Poppy Seed Strudel — stretched-dough poppyseed strudel

i. Origin & history

Mohnstrudel is the close sibling of apfelstrudel and topfenstrudel, all using the same stretched-dough technique. It is particularly associated with Slovenia, Austria and Hungary.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 10 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• Strudel dough as for topfenstrudel
• 300 g ground poppyseeds
• 250 ml milk
• 100 g sugar
• 60 g raisins
• 30 g chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp honey
• 30 g semolina
• 1 egg
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60 g melted butter for brushing
• Icing sugar to dust

iii. Method

1. Make strudel dough; rest 60 min.
2. Cook poppyseeds with milk, sugar, raisins, walnuts, honey and semolina to a thick filling; cool; mix in egg and zest.
3. Stretch dough thin on a cloth; brush with butter; spread filling along one long edge; roll up; transfer to a tray.
4. Brush with butter. Bake at 190 °C for 40 min, brushing again halfway.
5. Rest 15 min; dust with icing sugar.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Hungarian mákos rétes is the same dish. Walnut strudel is the close cousin. Cherry-and-poppy strudel adds sour cherries.

vii. More from Austrian & German

• Topfenstrudel — quark strudel
• Apfelstrudel — apple strudel
• Mohnkuchen — poppyseed cake
• Mohnstriezel — poppyseed plait
• Makos Guba — Hungarian poppyseed bread pudding
• Schnecken — cinnamon snail rolls