Babovka (Poppy Seed Rings)

Servings

16

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch ground mace
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 4 cups plain flour
• 42 ounces poppy seed filling
• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted

Instructions

1. Place 1/4 cup milk in a small saucepan and warm over a low flame. Note: Be sure that the milk is warm-not hot-to the touch. Add the yeast and l teaspoon sugar. Cover and let rise until creamy.
2. Heat the 1 cup milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and stir until melted; let cool. Add remaining sugar and salt and stir until dissolved; then add beaten eggs, yeast mixture, vanilla, mace and ginger and mix together. Add 3 l/2 to 4 cups flour and stir until smooth.
3. Place dough in a large lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and set in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 190°C.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll out on floured board like a jellyroll, large and oblong. Evenly spread one can of poppy seed filling over each piece of dough, then roll up each piece and pinch the ends together to form circle two circles. Place each ring in a lightly greased round cake pan with a hole in the centre; press rings down to flatten. With kitchen shears, make about 22 cuts, each 3/4 inch deep. Twist each piece slightly so that the rolls fan out from the centre of the pan. Brush or drizzle melted butter or margarine on top of the rolls, cover and let rise in a warm place for l l/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
6. Bake at 190°C for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.