This cake is normally eaten at festive times such as Christmas and Easter in Central Europe; since we had some in the freezer from Christmas and friends were over yesterday for lunch it made the table during coffee late in the afternoon. Seeing it on the plate I decided I'd photograph it as a visual record and to also post it here as a point of interest.
There are many versions of this same cake, every country and region has their own variation. However, in its most common form it’s a yeast leavened dough similar to brioche, although sweeter. The filling is a sweet paste predominantly of milled poppy seed with the occasional sultana which can also be seen in the picture. The filling in this example is a little 'grainy' and perhaps the poppy seed should have been milled a little finer to make a slightly smoother filling.
Of course, this cake can be leavened with sourdough rather than commercial yeast, much like panettone, but I find the extended yeast fermentation satisfactory.
"Makovy Kolac' " is the Slovak name for this cake; translated into English it means ~ 'poppy seed cake'. A taste of Central Europe, very pleasant eating!
[img]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b317/plutrach/IMG_3095.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b317/plutrach/IMG_3106.jpg[/img]
General instructions:
The above formula is for both types of cakes, Poppy seed (Mak) or Walnut (Orech) and the filling quantities are for a single dough each.
[u][b]DOUGH[/b][/u]
the "dough to oven" time (DTO) is 4 hours. This means from the time the dough finishes mixing until it enters the oven it should take 4 hours. This can be shortened or lengthened to suit manufacturing conditions, but will necessitate a new yeast calculation. Do not melt the unsalted butter but soften it by beating or leaving it out of the fridge overnight. The dough should be elastic but 'lively' at the conclusion of mixing. At knock back do not re-mix only expel the gas by punching it down and allow it to bulk prove again for the stipulated time then divide it to desired weights.
[u][b]FILLING (plnka) Poppy or nut (Makova, Orechova)[/b][/u]
While the dough is resting the milled filling - poppy seed or walnut which ever is desired - is combined with other ingredients and gently heated over the stove stirring while adding milk to the desired consistency (creamy paste) care must be taken not to over heat as it will burn or the walnut oils will leach out. It should just simmer while being stirred. In the case of the poppy filling it will allow the pectin in the green apples to set and bind the whole when it cools to produce a consistent paste.
[u][b]MAKE-UP[/b][/u]
When the dough is ready to shape and fill, pin it out into a rectangular shape about a centimetre thick and spread the filling one centimetre thick over it taking care to allow a bear strip of dough on the sides and bottom to aid sealing with water brushed on those edges. Gently roll up from the top toward you until it's sealed. Place on a greased or baking paper lined tray brush with egg yolk and milk wash and allow approx. 45 min to prove.
[u][b]BAKING[/b][/u]
Bake in a solid oven at 185-195°C for approx. 25-35 minutes then allow to cool on a wire before slicing and serving.... enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Good luck!
Replies
[quote="Croc"]truth is i'm sick of china, greece, italy always claiming they come up with everything first, which is absolute rubish.
there is many nations that are just as old if not older and as good if not greater and have created many things long before those "oh so great" nations.[/quote]
He!he! I love your patience Croc!
Well after all Ukranians took Cyrilic language writing and that came from Greece/Bulgaria right? There were Greek settlements around Odessa (still found these days) and even more Scynthians(ancient Iranians) in Zaporozhie regions.
Tatars sometimes founded khanates and even managed to a good welcome in Poland and Lithuania where they were given status of royalty.
Who remembers the Commonwealth of Nations(Poland,Ukraine,Lithuania)rule?
i repeat
makowiec first recipes every discovered and noted originated from poland not greece
every polish person knows makowiec, lots of greeks don't
*fan facts*
every single country on this planet knew no food till greeks or italians or some other godlike nations shown it to us, our grand parents simply did NOT eat before that happened
every single meal you claim to be traditional for your people in fact was discovered first elsewhere, mostly in greece or italy, france or china, no jokes.
You know, croc, you've just woken up the forum.
Whaddya'll say, we have a makovy/makowiec/makowca/mohnstriezel bake-off this christmas?
[quote="TeckPoh"]:D You know, croc, you've just woken up the forum.
Whaddya'll say, we have a makovy/makowiec/makowca/mohnstriezel bake-off this christmas?[/quote]
i'm up for it
will grab recipe from my mother next time i talk to her
Remember, [b]WE WANT PIX!![/b]
Is it ok with the boss that we have this bake-off since this will not be sourdough? Or can it be sourdough?
[size=20][color=#BF40BF]Can't believe croc is still around after 2, 3 days. And, actually going to bake sumthin' !!!![/color][/size]
Yum!
I've been fascinated by poppy seed sweet breads ever since I saw a mohnstollen. Definitely on my To-Do-Soon List. Never mind it's not christmas.
Could you share a recipe, kind Boris?
i'm going to bake your keyboard
Boris!
I love those poppyseed rolls!
Whenever I get a chance I ride over to the greenpoint district, the Polish bakeries make those as well as a delicious berliner filled with rosehips jelly!
I always like seeing the sales girls eye's looks likes she is on heroin, all the poppyseeds!
Jeremy
Your spelling's getting worse.
G'day TP and Jeremy, I only make it once a year and freeze enough to carry us through Christmas and Easter. I'll post it as soon as I get an opportunity.
Yes, it's popular in Poland too. I saw an episode of Myth Busters that tested blood samples for narcotic levels after eating poppy seed cakes and bagels. I, and evidently they, were surprised to learn that it does affect the outcome of a drug test! Perhaps that's why I enjoy eating makovy kolac', and especially during festive occasions.
[quote="Danubian"] I, and evidently they, were surprised to learn that it does affect the outcome of a drug test! Perhaps that's why I enjoy eating makovy kolac', and especially during festive occasions.[/quote]
Oops. I guess it's safe to consume it in the confines of home? Take your time...won't be able to make it for the next 2 weeks at least. Pretty busy with cakes.
[quote="TeckPoh"]Your spelling's getting worse.[/quote]
uh oh
http://www.annamariavolpi.com/makowiec.html
go to it TP!
You are so resourceful, Jeremy!THANKS!
Wow...ONE lb poppy seeds! Ya think I'd be arrested for buying that amount? I think I'll leave the cake in a roll like Boris' and serve by slices...much prettier.
Ok Jermey, that was quick! It's a little different to the Slovak one but I'm sure it's very good.
[quote="Danubian"]"Makovy Kolac' " is the Slovak name for this cake ~ 'poppy seed cake'.[/quote]
just another name..I didn't know yet...hereby is it named "striezel"..Mohnstriezel
At most bakeries it looks like this way
[img]http://www.baeckerei-tobollik.de/img_cont/p0006g.jpg[/img]
the difference to your's is on top - it's not brushed with milky egg - its covered with apricot juice and "streusel" and some sort of sugar paste or fudge
But you are right - originally its covered with eggy cream -BtW..where the receipe
In one thing you are fault..
[quote]is normally eaten at festive times such as Christmas and Easter [/quote]
Are you kiddy? It's eaten all over the Year..yeah!
When I'm on the road I'll always order one out of two things: "Mohnstriezel" or "Nussecke"
Mohnstriezel originate from Schlesien an there is a similar one from Böhmen (Cech), but other coutries imported like Poland, Slovak, Germany, Austria..
Here you will find a traditional formula: [url=http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/recipe/19883,german_yeast_poppy_seed_roll_mohnstriezel.phtml]Poppy Seed Roll[/url]
The "Böhmian" one is made with candid lemon instead of peeled lemon...
Boris, last time I saw a Stiezel" as your's I was a little child..at my gramdma..she came from there
I'm going to visit this thread every day to oogle at the rolls until the day I make them.
Danke, Markus.
[quote="bianchifan"]BtW..where the receipe
In one thing you are fault..
[quote]is normally eaten at festive times such as Christmas and Easter [/quote]
Are you kiddy? It's eaten all over the Year..yeah! [/quote]
I'm working on the formula in a post friendly format ... Ok, you're right; it's eaten more regularly these days. However, since we and most of our families are in Australia, and our menu now being very culturally diverse, it seems makovy a orchovy kolac is now for special occasions. It often helps us to reminisce over the pleasant childhood years; like good brandy and coffee.
[quote="bianchifan"]Here you will find a traditional formula: [url=http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/recipe/19883,german_yeast_poppy_seed_roll_mohnstriezel.phtml]Poppy Seed Roll[/url]
The "Böhmian" one is made with candid lemon instead of peeled lemon...
Boris, last time I saw a Stiezel" as your's I was a little child..at my gramdma..she came from there[/quote]
LOL I assure you Markus, I'm no where near as old as your grandmother! But perhaps my Slovak cook book is her vintage. I actually learned how to make this from my mother - she's Spanish from Madrid, but that's another story - and as a kid I remember watching her every year in the kitchen baking these goodies. Now, it seems to be my responsibility, and I usually make enough for the whole year for the whole extended family. My Hungarian wife is very particular about 'makovica' so I usually throw in a few Hungarian versions too!
Ok, I posted the formula below the photo. Good luck, TP. If you start now you'll be able to photograph the process and the final result, too.....and have it popsted here by tomorrow!! LOL
Thanks, Boris!
Where's our dear croc? He'll just DIE if he sees these...........
I'm not familiar with 'dear croc'; I guess he/she is well before my short time here.
croc is a Pole, now residing in Melbourne. He goes on and on about how things from the old country tastes tons better. His very interesting english is the reason for my signature.
Interesting to know the origins of anything, but unless you're writing a paper on the subject what does it really matter if the Slavs or the Greeks were the first to use poppy seed in sweets?! It's a storm in a tea cup.
I hope you blokes have been making some for Christmas?! I'm at it today; Makiovy Kolac' galore!
mak is mak that is poppy
Wy it is just an accusative verb that means from
kolac or kolach or kalach means round or roll thus not surprising that Jewish challach derives from kalach
So in an area like Eastern Europe where there has been a exchange of cultures and substantial ethnic mix it is not surprising that recipes have been found or tweaked according to ingredients by one people or the other.
I strongly believe these rolls to be of Greek origin as Orthodox religion spreads far and wide in Eastern Europe.
Slovaks in good numbers are descendants of Ukrainians , also Germany and Poland were laying more to the East which included many of today Bielorussia and Ukrainian territories these lands were also under Austrian rule for sometime and before that belonged to the Commonwealth of States made up of Poland,Lithuania and Ukraine territories. Ukrainians (rulers and founders were Vikings from Oland Sweden) these Vikings rule the united tribes of Kievan Rus some of these Vikings were also hired by Constantinople as protectors to defend its empire against invaders.
The connection? Odessa(Black Sea port) has one of the oldest ancient Greek settlements in Slavic lands the other still survive in the republic of Georgia and they still survive as Greek settlements since time immemorial.
[quote="bianchifan"]
But you are right - originally its covered with eggy cream -BtW..where the receipe
In one thing you are fault..
[quote]is normally eaten at festive times such as Christmas and Easter [/quote]
Are you kiddy? It's eaten all over the Year..yeah!
When I'm on the road I'll always order one out of two things: "Mohnstriezel" or "Nussecke"
Mohnstriezel originate from Schlesien an there is a similar one from Böhmen (Cech), but other coutries imported like Poland, Slovak, Germany, Austria..
[/quote]
i'm quite sure it originated from east poland, and it is mostly eaten at christmas and easter, people do make those other times as well but it is tradition to make it on those special days.
quick googling also seem to confirm that it originated from poland
[quote="pan"]
I strongly believe these rolls to be of Greek origin as Orthodox religion spreads far and wide in Eastern Europe.[/quote]
orthodox religion in poland is more less non existant.
polish culture including culinar culture was never peneterated in way other kitches were, most the time it was the invaders that soaked in polish tradtions and recipes and not other way around, sure we would take in some ideas but we would make it our own.
poland being in centre of europe was always a target or in a way to some target but being one of the oldest nations in europe we never gave in.
as nation we always prefered to drink and eat well so while other countries were wasting time on wars we used our time on mastering foods and drinks only picking up weapons when invaded and when our country was removed from map of europe which is why many great foods originated from poland.
in short, makowiec is greek? you dreaming mate
my grand mother and my mother used to make those (my mother still does) if anyone wants very old recipe let me know
trick is (that seem to be missing from recipe above) is that popy seeds need to be put in to meat mincer or if you want very old fashion you use one of those big heavey clay bowls and crush it with whatever you call it (heavey wooden stick shapped as ball at the end)
meat mincer does great job but, just run it few times, you will see popy seeds bleeding white milk (opium?)
you then put it on very small fire for a while (would have to ask about details)
best is to mix in some resins and wallnuts after you done with popy seeds mincing
i never made the cake myself but as a kid i was mincing popy seeds for my mother (till she got electric mincer) and without a question it is magic cake, there is no drug effect as far i can tell, don't think the seeds itself have any opiats, outer shell of head on popy plant is where they extract opium, i'm not heavy drug expert so maybe someone else can confirm it.
Hi Croc!
You have to define which Poland you are talking about.
The Old or the New? The Old Poland covered Ternopil, Galitzia and Wolyn (Ukraine) as well as the entire Eastern part of Bieloruss
Yes in that part many recipes may have their origins and it is a mix of religions Catholics and Orthodox the the two major contenders.
Yes we still enjoy makovyih kalach and the reason why is eaten in religious occassions is because people can't afford the ingredients to make those delicacies.
Anyways, The Greeks have many things in common with us and makovy rolls are just one example even the egg loaf is attributted to them. The Jews of that region(Ukraine,Easter Poland) so called kalach or chalah (pardon the guys on Balaclava road) this is very common bread either braided or large rounds torn in big pieces then dipped with a good dollop of sour cream or smetana. Yum!
history of makowca (polish spelling) goes back to recipes from 12 century and always was mentioned as food that originated from poland.
if anything, it was greeks that took it back home from poland
EDIT: i can show you lots of greeks that never seen or heard about makowiec but i don't think you would ever find polish person that didn't know what makowiec is
truth is i'm sick of china, greece, italy always claiming they come up with everything first, which is absolute rubish.
there is many nations that are just as old if not older and as good if not greater and have created many things long before those "oh so great" nations.
Now I'm not so surprised that there's such an enormous population of Poles in my mother's home town of Clonmel, Tipperary. The Irish treated their invaders the same way the Poles treated theirs!
Yes, in Slovak we call them "tvarochove buchty". "Travroch" = ricotta cheese or a bit like 'quark' , "buchty" = bun; bucht(a) - singular - bucht(y) - plural - is usually used to refer to a sweet bun.
You can make these tvarochove buchty with the same dough - it's very similar - I'll see if I can find a tvaroch filling recipe and post it.
BTW if you visit a bakery of Slavonic culture you may need to practice the pronunciation which is not difficult but not natural for an English speaker. For instance, "buchty" is pronounced 'bu [ch] ty' the 'ch' is pronounced as it is in '[ich] bin ein Berliner' and the 'y' as in 'y' in Ital[y]
"Tvaro[ch]ove" has the same sound as above, 'ch' as in 'ich'
English speakers find Slavonic consonant combinations unnatural to pronounce but it's not too difficult.
Good luck with it; I'll have a look for that recipe.
Hey Boris, if you're not not busy do you have that tvarochove buchty recipe with the quark? I tried on line but mostly they're in a foreign language. Cheers, Tony.
[quote=Panevino]Hey Boris, if you're not not busy do you have that tvarochove buchty recipe with the quark? I tried on line but mostly they're in a foreign language. Cheers, Tony.[/quote]
Hi Tony,
[b][u]Tvarochove plnka[/u][/b]
[b]Ingredients wt.[/b]
quark cheese[b]*[/b] 1.000
egg yolks 4 each
Vanilla Sugar .050
Icing sugar .150 (to taste - some prefer it sweeter)
Lemon zest 1 whole lemon
Lemon juice 1/2 lemon
Mix all the above together until a smooth thick paste. This filling can now be piped onto small sheets of dough, by folding and sealing the dough into small balls which encases the filling. Place onto a greased baking sheet by 'batching' them together with the seam to the bottom. Wash with egg wash and allow to prove then bake at 190 - 195'C.
[b]*note:[/b] Although 'quark' & 'ricotta' cheeses are very different they can both be used as a cheese filling in this manner. Each will yield a slightly different yet acceptable filling texture & flavour, but use whatever you have available.
Tvarochove Buchty!
Hi Boris, thanks for the recipe. It looks delicious. Perfect timing; Happy Easter. Tony
Boris, I just saw this on the homepage today! I've been making the Hungarian version of these - called poppy seed beigli - and they've been very popular. I've just written about them here: http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/04/07/poppy-seed-beigli-revisted/. I even got so carried away that I bought a poppy seed grinder. In case it's of interest, Oriental and Continental Foods in Carlotta St, Artarmon (NSW) sell a very reasonable tinned poppy seed filling from Poland (only place I've ever found it).
Hmmm....for some reason I can't access all the options to embed a photo here..
Cheers, Celia
Celia,
Andrea makes beigli every now and again, - poppy seed is almost a staple food in central Europe - although less these days. We have a hand mill for poppy seed also which we prefer but since it can be an endurance exercise we sometimes defer to using an electric mill which can be a bit tricky. If you've got your wits about you the electric mill can serve very well without the excess heating, and it's detrimental effects on the milled poppy seed, associated with its - electric mill - usage. BTW thanks for the info on the tinned poppy seed paste; we'll probably keep milling fresh but it's good to know what's about.
I was looking at your blog the other day and I was impressed, it's looking pretty swish indeed, great work.
Boris, thanks for the kind words - it's a lot of work, but I'm really enjoying the blog at the moment.
The poppy seed filling was interesting - it wasn't just the seeds, it also included dried fruit, citric acid and almond essence, which gave it a marzipan overtone (which Pete couldn't stand - which is why we ground our own in the end). But I thought it was very nice, as did a few friends who tried it. I haven't used my electric mill simply because it's harder to clean - the hand one can be disassembled, washed and dried briefly in the oven.
TP, my cousin was over from KL last weekend and I asked her about poppy seeds. She said she'd been able to buy big bags of it at the markets really cheaply. I'm sure you must be able to get them - if not the blue ones, then at least the Indian ones?
Maedi, I'm not sure what's going on, but I've completely lost the toolbar on the comments posting box? I can't add any photos or change text in any way...thanks.
Cheers, Celia
Hi Celia, I've taken to adding dried prunes to the seed mixture. I tried it once because I was out of apples and I really liked the outcome. Funny you should mention marzipan because I swear I could taste almond in the plnka even though I don't add it. It's just there?? Could be memory trickery. Cheers, Panevino
Tony, I think you could be right. Which would also explain why Pete doesn't really like poppy seed either! :)
Hubby suggested mortar and pestle. If that'll work, I'll be on my way to making the kolac. :)
Will check the market soon.
TP