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Łamańce z makiem (wafers in sweet poppy-seed milk)
Crisp eggless wafers broken into honeyed poppy-seed milk for Wigilia
In Podlasie and across eastern Poland, Christmas Eve supper, Wigilia, is meatless, and among the twelve dishes on the table is a bowl of łamańce: thin, crisp wafers broken into milk that has been turned grey-blue with ground poppy seed and sweetened with honey. Poppy seed stands for plenty in the coming year. The wafers soften at the edges but stay crunchy in the middle, and the milk tastes nutty and gently sweet. Serve it at room temperature or slightly warm, at the end of the meal. Bakery łamańce are not always egg-free; these are, a simple dough of flour, water and oil with a pinch of baking powder that bakes crisp without any binding. Chef's tip: roll the dough paper-thin, almost see-through; the common mistake is leaving it thick, which bakes into hard crackers that never soak up the poppy milk.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the eggless wafers
- 9 oz plain flourplus extra for rolling
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ cup warm water
For the poppy-seed milk
- 5 ½ oz blue poppy seeds
- 2 ½ cups full-fat milk
- 2 ⅞ oz honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅜ oz raisins (optional)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and line two baking trays.
Step 2: Mix 9 oz plain flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp sunflower oil and ½ cup warm water and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
5 minStep 3: Cover and rest for 15 minutes so the dough relaxes and rolls thinly.
15 minStep 4: Meanwhile pour boiling water over 5 ½ oz blue poppy seeds, cover and leave for 15 minutes, then drain in a fine sieve.
15 minStep 5: Roll the dough on a floured surface to 1–2 mm, almost see-through. Cut into rough 4 cm squares or diamonds and spread on the trays.
Step 6: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until crisp, dry and pale golden at the edges. Cool on a rack.
12 minStep 7: Grind the drained poppy seeds twice in a grinder or blitz in a small blender until they turn pasty and release a milky colour.
5 minStep 8: Warm 2 ½ cups full-fat milk until just steaming, stir in the ground poppy seed, 2 ⅞ oz honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 ⅜ oz raisins, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 9: Break the wafers into a deep bowl, pour over the poppy milk and serve within 10 minutes, while they still crunch.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does łamańce z makiem (wafers in sweet poppy-seed milk) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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