Easy Holiday Recipes

Christmas Poppy Seed and Nut Rolls

4 cup flour, plus flour for dusting
2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 pkt active dry yeast
1 whole egg + 3 egg yolks
3 tbsp sour cream

Walnut-Apricot Filling:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup white wine
2 cup ground walnuts
1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
2 tbsp apricot jam or orange marmalade
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsp fine dried bread crumbs

Poppy-Seed Filling:

3/4 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

Method

Gently heat up the milk to lukewarm (105 to 115 degrees).
Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.Cut in the butter until crumbly. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk. Sprinkle sugar and yeast over the milk, stir, and let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes).
Using 2 spoons, mix together the liquid and the dry ingredients. Cover with a tea towel and let stand in a warm place until the mixture bubbles and rises slightly (5 to 10 minutes).
Add the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Beat to form a light dough. If the dough is too stiff, add the remaining 2 tablespoons sour cream.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (5 to 10 minutes).
Cover with a tea towel and let stand in a warm place 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare the fillings and set aside:

Poppy Seed Filling:

Soak the raisins in a little water to plump.
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and cook in 375°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until brown (you can also heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown). Stir occasionally. Be careful not to scorch them.
Combine the poppy seeds, the milk, the butter, the raisins, the walnuts and the honey in a medium saucepan.
Bring to boil and stir over medium heat until milk is absorbed and mixture thickens. Let cool. Stir in vanilla.

Walnut-Apricot Filling

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and wine. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
In a medium bowl combine all remaining ingredients.
Pour in hot sugar mixture and mix well. Let cool.
 

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. With a floured rolling pin, roll out 1 portion into a rectangle the thickness of a matchstick. Spread half of the Walnut-Apricot Filling on surface of dough. Starting with a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion, tucking in ends.
Repeat with remaining dough, using remaining Walnut-Apricot Filling on 1 rectangle and dividing Poppy-Seed Filling between other 2 rectangles.
Place rolls on 1 or more baking sheets.
Crack the whole egg into a small bowl and beat well; brush on tops of rolls, then prick rolls in a few places with fork tines or a needle. Let stand 20 minutes, then brush with egg again. Bake until golden (30 to 45 minutes). Let cool on wire racks. Makes 4 rolls.
To serve, cut into slices about 1" thick.

Christmas Candy

1 pound (468 gms) white chocolate
1 cup small pretzels, broken into small pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped

Melt the chocolate. Stir the pretzels and pecans into chocolate and drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Handy edible gift suggestion.

Candy Recipes

• Candy Making
• Xmas Candy
• Coconut Candy
• Festive Fudge
• Chocolate Fudge
• Poppy Seed Rolls
• English White Christmas
• Truffes Pralinées
• Christmas Toffee
• Christmas Almond Delight
• Chocolate Candies

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