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Poppy Seed Star Yeast Bread with a Hint of Orange - photo 1
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Poppy Seed Star Yeast Bread with a Hint of Orange

Cakes and Bakes Desserts Dishes for Special Occasions 180 min Medium 11 wyświetleń ~19.70 PLN - (0)
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Description

Poppy Seed Star Yeast Bread is an absolute classic of holiday baking, delighting not only with its flavor but especially with its spectacular appearance. This fluffy, buttery yeast dough is filled with a rich, sweet poppy seed filling with dried fruits and flavored with fresh orange zest. The shaping process, although it seems complicated, is actually a simple and satisfying technique that transforms ordinary dough into an edible work of art. Each arm of the star can be pulled apart, sharing it with loved ones. It pairs perfectly with afternoon coffee or tea, serving as the centerpiece of any holiday table. The aroma wafting through the house while baking is the essence of warmth and family atmosphere.

Składniki (16)

Servings:
8
  • Wheat flour type 500 500 g
  • Fresh yeast 25 g
  • Milk 3.2% 250 ml
  • Cukier drobny 80 g
  • Egg 1 szt.
  • Egg yolk 1.1 szt.
  • Masło 82% 110 g
  • Orange zest 10 g
  • Ground poppy seeds 250 g
  • wildflower honey 100 g
  • Vanilla sugar 16 g
  • Egg for brushing 0.5 szt.
  • Milk for brushing 1 łyżka
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Chopped walnuts 50 g
  • Almond flakes 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~19.70 PLN (2.46 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Yeast starter

1

The first step is to awaken the yeast. In a small saucepan, heat 100 ml of milk (from the total of 250 ml). The milk should be lukewarm, at a temperature of about 37°C - when you put your finger in it, it should feel pleasantly warm, but not hot. In a large bowl, crumble fresh yeast, add 1 tablespoon of sugar (from the total of 80 g) and 1 tablespoon of flour (from the total of 500 g). Pour the warm milk over everything and gently mix with a fork, just to combine the ingredients. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and set it in a warm, draft-free place for 10-15 minutes. The starter is ready when a thick foam appears on its surface - this is a sign that the yeast is active.

Ingredients: Fresh yeast, Milk 3.2%, Cukier drobny, Wheat flour type 500
The most common mistake is 'scalding' the yeast with milk that is too hot, which kills it. If after 15 minutes the starter hasn't risen and there is no foam, unfortunately, you have to start over with fresh yeast. A warm place can be near a radiator or a slightly heated (up to 30°C) and turned-off oven.

Yeast dough

2

Sift the rest of the flour into the bowl with the active starter. Sifting will aerate the flour, making the dough lighter. Add the remaining sugar, salt, egg, yolk, and grated orange zest. Pour in the remaining 150 ml of milk (it should be at room temperature). Start mixing the ingredients, initially using a wooden spoon or spatula, until they combine into a loose, sticky mass.

Ingredients: Wheat flour type 500, Cukier drobny, Salt, Egg, Egg yolk, Orange zest, Milk 3.2%
All ingredients (eggs, milk) should be at room temperature. Cold ingredients straight from the fridge can slow down the yeast's activity. Use a fine grater (zester type) for grating the zest, being careful not to grate the white, bitter part (albedo).
3

Now it's time to knead. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 10-12 minutes. Knead the dough away from you using the heel of your hand, then fold it back towards you, turning it 90 degrees after each movement. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 7-8 minutes. The dough is ready when it becomes smooth, elastic, and stops sticking to your hands and the surface.

Do not add too much flour while kneading, even if the dough is sticky at first. Gradually, as you knead, the gluten will develop and the dough will become smooth. Too much flour will make the baked good tough and dry.
4

When the dough is elastic, start adding the soft butter (80g). Add it in batches, one tablespoon at a time, while continuously kneading. Initially, the dough will become slippery and will separate - this is normal. Continue kneading until all the butter is absorbed and the dough is smooth and shiny again. This may take an additional 5 minutes.

Ingredients: Masło 82%
The butter must be soft, but not liquid. Take it out of the fridge about an hour before you start working. Adding the butter at the end of the kneading makes the dough exceptionally delicate and buttery.
5

Form a ball from the dough. Grease a large bowl with a little oil or butter. Place the ball of dough in it and turn it so that it is coated with a thin layer of fat, which will prevent it from drying out. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and set it in a warm place for about 60-90 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Test for dough readiness: gently press it with your finger. If the indentation slowly springs back, the dough is ready. If it bounces back immediately - it needs more time. If it sinks - it has over-proofed.

Poppy seed filling

6

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a saucepan, bring 150 ml of milk to a boil. Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and add the ground poppy seeds. Mix thoroughly, return to low heat, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the poppy seeds absorb all the milk and thicken. Remove from the heat, add honey, 30g of butter, and vanilla sugar. Stir vigorously until the butter melts and all the ingredients combine into a uniform, thick mass. Finally, if using, mix in the chopped walnuts. Set the mixture aside to cool completely. This is very important - a hot mixture would ruin the structure of the yeast dough.

