Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

 

Lemon poppy seed loaf or cake is a quintessential classic and a favourite in our house however lemon poppy seed scones have become ideal too. With an intense lemon zing and crumbly buttery texture that melts in your mouth for breakfast or dessert just the same.  

Lemon PoppySeed Scones

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

1  3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon poppyseeds

grated lemon zest of 1 - 2 large lemons 

1/3 cup firm butter, chilled

1 large egg, beaten

4 - 6 tablespoons whipping cream

coarse sugar for sprinkling

Lemon Icing

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1 cup icing sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

In a medium bowl, add the icing sugar, melted butter, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk until smooth. 

Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, salt, poppyseeds and lemon zest. Using a pastry knife or two forks cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, you may also use clean hands do this. 

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the beaten egg and whipping cream. Using a wooden spoon fold in the flour mixture to the egg mixture so the dough leaves side of the bowl. You may need to add a few more tablespoons of whipping cream if the dough appears to be a bit  too dry. You want a moist dough not a sticky one. 

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, gently roll in the flour to coat. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat into an 8 - inch circle. Carefully transfer to the prepared baking tray with parchment paper. Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife dipped in flour, but do not separate the wedges. Brush with additional whipping cream and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. 

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove from the baking tray, carefully separating the wedges. Serve warm. 

You may drizzle a lemon icing over top. If doing so, allow the scones to cool then make the icing above or one of your preference. Icing and decorate with fresh lemon zest over the top. 

 

Poppy Seed Cake

 

This is a recipe to which you will want to make again and again, not only because of its pure simplicity but because of its delicate vanilla flavour and it's effortless joy to make. A forgiving cake that freezes beautifully and may be easily iced with an icing sugar glaze. Whether celebrating or gift giving this is the go to cake.  

Poppy Seed Cake 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 cup poppy seeds

1/3 cup runny honey

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

4 large eggs, separated 

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan mix and gently cook the poppy seeds with the honey and add 1/4 cup water, for 3 to 4 minutes. Allow this to cool.

Lightly grease and flour a loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside. Position the rack to the middle of the oven and then Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two separate bowls.

Cream the butter and sugar until lightly fluffy... it won't go as light and fluffy as a sponge because there is more sugar than butter.

Add the cooled poppy seed mixture to the creamed butter mixture, gently stir, then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Blend in the sour cream and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Gradually add the poppy seed mixture to the dry ingredients, beating well.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 to 50 minutes. Checking at the 30 minute mark. Once fairly brown and firm on top, carefully remove from oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Remove from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes: You can make this in cake form, use one 8" or 9" cake tin. Ovens vary so if you notice that the cake is browning too quickly just reduce the temperature a little. 

Rather than separating the eggs, you may add the egg yolks and whites all together, it will change the texture but not the flavour. 

This recipe does make a substantial amount of batter, so needing a large bowl is essential. When prepared there was enough batter to fill two loaf pans. I did bake the two together however found that the baking time did not need to be adjusted, both tins baked in under 50 minutes. 

Imbolc ~ Brigid's Day ~ Lemon Poppy Seed Melts

Imbolc... Midwinter, is celebrated halfway between Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara), February 1st or 2nd in the Northern Hemisphere. It marks the beginning or return of Spring and is also known as Brigid's Day or the Feast of Light, The Feast of Saint Brigid and the Feast of Fire. Brigid is a Celtic Goddess of Fire, the Sun and the Hearth and represents the three aspects of the Goddess... Maiden, Mother, Crone however at Imbolc she is in her Maiden form. She is a powerful shapeshifter and has appeared as a pillar of fire or a snake in some stories. 

Although there may be snow on the ground and chilly temperatures, the Sun begins to shine stronger. The warmer days of Spring lie ahead as the most difficult days of winter are over. Imbolc is a time for transformation, renewal and hope, as the Earth and Nature slowly begin to reawaken from their wintery slumber, so do we.

The word Imbolc means "in the belly of the Mother" because the seeds of Spring are beginning to stir in the belly of Mother Earth. These Lemon Poppy Seed Melts are perfect for honouring Brigid and celebrating Imbolc as they represent potential, new beginnings, inspiration and growth. 

Imbolc Lemon Poppy Seed Melts

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg 

1 tablespoon milk

grated rind of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup sifted icing sugar

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a cookie tray with baking parchment paper. 

Beat the butter until fluffy, about 1 minute, on medium speed, if using an electric mixer. Add the sugar, poppyseed and baking soda and mix together with a wooden spoon. Beat in the egg, milk, grated lemon rind, and vanilla. Then stir in the flour.

Roll the dough into balls, no larger then a walnut, and place on the prepared cookie tray, flour the tines of a fork and gently press the dough balls down. Pop the tray into the fridge for about 10 to 15 minutes, to firm up the dough slightly before placing in the oven to bake.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 to 9 minutes.

Sift the icing sugar and put it in a plastic bag. When cookies are done and are still warm, put them in the bag with the icing sugar and shake gently to coat. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool and once completely cooled give them another shake in the bag for a second coat of icing sugar. 

Poppy Seed Flat Bread

And how did the Poppy Seed Flat Bread turn out? As you can see from the photo, great! It  may not be spooky or vampirish however it disappeared quite quickly. 

Poppy Seed Flat Bread (from The Dracula Cookbook) 
---------------------------------------
2 cups warm water
2 packages granulated yeast
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons oil
Yellow cornmeal, to sprinkle
1 egg, well beaten
2-3 tablespoons poppy seed

In a large bowl, combine warm water and granulated yeast, honey and molasses. Add 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour and salt. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until batter is very smooth. Add 3 cups flour and knead for about 1 minute. Pour oil over the dough and continue kneading until the oil is absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Place bowl in a warm place, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes. Punch down the dough, turn out onto a floured board and knead for a short while.
Butter well an 11" x 17" jelly-roll pan and sprinkle generously with yellow cornmeal. Shake out the excess meal. Roll out the dough about 2" thick on a floured board, shaping it to fit the length of the pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle generously with the poppy seed. Score with a sharp knife into 3" squares about 1/4" deep. Place into a cold oven. Set temperature on 375ºF and bake for about 50-55 minutes, until bread is browned and crusty. 


Notes: 
I did not have a jelly roll pan therefore I used a baking pan lined with parchment paper. I lightly oiled the parchment paper and sprinkled it with cornmeal, shaking of any excess.

I pre-heated the oven, by accident, so when the flat bread was ready to be baked the oven was already warm. Therefore reducing the baking time to 30 minutes. 

My pantry was not as well stocked as I thought... no honey. I used golden syrup instead.

For a person, like myself, who's bread making experiences may fall a little flat this recipe was straight forward. One I would definitely make again. And by make again I mean changing it up by adding herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese and for something more sweet fresh fruit or dried fruit sprinkled with an icing drizzle. I would even go as far as to make a flat bread pizza.