Ingredients
Method
Make the Dough
- Combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir briefly to distribute the yeast.
- Add the warm milk and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix on low with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes.
- Increase speed to medium and add the softened butter one or two cubes at a time, waiting for each piece to fully incorporate before adding the next. This takes about 8 minutes.
- Continue kneading on medium-high until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl, about 5 more minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 60 to 75 minutes.
Make the Poppy Seed Filling
- Grind the poppy seeds in a spice grinder in batches until they resemble a coarse grey powder. Don't over-grind to a paste.
- Combine the ground poppy seeds, milk, sugar, butter, orange zest, lemon zest, honey, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly and cook until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 5 to 7 minutes. It should hold a slow-moving trail when you drag a spoon through it.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely to room temperature before using. Don't rush this step.
Shape the Rolls
- Punch down the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle roughly 45 cm x 35 cm and about 5 mm thick.
- Spread the cooled poppy seed filling evenly across the dough, leaving a 2 cm border along one long edge.
- Starting from the filled long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed along the border edge.
- Transfer the log to a board, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Slice the log into 12 equal rolls using a sharp serrated knife. Each roll should be about 3.5 cm thick.
- Arrange the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, leaving small gaps between each roll. Cover and let proof until puffed and touching each other, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Bake and Glaze
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 355 F with the rack in the center.
- Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the dough sounds hollow when tapped. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the dough should read 90 C / 194 F.
- While the rolls bake, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and optional zest until smooth and pourable. The glaze should run off the spoon in a thin stream.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and pour the glaze over them immediately. Let it soak in for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
The filled log slices much more cleanly after a 15-minute chill in the fridge. Skip this step and the poppy seed paste tends to squeeze forward and distort the spiral.
