Makovnjaca

(Poppy Seed Roll)

3 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 x yeast cake
2 x egg yolks
1 tsp lemon rind grated
6 tblsp melted butter
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
2 cup ground poppy seeds
1/2 cup sweet cream
3 tblsp raisins
1/2 cup sugar
4 tblsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tblsp rum
1 tsp lemon rind

Allow the yeast to rise in one quarter cup of warm milk until doubled in size. Sift the flour into a deep bowl. Make a well in the center and place the yeast in the well. Add the remaining milk, sugar, egg yolks, lemon rind, vanilla, butter and salt. Mix together well and beat with a wooden spoon until blisters begin to form on the dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into two sections. Roll each section out very thin, brush with melted butter and fill with poppy seed filling. Roll like a savijaca* by filling the edge of the table-cloth on which the dough was rolled out. Place the two sections of MAKOVNJACA on a well greased baking sheet and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for another half hour. Brush the rolls with a well beaten egg white and bake at 350 F for about an hour until they become golden. Cool before slicing and serving.

Filling:
Mix the finely ground poppy seeds, the lemon rind, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Spread this mixture over the rolled out dough. Heat the cream. Combine the cream, honey and rum and pour this mixture over the poppy seeds. Roll the MAKOVNJACA up like a sajivaca.

* savijaca is 'a roll' in Croatian.