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Mohnschnecke
Poppy seed rolls
Mohnschnecke: German bakery spirals of soft yeast dough rolled round sweet poppy seed filling
Every German bakery counter has a tray of Mohnschnecken next to the cinnamon and nut snails, and they are bought by the bag for Saturday breakfast and afternoon coffee. A soft, buttery yeast dough is spread with a thick filling of ground poppy seeds cooked in milk with sugar and lemon, rolled up, sliced and baked, then brushed with a thin lemon glaze. The usual mistake is using whole poppy seeds straight from the jar: they must be ground (or bought ground, as "Mohn gemahlen") or the filling stays gritty and bland. Chef's tip: cool the poppy filling completely before spreading it, because a warm filling melts the butter in the dough and the spirals unroll in the oven.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 16 oz strong white bread flour
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milklukewarm
- 1 egg
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoft
For the poppy seed filling
- 7 oz ground poppy seeds
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 1 oz butter
- 2 tbsp semolina
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
- 1 ¾ oz raisins (optional)
To finish
- 2 tbsp milkfor brushing
- 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 16 oz strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 ⅛ oz sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cup whole milk, 1 egg and 2 ⅛ oz butter and knead for 8–10 minutes by hand (5 in a mixer) until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Step 3: Meanwhile, bring ¾ cup whole milk, 2 ⅞ oz sugar and 1 oz butter to a simmer in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in 7 oz ground poppy seeds, 2 tbsp semolina and 1 tsp lemon zest and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until thick like porridge. Stir in 1 ¾ oz raisins if using and spread on a plate to cool completely.
5 minStep 4: Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 40 × 30 cm. Spread the cold filling evenly, leaving a 2 cm strip clear along one long edge.
Step 5: Roll up tightly from the other long edge, pinch the seam closed and cut into 12 slices with a sharp knife.
Step 6: Set the slices cut side up on two lined trays, flatten them slightly, cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
Step 7: Brush with 2 tbsp milk and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and the dough springs back when pressed.
25 minStep 8: Stir 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice into a thick, smooth glaze and brush it over the warm snails. They keep for 2 days in a tin, or freeze for a month.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mohnschnecke take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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 strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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