Total Time:  12 h
Prep:           13 h 30 min
Baking:        30 - 40 min
Level:          Medium easy

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 sticks (250 gr) butter
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 4 tbs sugar
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
  
• 4 packages (80 gr) active dry yeast or 3.5 oz (100 gr) fresh yeast
  
• ½ cup warm milk
  
• 2 tsp sugar
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  

Filling


• 1 1/2 cup water
  
• 1 1/2 cup milk

• 1 lb. (500 gr) poppy seeds

  
• 3/4 cup sugar

  
• 1 stick (125 gr) melted butter

• 2 eggs
• 3 eggs yolks
• 1/4 cup honey

  
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds

  
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

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Directions:

Filling:

Day before baking:

1. Put poppy seeds in a small saucepan. 
   
2. Cover with water and milk. 
   
3. Bring to a boil. 
   
4. Remove from heat and let stand until cool over a night.
   
5. Poppy seed will absorb milk and water. They will be more tender. 

Next day:

5.    Push the poppy seeds through a food grinder using the fine grinding plate. To have an appropriate consistence of filling you have to grind poppy seeds twice.

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6.  Add melted butter, sugar and honey. 
  

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7.  Incorporate golden raisins, almonds and other dry fruits. 

8.  Add eggs and yolks. 

9.  Mix well all ingredients.

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Dough:

1. Warm milk to about 90 -110 degrees F. 
   
2. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over warm milk, stir until dissolved.  
   
3. Let stand for about  10-15 minutes.  Yeats must be activated with sugar and milk until it forms a foam.
   
4. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
   
5. Beat eggs.
   
6. Pour the eggs, the yeast mixture and the melted butter into the flour.
   
7. Stir well all ingredients to make a dough. If the dough is too tough add a little of milk.
   

8.    Place the dough into heavy duty Ziploc bag. Be sure the bag is closed very well. 
9.    Put the bag with the dough into a bowl filled with cold water. 
10.  Let the dough rest for 1 hour. 

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Finishing:

11.   Remove dough to lightly floured surface. 

12.   Divide the dough into two equal parts.

13.   Roll out one part the dough to get a square. 

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14.   Spread one half of poppy seeds filling over one square of the dough.

15.   Roll the dough. 

16.   Repeat the process with the second half of filling and the second square of the dough.

 

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17.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

18.    Place a sheet of the parchment paper on the baking sheet (you can also grease it). 

19.    Roll paper over poppy seed dough. 

20.    Place the rolls on the baking sheet. 

21.    Bake the rolls for about 30 minutes or until golden and baked.

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Optional:

To make icing, mix 1 cup confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon warm milk. The mixture should be very dense. Cover the poppy seed rolls with icing and let the icing dry. 

Tips:
I know it takes a lot of time to make this cake, but, it is worth. To make the filling you can add walnuts and other chopped dry fruits.