Mohnstriezel — twisted poppy-seed yeast loaf

i. Origin & history

Mohnstriezel belongs to the poppy-seed baking belt of Central Europe, which runs from eastern Germany through Bohemia, Silesia and Poland to Austria and Hungary. Across that region, sweet yeast dough rolled around a poppy-seed filling is one of the oldest festive breads: Poland has makowiec, Czechia and Slovakia makový závin, Hungary mákos bejgli, and Germany and Austria the Mohnstriezel and Mohnstrudel.

The word Striezel is old South and East German for a long, elongated loaf, often plaited, and it is especially strongly rooted in Saxony. The original Dresden Christmas bread, today's Stollen, was historically called a Striezel, and Dresden's famous Christmas market, first recorded in the fifteenth century, is still called the Striezelmarkt after it. In Austria and Bavaria, Striezel is used for plaited yeast loaves such as the Allerheiligenstriezel baked for All Saints' Day.

Poppy seeds carry symbolism in the region. Their abundance — a single poppy head holds hundreds of seeds — made them a sign of plenty and fertility, and in many Central European households they are eaten at Christmas and New Year in the hope of prosperity in the year to come. Mohnstriezel is therefore a festive bread, baked for Christmas, Easter and family celebrations, though bakeries in Saxony, Silesia and Austria sell it all year.

It is sometimes confused with Mohnkuchen. The difference is the dough and shape: Mohnkuchen is a flat cake, a poppy-seed layer baked on pastry or yeast dough in a tin, often with streusel; Mohnstriezel is a loaf, with the filling rolled up inside the bread.

ii. Making a filling that stays inside the spiral

The challenge of any rolled poppy-seed bread is getting a thick, even spiral of filling that neither leaks out nor separates from the dough, leaving a gap. The answer lies in the filling's consistency. Ground poppy seeds are cooked in milk with sugar and butter until thick, then bound with semolina or breadcrumbs and an egg. Cooled, the filling should be thick enough to spread like a paste but not dry; it bakes into a moist, firm layer that sticks to the dough.

Grinding is essential. Whole poppy seeds stay hard and taste of little; ground seeds release their oils and develop a deep, nutty, almost marzipan-like flavour when cooked. Use freshly ground seeds, because the oils turn rancid quickly after grinding.

The dough is a soft, enriched Hefeteig with milk, butter, eggs and sugar, kneaded until elastic so that it can stretch around the filling without tearing. It must not be too soft, or the weight of the filling flattens the loaf; it must not be too stiff, or it cracks when rolled. Leaving a clear border and rolling tightly prevents gaps between filling and dough, a common fault known in Poland and Germany as the 'hollow' loaf.

Cutting the filled log lengthwise and twisting the two halves together, as in this recipe, exposes the filling in a striking pattern and also lets steam escape, which further reduces the risk of a gap forming. The traditional three-strand plait, made from three thinner filled ropes, gives a taller loaf with the filling hidden inside.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 16 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 500 g plain flour or bread flour
• 60 g caster sugar (dough)
• 7 g instant dried yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest
• 200 ml lukewarm whole milk (dough)
• 1 egg, plus 1 yolk (dough)
• 80 g soft unsalted butter (dough)
• 250 g ground poppy seeds
• 250 ml whole milk (filling)
• 100 g caster sugar (filling)
• 40 g unsalted butter (filling)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 30 g fine semolina or breadcrumbs
• 60 g raisins, soaked in 1 tbsp rum
• 1 egg (filling)
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk, to glaze
• 100 g icing sugar mixed with 1–2 tbsp lemon juice, to ice

Ground poppy seeds are a must; buy them freshly ground from a German, Polish or Czech grocer, or use about 500 g of ready-made poppy-seed filling (Mohnback) and skip the cooking. Semolina or breadcrumbs absorb excess moisture so the filling stays put. Honey adds a floral sweetness and a little softness; some families add grated apple, chopped almonds, candied peel or vanilla. The raisins are traditional but optional. Finish with a thin lemon icing, as Saxon bakers do, or simply a dusting of icing sugar.

iv. Method

1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and lemon zest. Add the warm milk, egg, yolk and soft butter and knead for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic. Cover and leave to rise for 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
2. For the filling, bring the milk, sugar, butter and honey to the boil. Stir in the poppy seeds and semolina and simmer, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until thick. Stir in the drained raisins and leave to cool completely, then beat in the egg.
3. Knock back the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle of about 40 × 30 cm. Spread the filling evenly over it, leaving a 2 cm border along one long side.
4. Roll up tightly from the opposite long side and pinch the seam firmly closed. Place seam side down on a lined baking tray.
5. With a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise, leaving 2 cm uncut at one end. Turn the two halves cut side up and twist them over each other into a rope, keeping the cut sides facing up, and pinch the ends together. Shape into a straight loaf or a ring.
6. Cover and prove for 30–40 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F), conventional heat.
7. Brush the dough (not the filling) with the egg glaze and bake for 35–40 minutes, until deep golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped. Cover loosely with foil after 25 minutes if the poppy filling starts to darken.
8. Cool on the tray for 15 minutes, then drizzle with the lemon icing and leave to cool completely before slicing.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Cool the filling completely. Warm filling melts the butter in the dough and makes it sticky and hard to roll.
• Make the filling thick. It should hold a spoon upright. A runny filling leaks out of the twist and leaves a hollow loaf.
• Roll tightly. Air trapped in a loose roll expands in the oven and separates the filling from the bread.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the log. A clean cut keeps the layers visible; a blunt knife drags and smears the filling.
• Protect the filling from burning. Exposed poppy seeds can scorch and turn bitter. Cover with foil once the bread is golden.
• Slice when cool. A warm loaf compresses and the filling smears. Cooled, it slices cleanly into neat spirals.

vi. Variations

The three-strand plait, made from three filled ropes, is the classic Saxon Mohnstriezel. A rolled loaf baked in a tin is common in Austria, where it is close to the Polish makowiec. Nussstriezel uses a walnut or hazelnut filling instead of poppy seeds, and many bakers make a Mohn-Nuss pair for Christmas. Mohnschnecken are the same filling in single spiral buns, like Schnecken.

Other members of the family include Mohnkuchen, Hungarian mákos guba, the stretched-pastry poppy-seed strudel and the rolled yeast loaves of Eastern Europe such as babka.

vii. Serving & storage

Mohnstriezel is served in slices at room temperature, plain or with butter, with coffee or tea. It is a breakfast and afternoon bread and a fixture of the Christmas and Easter table in Saxony, Silesia and Austria.

Thanks to its moist filling, it keeps well: wrapped in foil or a clean cloth at room temperature, it stays good for four to five days, and slightly stale slices are excellent toasted. It freezes well for up to three months, whole or sliced; thaw at room temperature and refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes.

ix. More from Austrian & German

• Mohnkuchen — German poppy-seed cake
• Poppy Seed Strudel — Mohnstrudel
• Schnecken — German snail buns
• Mákos Guba — Hungarian poppy-seed bread pudding
• Babka — twisted yeast cake
• Apfelstrudel — Viennese apple strudel