Ingredients: Milk 3.2%, Ground poppy seeds, wildflower honey, Masło 82%, Vanilla sugar, Chopped walnuts
The poppy seed filling must be completely cold before spreading it on the cake. You can speed up the cooling process by transferring the filling to a cold bowl and placing it in the fridge for a while.

Shaping the star

7

Remove the risen dough onto the countertop and knead it briefly to degas it. Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into 4 equal parts - this will ensure that the layers of the star have the same thickness. Shape each part into a smooth ball.

Using a scale is key for the aesthetic final effect. If you don't have a scale, try to divide the dough as accurately as possible by eye.
8

Prepare a large sheet of baking paper. Take one ball of dough and roll it out into a circle with a diameter of about 26-28 cm. Transfer the circle along with the paper onto a large baking tray. Evenly spread 1/3 of the prepared and cooled poppy seed filling on the rolled-out dough, leaving about 1 cm of free margin at the edges.

To make it easier to achieve the perfect circle, you can trace a circle on parchment paper using a large plate or the bottom of a springform pan and roll the dough to that line.
9

Roll out the second ball of dough into the same circle. Carefully transfer it and place it on the first layer with poppy seeds. Gently press down. Spread another 1/3 of the poppy seed filling on top. Repeat the process with the third ball of dough and the last portion of poppy seeds.

The easiest way to transfer the rolled-out dough is to loosely wrap it around the rolling pin and then unroll it over the already arranged layers.
10

Roll out the last, fourth ball of dough and cover the entire structure with it. Gently press the entire surface with your hands to seal the layers and let the air escape between them. Pinch the edges of all four layers of dough together thoroughly.

Make sure the edges are well sealed so the filling doesn't leak out during baking.
11

In the center of the arranged dough, place a small glass or jar upside down (with a diameter of about 6-7 cm). This will mark the center of the star. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough from the edge of the glass to the outer edge, dividing it into 4 equal parts (like a pizza). Then cut each quarter in half, and then each eighth in half again. In total, you should have 16 equal strips.

A pizza cutter is perfect for this task as it cuts the dough smoothly, without tearing. Cut with a firm, confident motion.
12

Now the most enjoyable part - twisting the star's arms. Remove the glass. Take two adjacent strips in your hands. Twist each of them twice in opposite directions (e.g., the left strip to the left, the right strip to the right). Then join and glue their ends together to form a point. Repeat this process with the remaining 7 pairs of strips. This will create a beautiful star shape.

Twist the strips gently but firmly. If the ends don't want to stick, moisten them with a little water. Work methodically, pair by pair, around the dough.

Baking

13

Cover the shaped star loosely with a clean cloth and set aside to rise again for about 30 minutes. During this time, the dough should puff up slightly.

Don't skip the second rising! It will make the star fluffier and more delicate after baking.
14

At the end of the rising, preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat, no fan). In a small bowl, beat the egg with a tablespoon of milk. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the entire surface of the star with the prepared mixture. If you like, sprinkle the top with almond flakes for extra decoration and crunch.

Ingredients: Egg for brushing, Milk for brushing, Almond flakes
Gently brush the dough to avoid destroying its airy structure. The egg with milk will give the baked good a beautiful, golden shine.
15

Place the star-shaped pan in the preheated oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the cake takes on a deep golden-brown color. To check if it is baked, you can insert a wooden stick into the thickest part - if it comes out dry, the cake is ready.

Every oven bakes differently, so keep an eye on the cake after 20 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.
16

Remove the baked star from the oven and carefully slide it onto a metal cooling rack along with the paper. Leave it to cool completely or partially before serving. It tastes best when still slightly warm.

Cooling on a rack is important because it allows air circulation from underneath, which prevents the cake from becoming soggy.

Fun Fact

💡

In Polish culinary tradition, poppy is a symbol of fertility, wealth, and happiness. Dishes with poppy seeds, such as poppy seed cake or the poppy seed star, are an inseparable part of the Christmas Eve dinner, meant to ensure prosperity for the household in the coming year.

Best for

Wigilia i Boże Narodzenie Wielkanoc Niedzielny podwieczorek Spotkanie rodzinne

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the poppy seed star slightly warm or at room temperature. Before serving, you can dust it with powdered sugar for an even more wintry appearance. Each guest can tear off their own 'arm' of the star. It pairs perfectly with a mug of hot milk, coffee, or aromatic winter tea.

🥡 Storage

Store the star in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. To refresh the cake, you can briefly place it in an oven preheated to 150°C. The star can also be frozen - after completely cooling, wrap it tightly in foil and freeze. Thaw at room temperature.

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