Poland

Makowiec 
(Poppy Seed Roll)



Makes 2 large rolls

Ingredients
Filling
1 lb. poppy seeds
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup candied orange peel
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped almods
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 egg whites

Dough:
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup warm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
To prepare the filling:
1. Put poppy seeds in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand until cool. Strain the poppy seeds through a fine strainer.
2. Combine the poppy seeds, walnuts, and almonds in a blender or food processor and grind.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the poppy seed mixture and sugar to the skiller and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the egg, honey, orange peel, lemon peel, and raisins. Whip the egg whites until stiff and then folk into the poppy seed mixture. Let cool.

To make the dough:
1. Prime the yeast in the warm water. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
2. Mix in the salt, and sugar, then mix in the yeast, eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon rind.
3. Once the ingredients are mixed and can form a ball of dough, turn out onto a work surface and knead for 8-10 minutes (or use a stand mixer to knead for 5-8 minutes) until the dough is smooth and satiny.

To make the rolls:
1. Divide the dough in two. Roll out each piece into a thin, roughly square shape.
2. Spread half of the filling onto each piece and then roll the dough up, sealing the seam and ends as tightly as you can.
3. Place each roll onto a baking sheet.
4. Cover with a damp towel or place the baking sheets into plastic garbage bags and set aside to rise for approximately 90 minutes.
5. Bake in an oven heated to 350 for 30-35 minutes, until the exterior is golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes then glaze.


Szarlotka 
(Polish Apple Tart)



Serves 6

Ingredients
Tart Dough:
13 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Apple Filling:
3 pounds tart apples like Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar or more to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
.
2 tablespoons heavy cream for glaze

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine sugar and flour and cut in butter as for pie dough. Combine egg yolk with 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Add to flour-sugar-butter mixture and bring pastry to a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, for the filling, mix the cubed apples with the lemon juice and place in a nonstick skillet and saute until most of the juices have evaporated and the apples are just starting to soften but are still raw. Remove from heat and let cool. When cool, combine with sugar and cinnamon, if using.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll 2/3 of pastry dough to a 14-inch circle and fit into a 12-inch tart pan, doubling the side walls. Or fit into a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Return to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. Roll 1/3 of pastry dough to 1/4-inch thickness and, using a pizza cutter, make enough 1/2-inch strips for a lattice top. Place on flat surface and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You might have dough left over, which is great for small tarts.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place lined tart pan on a baking pan and top the pastry with a piece of parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans. Bake blind for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is light golden. Remove from oven and remove the parchment and pie weights.
5. Add the cooled apple filling to the parbaked crust. Remove pastry dough strips from refrigerator and make a lattice top over the filling. Brush lattice strips with heavy cream and bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool.
6. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. A dollop of whipped cream never hurts!


Babka Piaskowa

Serves 12

Ingredients
250 g unsalted butter
2 cups caster sugar (about 350g)
5 eggs
2 cups sifted flour (300g)
1.3 cup potato flour (200g)
1/2 glass of milk
2 tsp baking powder
about 4 tablespoon cocoa
2 tsp vanilla (or 1 vanilla sugar, 16g)
icing sugar or chocolate glaze for decoration

Directions
1. Mix the butter with the sugar utill nice and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well.
2. Mix both flours with baking powder and add gradually to the batter. Mix well each time. When it's getting to thick add milk and vanilla and mix well again.
3. Take few spoons of the batter to another bowl and add cocoa. Coat a cake pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
4. Pour the white batter into the baking dish (traditionally it should be round with a whole in the centre). On the top spoon the cocoa batter.
5. Bake in preheated oven in 350 F (180 C) for approx. 55 minutes. After cooling sprinkle with icing sugar or cover with chocolate glaze.


Sernik
Traditional Polish Cheesecake

Serves 8

Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
5 ounces (1 1/4 sticks) cold butter
2 large egg yolks (leftover egg white recipes)
3 tablespoons sour cream

Filling:
5 ounces (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) softened butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds dry curd cheese or twaróg or quark cheese, passed through a sieve or processed in a blender until smooth

Directions
1. In a large bowl or food processor, mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter as for pie dough. In a separate bowl, mix together egg yolks and sour cream and add to flour, mixing only until combined. If dough is too dry, add an extra whole egg. If dough is too soft to roll, refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch pan with butter. Roll dough large enough to line the pan and come up the sides. Fit into pan, making a crimped or rolled edge. (Note: If you have leftover dough, roll it into pencil shapes to decorate the top of the filled cheesecake.)
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream 5 ounces butter with 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks and vanilla until well incorporated. Thoroughly mix in the cheese. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold them into the cheese mixture.
4. Pour filling into prepared pan. If you have leftover dough, roll into pencil shapes and lay them diagonally across the top of the cheesecake. Bake 50-60 minutes or until center is only slightly jiggly. Don't let the top brown. Let cool completely before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.



Ciastka Kruche z Orzechami

Serves 6

Ingredients 
1/2 pound butter, softened
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely chopped pecans
Confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and add sugar, vanilla and water. Mix together flour and salt, and add to creamed mixture, combining thoroughly. Add pecans until completely incorporated.
2. Scoop onto ungreased baking sheets and tamp down with a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar. OR, form walnut-size pieces of dough into crescent shapes. Bake 20 minutes.
3. While still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar. When cookies are thoroughly cool, roll in confectioners' sugar again and store in an airtight container. These will keep several weeks.


Faworki

Serves 6

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 tbsp icing sugar
25 g butter (1.7 tbsp)
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp vinegar
butter or oil for deep frying
icing sugar for dredging

Sernik
1. Mix all but the last two of the above ingredients together in a large bowl to form a dough.
2. Roll out as thinly as possible.
3. Cut into narrow strips and make a slit down the middle of each one.
4. Push one end through the slit and pull gently so that you have a twist in the middle.
5. Do this to all of the strips.
6. Heat enough butter or oil in a pan for deep frying.
7. Fry the pastry twists until golden on both sides.
8. Drain on kitchen paper.
9. Pile on plate and dredge with icing sugar.


Kisiel Zurawinowy
(Cranberry Pudding)

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup potato starch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water

Poppyseed Sauce:
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons finely ground poppyseeds

Directions
1. Add cranberries and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook about 5 minutes, or until cranberries pop. Pass mixture through a sieve.
2. Return mixture to the saucepan, add sugar and potato starch-water slurry. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. For a smoother texture, beat with a whisk. Pour into individual dessert dishes that have been rinsed in cold water. Cool, then chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with poppyseed sauce, if desired.
3. To make the poppyseed sauce: In a small saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla sugar and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil. Add poppyseeds, mix well and remove from heat and let cool.

Rhubarb sorbet

Serves 8

Ingredients
0.5 kg of rhubarb
half a cup of mineral water
150 g of sugar
strawberries, blueberries, cherries or white, sparkling wine (medium-sweet)

Directions
1. Peel, wash and cut the rhubarb into small pieces.
2 .Throw the rhubarb into the pot. Pour half a cup of mineral or filtered water and add 150 g of the sugar.
3. Put on the cooker and start heating. Cover a pot with a lid and stew the rhubarb for 10-15 minutes.
4. Next put away for cooling.
5. Mush the rhubarb into pap with a mixer.
6. Lay the rhubarb pap in the bowl and put into the freezer. Open the freezer and stir the sorbet from time to time.
7. Put the sorbet with portions into dishes, which you're going to use for serving. The sorbet is served chilled. You can adorn rhubarb sorbet with blueberries, strawberries, cherries, or pour cold white sparkling wine over it.