Olia Hercules’ Ukrainian poppy seed buns
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recipe
Poppy seeds are one of the most loved ingredients in Ukraine. The dough is used to make larger rolls or zavyvanets – shaped like the more familiar babka. But, I use it to make cinnamon-bun-like rolls. My mum would boil the poppy seeds in milk, but you can use plant milk or water, too. When you blitz the dough with sugar, it becomes buttery, so you can omit dairy altogether and leave the butter out – just increase the amount of poppy seeds.
tip GET AHEAD
You can make the dough the night before and cover and chill until needed . You can also make the filling in advance – it can be frozen for up to three months or covered and chilled for a few days. Let both come to room temperature before using. If the container the filling is in is heatproof, you can put it on top of the hot oven until it’s spreadable.