LEMON POPPY SEED ROLL

To moving to Shimokitazawa to learn Japanese, going to pastry school in New York and running away to Scotland and starting a pop band I can now add selling vegan poppy seed rolls in Hungary or another Eastern European country of choice to my list of career options for when I grow up (errr).

LEMON POPPY SEED ROLL

6g (2¼ teaspoons) dried quick yeast

60ml (1/4 cup) lukewarm soya milk or other non-dairy milk

2 teaspoons sugar

125g (1 cup) plain flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

60ml (1/4 cup) soya milk or other non-dairy milk

Poppy seed filling:

75g (1/2 cup) poppy seeds

70g (heaped ¼ cup) sugar

60ml (1/4 cup) soya milk or other non-dairy milk

20g (1/4 cup) ground almonds

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of ½ lemon

Lemon icing:

30g (1/2 cup) icing sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

zest of ½ lemon

First mix yeast, lukewarm milk and sugar in a small bowl, mix well until all combined and set aside for about 10 minutes. Next add flour, salt, water, the rest of the sugar and soya milk, mix well until combined and you get a workable dough. Knead for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and either cover with a towel and leave on your kitchen counter, or place into the oven without turning it on, leaving it for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

In the meantime prepare the poppy seed filling. Place the poppy seeds in a food processor/blender and blitz until finely ground. In a bowl, mix them with the rest of the filling ingredients and place in the fridge to set.

Next preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out to form a thin rectangle. Spread the poppy seed filling evenly on top, leaving some space on the edges. Fold the edges back over the filling on all sides and press them down, then roll the dough tightly to form a log. Transfer it seam-side down to the prepared baking tray and lightly brush the top with soya milk. Bake the roll for 30 minutes or until it turns dark golden brown on top. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely, then move on to the glaze. 
Mix together icing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth, then add the lemon zest. Drizzle over the roll, let set, then devour.