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Rogal świętomarciński
Poppy seed crescent pastry
Rogal świętomarciński: Poznań crescent of laminated dough filled with white poppy seed and nuts
PolishEvery 11 November, St Martin's Day, Poznań eats well over a million of these heavy crescents, and only certified local bakeries may sell them under the protected name. Our home version follows the same idea: a flaky laminated yeast dough wrapped around a rich filling of white poppy seed, nuts, dried fruit and cream, glazed with icing and scattered with chopped nuts. Each rogal is large, sweet and almond-scented, best shared with coffee. A common mistake is letting the butter get warm during folding; it then melts into the dough and the layers disappear. Chef's tip: white poppy seed is milder than blue; ask for it at Polish shops or online, and grind it fine.
- Total time
- 175 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz strong white flour
- ¼ oz instant dried yeast
- 1 ⅜ oz sugar
- ¾ cup whole milkcold
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- 7 oz buttercold, for laminating
For the filling
- 7 oz white poppy seeds
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ¾ oz ground almonds
- 1 ¾ oz walnutschopped
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 1 ¾ oz candied orange peelchopped
- 3 ½ tbsp double cream
- ½ tsp almond extract
To finish
- 1 eggbeaten
- 4 oz icing sugar
- 2 tbsp water or lemon juice
- 3 tbsp chopped walnuts or almonds
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Simmer 7 oz white poppy seeds in 1 cup milk for 10 minutes, then cover and soak for 30 minutes. Drain and grind twice until fine.
40 minStep 2: Meanwhile mix 14 oz strong white flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 1 ⅜ oz sugar and ½ tsp salt, add ¾ cup whole milk and 1 egg and knead for 5 minutes into a smooth, firm dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
35 minStep 3: Beat 7 oz butter between sheets of baking paper into a 15 cm square. Roll the dough into a 30 cm square, put the butter on it diagonally and fold the corners over to enclose it.
6 minStep 4: Roll into a 20 × 50 cm rectangle and fold in three like a letter. Chill for 20 minutes. Repeat the roll, fold and chill twice more, keeping the dough cold so no butter breaks through.
60 minStep 5: Mix the ground poppy with 1 ¾ oz ground almonds, 1 ¾ oz walnuts, 2 ⅞ oz sugar, 1 ¾ oz candied orange peel, 3 ½ tbsp double cream, 1 ⅜ oz crushed sponge fingers or plain biscuits and ½ tsp almond extract into a thick paste.
4 minStep 6: Roll the dough into a 25 × 60 cm strip, 4 mm thick, and cut into 10 tall triangles. Put a log of filling at the wide end of each, roll up towards the tip and curve into a crescent. Set on lined trays, brush with 1 egg and rise for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan).
40 minStep 7: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until deep golden, crisp and flaky at the edges. Cool on a rack.
25 minStep 8: Mix 4 oz icing sugar with 2 tbsp water or lemon juice into a thick icing, brush over the cooled crescents and scatter with 3 tbsp chopped walnuts or almonds.
4 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rogal świętomarciński take?
- About 175 minutes in total: 150 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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