Poppy seed cake with apples is known by name Japanese poppy seed cake. Interestingly, there is no explanation as to why it is called that. Asians don’t eat Japanese poppy seed cake at all. Some confectioners draw associations with the Ichimatsu pattern, i.e. a checkerboard resembling a grid of dough baked on top.
In Poland the recipe for poppy seed cake with apples was popular in the times of the Polish People’s Republicwhen dessert was also called Japanese makotka or Japanese apple pie with poppy seeds. It is still baked for Christmas today. Thanks to the addition of fruit comes out very moist and has even more flavor.
Ingredients:
Ingredients for shortcrust pastry:
- 2 yolks,
- 300 g of wheat flour (+ for sprinkling the pastry board),
- 170 g of cold butter 82%,
- 75 g of powdered sugar,
- a spoonful of sour cream (18%).
Ingredients for the poppy seed mass:
- 250 g of dry poppy seeds,
- 300 g apples (after removing inedible parts and squeezing out excess juice),
- 3 yolks + 5 egg whites,
- 150 g of powdered sugar,
- 130 g of butter,
- 8 tablespoons of semolina,
- 75 g candied orange peel,
- 75 g raisins,
- 75 ml rum + some water,
- a teaspoon of baking soda,
- a teaspoon of vanilla extract,
- juice squeezed from 1/2 lemon,
- milk (for cooking poppy seeds).
How to do it:
Separate the whites from the yolks (the eggs must be at room temperature, so take them out at least 2 hours before preparing the poppy seed cake).
Combine all ingredients for shortcrust pastry (butter – cut into small cubes) and knead vigorously into a uniform mass. Form it into two similar-sized balls (one slightly smaller than the other, wrap in foil and put in the fridge for half an hour.
Roll out a larger portion of dough on a floured board and put it on the bottom of a 20×25 cm baking tray. Prick the dough with a fork and Bake for about 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Roll out the remaining dough and cut the cake into thin strips.
Soak the raisins and orange peel in rum with a little water (enough for the dried fruits and nuts to submerge in the liquid). Drain and chop before using.
Rinse the poppy seeds. Pour in milk (so that the pot is 2-3 cm above the level of the poppy seeds) and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for about 20-30 minutesstirring occasionally. Drain the cooked poppy seeds and grind them in a meat grinder through a fine-mesh strainer.
Prepare the poppy seed mass. Cream the butter with powdered sugar until fluffy. Without stopping mixing, add one yolk to the mixture, then semolina, ground poppy seeds, baking soda and vanilla extract.
Peel the apples and remove the seeds from them. Grate and sprinkle with lemon juice. Squeeze excess juice from apples. Mix the apple pulp and dried fruit into the poppy seed mixture.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them into the poppy seed mixture.
Spread the poppy seed mixture onto the baked base. Align. Place a lattice of dough strips on the poppy seed mixture. Place the pan back in the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes – until the stick is dry.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl
