Contest Winning Poppy Seed Yeast Bread Recipes

LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
• Whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in the oil, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then whisk to completely combine. Avoid over-mixing; a few small lumps are OK.
• Pour/spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, covering loosely with foil about halfway through to help the loaf bake evenly. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. Oven times will vary between ovens. My bread usually takes 55 minutes.
• Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire rack. *Feel free to drizzle with glaze (next step) while the bread is still warm. The glaze seeps down into the warm bread this way, adding extra moisture.*
• *This doesn't yield a lot of glaze- just a light layer. Feel free to double the glaze if you want more.* Whisk the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together. Drizzle over bread while it's still warm in the loaf pan or after it cools.
• Slice and serve. Cover and store leftover plain or glazed bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

POPPY SEED BREAD WITH LEMON GLAZE AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of two standard 9" x 5" loaf pans.
• Mix dry ingredients together, then add eggs, extracts, milk, and oil and stir together just until all ingredients are moistened, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. If you use a mixer, use low speed. You do not want to over-mix. The mixture will have the consistency of cake batter.
• Pour in loaf pans and bake for approximately one hour until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
• Make the glaze while the bread is baking because you will put it on the bread while it's still pretty warm. I like to put the glaze in a small pitcher for easy, even pouring.
• When the bread comes out of the oven and while still in the pan, let it cool for 5 minutes, then poke holes in it with a skewer or fork with skinny tines and pour glaze over the top. If you want to garnish with sliced almonds, glaze lightly, add almonds and glaze again to make the almonds stick.
• Let cool completely in the pan. To remove from pan run knife along edges of the loaf to loosen and turn the pan on side, tap and remove.
• Makes 2 nice loaves that can be cut into 16 slices. Freezes well, in fact, freezing seems to enhance the flavors.

POPPY SEED LOAF

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat together milk, sugar, shortening, and salt until warm.
• Combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir in warm milk mixture. Add 3 eggs; beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 1/2 min, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat for 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in as much of remaining flour as you can. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining flour to make a stiff dough, and continue kneading for 6 to 8 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, and turn once to grease surface. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Meanwhile, pour boiling water over poppy seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly, and place in a blender. Grind. In a small bowl, blend together ground poppy seeds, chopped nuts, honey, and lemon zest. Beat 1 egg white until stiff, and fold into poppy seed mixture.
• Punch down dough, and divide in half. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough into 24 x 8 inch rectangle. Spread with half the poppy seed mixture. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with the narrow edge. Seal the edge. Place seam side down, in a greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover. Let rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until doubled.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

POPPY SEED BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, oil and extracts. Pour into two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes. Cool completely in pans. , In a saucepan, bring glaze ingredients to a boil. Pour over bread in pans. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

POPPY-SEED SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together water and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Beat together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add yolks, vanilla, salt, and zest, beating until combined, then add yeast mixture. Reduce speed to low and add flour (2 1/2 cups) and milk, alternating in 2 batches and mixing until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough is shiny and elastic, 4 to 6 minutes. (Dough will be very soft and sticky.)
• Scrape down side of bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Dust dough with 2 tablespoons flour. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Make filling while dough rises:
• Bring raisins, cream, zest, and juice to a simmer in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand until most of cream is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Stir mixture into poppy-seed filling in a bowl.
• Assemble loaves:
• Line a 17- by 12-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Punch down dough with a lightly oiled spatula and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin to a 12- by 9-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick) with a long side nearest you.
• Spread half of filling evenly over dough with offset spatula, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around edge. Beat together yolk and cream for egg wash and brush on long border nearest you.
• Starting with long side farthest from you, roll dough toward you into a snug log, pinching firmly along egg-washed edge to seal. Pinch ends of loaf together and arrange lengthwise on baking sheet, off center and seam side down. Tuck ends under slightly. Form a second loaf in same manner, spacing loaves about 4 inches apart. Chill remaining egg wash to use later. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until loaves double in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut 3 steam vents, spaced 3 to 4 inches apart, in each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush loaves with remaining egg wash. Bake until crusts are deep golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature.