I will soon try to show you how to bake poppy seed cake so that it does not crack, what mistakes happen most often and how to avoid them. I will also tell you how to prepare homemade poppy seed mass and how to wrap the dough so that it is elastic, even and well-baked. You’ll find it at the end proven recipe for Christmas poppy seed cakewhich comes out perfect every time.
Poppy seed cake is one of those cakes that can be extremely capriciouseven if the filling is perfect and the dough is carefully kneaded. Most often, it cracks due to an imbalance between the portion of poppy seed mass and the thickness of the dough. For example, when there is too much filling, it begins to “push” the sides during baking and creates characteristic cracks on the surface.
The second reason is baking temperature too high – the dough then rises quickly, but at the same time it cannot keep up with stabilizing its structure, so the top begins to crack like a crust. It is also a common mistake too dry yeast dough or insufficient rising. If the structure does not have time to loosen and aerate, the poppy seed cake looks for an escape route under the influence of heat and bursts. It also has an impact too moist poppy seed masswhich lifts the dough unevenly and leads to cracks on the top.
Poppy seed cake is a cake that requires a bit of precision. It is these small technical errors that cause the skin to crack during baking. The key lies in proper preparation of both the dough and the poppy seed mass, as well as in temperature control.
Firstly: the dough cannot be wrapped too tightly. If the poppy seed mixture is whipped too thick or applied in excess, it will increase in volume during baking and “tear” the top of the cake. The roll should be rolled quite loosely.
Po drugie: the poppy seed mass must be light and slightly moist. If the mixture is too dry or too hot, the poppy seed cake will start to crack before it sets properly. Ideally, the mass is at room temperature and has a clearly fluffy structure.
Third: baking temperature. The poppy seed tree likes calm, even heat, i.e. approx. 170-180°C. Too high a temperature causes the top to curdle and crack quickly while the inside is still growing. Cutting the dough with a knife on the top also gives good results – a controlled crack looks aesthetically pleasing and prevents unwanted tears.
Thanks to these few rules, the poppy seed cake retains its beautiful shape, even surface and perfect structure, which delights on the holiday table.
This poppy seed cake is soft, moist and rises beautifullyand thanks to proper rolling and delicate poppy seed mass does not crack during baking. This is a classic, home-made version with yeast dough and an aromatic filling full of dried fruit.
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 500 g of wheat flour,
- 200 ml of warm milk,
- 80 g of butter,
- 2 eggs,
- 70 g sugar,
- 25 g of fresh yeast or 7 g of dry yeast,
- a pinch of salt,
- teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Poppy seed mass:
- 400 g ground poppy seeds,
- 350 ml of milk,
- 80 g of butter,
- 120 g of honey or sugar,
- 100 g raisins or cranberries,
- 80 g chopped walnuts,
- grated orange peel,
- egg,
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Preparation method:
1. Cake:
Mix the yeast with a little milk and sugar and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour flour into a bowl, add eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and leaven. Pour warm milk gradually to knead a smooth dough. Finally, add melted butter. Knead until the dough is elastic and non-sticky. Cover and set aside for 1-1.5 hours to rise.
2. Poppy seed mass:
Pour hot milk over poppy seeds and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool, then add butter, honey, dried fruits, nuts, orange peel, cinnamon and egg. Mix thoroughly – the mass should be thick and moist.
3. Forming:
Roll out the risen dough into a rectangle, spread the poppy seed filling, leaving a 2 cm free edge. Roll it tightly like a roulade, but don’t do it too tightly – this is one of the most important rules if you want the poppy seed cake not to break. Gently place on the baking tray, seam side down.
4. Baking:
Cover the poppy seed cake and leave it for 20 minutes to rise again. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the top is lightly browned. After taking it out, you can immediately cover it with a cloth for 10 minutes. This will make the dough softer.
5. Finish:
After cooling, pour icing or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl
