MARTIN'S POLISH POPPY SEED STRUDEL

Martin's Polish Poppy Seed Strudel image

This is my son, Jon's favortie. He requests this instead of a Birthday cake. Our neighbor, from my mountain, Martin made this one year for Jon. Martin came from Poland & he served in the German army. As he said, he didn't have much choice as the Germans would have shot him and his whole family. I have made this with walnut...

Provided by Bonnie Beck

Time 1h45m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 can(s) poppy seed filling (or you can make your own)
1 1/4 c warm milk (120*)
6 Tbsp rounded sugar
6 c or more flour
a pinch of salt
3 hand full of sugar
1 c very cold raw sweet organic or sweet european butter (please) (2 sticks =1 cup)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 pkg cake or dry yeast
1 cube of sweet butter, melted
1 c golden raisins, optional-i use the raisins with the walnut filling

Steps:

1. Always do a yeast test first to make sure yout yeast isn't too old or inactivate with any kind of product where you are using yeast.
2. Sprinkle the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm milk and 1 rounded tablespoon of sugar. When it has foamed, add to the rest of the warm milk.
3. In a large bowl, cut 2 sticks of cold butter into the flour till it looks like cat litter. Add the 5 rounded tablespoons of sugar, salt, lemon juice, and eggs together, mix to blend. Add the flour a little at a time and beat the dough with your hands. Your dough should feel like your stomach. (And no I don't mean you guys with the 6 pack stomach, the feeling should be like a beer belly stomach.)
4. Divide into 3 balls, and place in a warm place covered with a flour sack towel to rise double, about 1 hour.
5. Roll out 1 of the dough balls to 1/8" thickness on floured surface into a retangular shape. Spread a little grape jam or jelly over the dough leaving 1" on all sides. It doesn't matter what flavor jam or jelly, but Martin used grape. Personally, I like the Rose Jelly I get at the store. Take 1 can of poppy seed filling and spread that over the dough and jelly, then sprinkle a hand full of sugar on top. Roll the dough up and pinch the outside ends together and under. Do the same with all the rest of the doughs.
6. Carefully lift onto a buttered cookie sheet, prick with a fork all over and brush well the tops and sides with the 1 cube of unsalted melted butter. Bake at 250* to 300* until golden brown, then at 200* for 20 mintues more. Watch so it doesn't burn. Brush more butter on as it is baking.
7. For those who don't know...Sweet butter is unsalted butter