POPPY KITCHEN TOWELS RECIPES

Steps:

• Place warm water in large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar over and stir to blend. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture is slightly foamy, about 8 minutes.
• Whisk milk, 1 egg, salt and remaining 1/3 cup sugar into yeast mixture. Add melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup flour and mix until smooth. Combine 4 cups flour and 1 cup chilled butter in processor. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add to yeast mixture and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Knead in bowl until smooth dough forms, adding more flour if dough is sticky, about 5 minutes.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.).
• Butter twenty-four 1/3-cup nonstick muffin cups. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead briefly until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Place 1 dough portion on work surface; cover and chill remaining dough. Roll out 1 dough portion on floured surface to 13x11-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut rectangle lengthwise into 6 strips, each scant 2 inches wide. Stack strips atop one another, forming 6 layers and pressing slightly to adhere. Cut strips crosswise into 6 equal stacks, each about 2 inches long. Place 1 dough stack, 1 cut side down, into each muffin cup (dough will fan out slightly and fill muffin cups as dough rises). Repeat with remaining chilled dough pieces.
• Cover rolls with kitchen towel. Let rise in warm draft-free area until rolls are puffed and doubled in volume, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F Brush rolls gently with egg glaze. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until rolls are golden brown, switching top and bottom baking sheets halfway through baking, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to rack and cool rolls 5 minutes. Remove rolls from pans and cool on racks. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. If desired, rewarm thawed wrapped rolls in 350°F oven about 10 minutes.).

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, warm sour cream (just enough for butter to melt when added and allow the mixture to cool down to 120F degrees). Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons butter, 5 tablespoons sugar, baking soda and salt. Cool to 120F degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• While sour cream mixture is cooling, in a large bowl, whisk together flour and yeast. Add eggs to cooled sour cream mixture and then transfer to flour-yeast mixture.
• Mix with hands until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form a smooth ball. (Or mix in stand mixer and knead to smooth ball.)
• Cover with an overturned bowl or greased plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.
• The dough will be soft. Divide in half. Working with one piece of dough at a time and using as little extra flour as possible, roll to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Spread with half of the filling leaving a 1/2 border along both short side edges and top long edge un-spread (to help with sealing).
• Fold the short side edges of the dough in slightly to hold in filling and then roll from the bottom up. Lightly pinch dough along long edge to seal seam. Place seam side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Allow to rise for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, covered with greased plastic, until light and slightly puffed.
• While rising, heat oven to 350F degrees.
• Bake 35 minutes. Let cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer from sheet pan to a cooling rack to cool completely before cutting into slices.
• Wrap leftover tightly in foil or plastic wrap.
• Nut Filling
• Poppy Seed Filling