Poppy Seed-Lemon Twists

  4.4 – 8 reviews  • Dessert
Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 20 min
Yield: 12 twists

Ingredients

  1. All-purpose flour, for dusting
  2. 1 batch Basic Sweet-Roll Dough, recipe follows
  3. 1 cup canned poppy seed filling (found in the baking aisle)
  4. 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  5. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  6. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  7. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  8. 1 tablespoon milk
  9. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  10. Pinch of salt
  11. 1/2 cup whole milk
  12. 1 1/4 -ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  13. 1/4 cup sugar
  14. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for brushing
  15. 1 large egg yolk
  16. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  17. 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  18. 3/4 teaspoon salt
  19. 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Make the twists: On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the poppy seed filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the long sides. Brush the clean border with water. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log, rolling toward the clean border.
  3. Using a chef’s knife, cut the log crosswise into 12 rounds, 1 1/2 inches wide each. Dampen your hands, then stretch and pat each round into an oval shape. Twist each oval in the middle to form a figure-eight shape. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until plump, 20 minutes.
  4. Uncover the dough and retwist, if necessary. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes, switching the position of the baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to racks and let cool slightly on the baking sheets.
  5. Make the glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest, milk, vanilla and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Brush on the twists.
  6. Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  7. Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
  8. Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
  9. Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 12 servings
Calories 328
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Carbohydrates 46 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugar 20 g
Protein 6 g
Cholesterol 37 mg
Sodium 169 mg

Reviews

Mrs. Katie Davidson DDS
These were really yummy though I did alter the filling slightly. I couldn’t find lemon poppy seed filling so I used lemon filling and added my own poppy seeds. By the looks of the picture, I used far fewer poppy seeds because I didn’t want as many. I love that the lemon flavor in this recipe isn’t overpowering.
David Mann
Excellent recipe! This is my new favorite poppy seed recipe. I come from a German background and grew up with rolled poppy seed bread and poppy seed coffee cake. Therefore, the amount of poppy seed filling was not too much for me. The recipe turned out picture perfect and I love the lemon glaze. My husband and mother raved about them. My husband couldn’t leave them alone until they were all gone.
Neil Castillo
I used my own tried and true sweet roll dough. The glaze is excellent, but I have to agree with the other reviewers…too much Poppy Seed Filling.
Rebecca Gibson
These were just so-so for me. There was a lot of prep work & resting time that went into making these, beginning with the dough. The glaze was really good, and I added extra lemon juice & zest for a little more tang. At the end of baking, glazing, cooling, and then eating, there was just way more poppy then I preferred, and I was not a huge fan of working with the canned poppy seeds.
Jessica Garcia
I made double dough and I used up the other half for this one! It came out so delicious by the time I returned to the table with refreshments the plate was empty!!! -ha! : Anyway, the lemony cover is important on it! And if you make the dough, make double or triple amount, will make it up to 1 month in the freezer!
Steven Williams
The dough was really easy to make and rolled out beautifully. The glaze was perfect, not too sweet and great lemon flavor. My reason for four stars is there was just too much poppy seed for my taste.
Andrea Henry
This recipe was super easy to make and absolutely delicious, I got two thumbs up from my picking relatives.

 

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