy seeds, sugar, egg white, or milk is added. The filling can also include nuts, dried fruits, or spices like cinnamon or vanilla.

I was really pleased with the poppy seed filling in this recipe, it turns out very juicy and doesn’t fall apart when you slice the roll. This is important to me because I don’t like having to gather the tasty poppy seeds from the table afterward.

From the amount of ingredients listed, you’ll get quite a large poppy seed wreath, approximately 26 cm in diameter.

Dough for the Poppy Seed Roll:

fresh or dry yeast
sugar
milk
egg
butter
salt
flour

Poppy Seed Filling with Raisins:

poppy seeds
sugar
vanilla sugar
white
butter
raisins
egg yolk + milk for glazing
small amounts of poppy seeds for decoration

Instructions:

1. Start by melting the butter, as it will need time to cool down.

2. Prepare the starter: In the meantime, prepare the starter. Mix part of the milk with yeast, a bit of sugar, and some flour. Stir well, cover with a cloth, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

3. Prepare the filling: While the starter is resting, start making the filling. Pour boiling water over the raisins.

Next, rinse the poppy seeds and soak them. I found that rinsing them twice was enough, but this depends on the quality of your poppy seeds.

After rinsing, cover the poppy seeds with boiling water and let them soak for 20–30 minutes.

4. Prepare the dough: By now, the starter should have risen and become fluffy. Add the remaining milk, sugar, egg, a pinch of salt, and the melted butter (make sure it’s warm, not hot).

Add the flour. Start mixing with a spoon, then knead the dough by hand. You may need to add a little more flour if necessary. The dough should not stick to your hands but should remain soft.

Cover it with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours. It should double in size during this time.

5. Finalize the filling: By now, the poppy seeds will have soaked. Drain the water.

Add sugar and vanilla sugar to the poppy seeds. Stir well and cook over low heat until the excess liquid evaporates, leaving the poppy seeds in syrup. This will take about 30 minutes, and you’ll need to stir occasionally.

Next, grind the poppy seeds with the syrup using a blender or food processor.

Add butter to the ground poppy seeds and stir until it melts into the warm poppy seed mixture.

Add 1 egg white and mix well. Don’t throw away the yolk, you’ll need it later.

Finally, add the soaked raisins (drain the water first) and stir. The filling is now ready.

6. Roll the dough: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll out one part into a long rectangle, as you will use this to make the roll. It should be quite long because both rolls will be twisted together into a wreath shape.

Spread half of the filling over the rectangle, leaving 2-3 cm of space along the long edges of the dough. Also, leave some space on the short edges to prevent the filling from leaking out of the roll.

Roll up the dough tightly and seal the edges. Repeat the process with the second half of the dough.

7. Form the wreath: Twist the two rolls together.

Grease a baking dish with butter and carefully transfer the twisted rolls into it, shaping them into a ring.

Place a buttered jar in the center of the wreath to maintain the shape.

Cover the wreath with a towel and let it rest in a quiet place for 1 hour. During this time, preheat the oven to 180ºC.

8. Glaze and bake: Before baking, brush the wreath generously with the mixture of yolk and milk. This will give it a beautiful golden color and shine.

Sprinkle some dry poppy seeds on top and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick: insert it into the dough and if it comes out clean, the wreath is ready.

Let the wreath cool, then remove the jar and transfer the wreath to a plate.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Share your experience or any creative twists you made in the comments below. Let me know if you have any questions. Your feedback helps me create even more delicious content. Enjoy your homemade treat and happy baking!