Poppy Seed and Walnut Rolls

I have been wanting to make these rolls for quite some time and finally got the opportunity to do so this weekend. My grandparents just returned from a vacation to Switzerland and France, and the whole family gathered at their apartment to hear their stories and view pictures. By now, my entire family knows that no get-together is complete without my baking. As such, I'm always looking to try out new recipes on them.

I decided to go easy on myself and prepare the dough the same way I do for all of my other sweet dough creations. Although I did research other dough recipes, I wasn't sure how much they would yield and how well I could roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Since my family is quite extensive, I like to bake things big...big cakes, long rolls, etc. Therefore, I decided to stick with what I know, as far as the dough, and leave the experimentation to the filling.

The fillings were quite easy to make and I was able to use my new zester...I was not disappointed. I loved the walnut filling because it was very moist and the nutty flavor was accented by the orange and lemon zests, but not too powerful...it felt just right. The poppy seed filling was also nice in flavor, but I wish I had put about twice as much because it was a lot thinner than the walnut feeling and was therefore not as moist once baked. Next time, I might even try mixing the fillings and seeing what that tastes like; I have a feeling the moisture from the walnut filling would help the poppy seeds.

Poppy Seed and Walnut Rolls
Note: Each roll uses half of the dough from my sweet dough recipe, which can be found here.

Poppy Seed Filling

• 1 cup poppy seeds
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 egg whites (save the yolks for the egg wash) 

1. Pour boiling water over the poppy seeds. Let them stand for 5 minutes, drain them, and repeat the process.
2. In a small saucepan, cover the poppy seeds with milk and bring to a boil. Strain the poppy seeds and then grind in a food processor until the seeds release the milk and turn white. You may have to scrape down the bowl a couple of times.
3. Add the sugar, honey, and butter and cook for about one minute.
4. Once cool, add the zests and egg whites and mix it all together.

Walnut Filling

• 1 2/3 cup ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup water

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Cool and set aside

To make your rolls:

1. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a large rectangle, leaving it about a 1/4"-1/8" thick, depending on how big you want it.
2. Spread the poppy seed filling over one rectangle, the walnut filling over the other. Make sure to leave a little border so that you can seal the rolls. If you want, you can sprinkle some raisins over the fillings like I did, or you can leave them as is.
3. Carefully start rolling the dough from one long side to the other, taking care not to squeeze too hard.
4. Place the rolls onto a baking sheet, seam side down, and cover in plastic wrap. Let them sit for 30 minutes.
5. Using a fork, poke some holes all along the top of the rolls. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with some topping of your choice. I sprinkled sliced almonds all along the tops and sides, just to give it a little extra sparkle.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes. I noticed after 30 minutes that the tops were a nice golden brown and I didn't want them to get burnt, so I covered the rolls with aluminum foil and then put them back in the oven for about 7 minutes.