Christmas Eve Bobalky (Opekance) with Poppy Seeds. Delicious but time consuming to make.Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine Eastern European
Keyword cookies
Method Oven
Servings 8
Equipment
Several Baking Sheets
Large Mixing Bowl
INGREDIENTS
2cupsflour - plus more for dusting
1pkgdried yeast
½tsp.salt
1 ½Tbsp.granulated sugar
cupmilk - warm
1egg
For poppy seeds:
2cupspoppy seeds - ground
1cupgranulated sugar
water - As needed
vegetible oil - to grease baking sheets
INSTRUCTIONS
Put all the ingredients for the dough (with a half of milk) into a large bowl and knead the dough (about 10 minutes). Add more milk only if needed. The dough should be a little stiffer (drier) than normal.
Cover the bowl with a clean hand towel and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
Divide the dough into small parts and let them rise sitting on the worktop for about 1/2 an hour.
Pre-grease 2 baking trays.
Preheat oven to 425°F
Cut off a piece of dough, roll out or pull it out to about a ½" - ¾" thick log, then cut it into ½" - ¾" long pieces. Throw the pieces directly onto the baking sheets. Don't allow them touch one another. Let bobalky rise for another 15 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Store in a cool and dry place, in an opened container for up to 3 months.
On Christmas Eve morning rinse bobalky in a colander with some boiling water to remove any loose flour.
Transfer bobalky into a bowl. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and sugar. Then add enough water to cover the bobalky. Stir.
Stir and taste several times per day. If the water is absorbed and bobalky seem too dry, add water, if not sweet enough, add sugar.
Bobalky are done when all the water is absorbed, sugar is dissolved and bobalky are completely soft and evenly coated in poppy seeds.