I
n Croatia, nut roll is a very popular dessert, especially around Christmas time. Every self-respecting lady of the house is making her own nut rolls, probably using ‘secret’ grandmother’s recipe and proudly offering a slice of her homemade treat. Povitica (pronounced pov-e-tee-za) or povetica is just another term for a nut roll. The thing is, all around Croatia there are different recipes for this lovely sweet bread, with whole variety of fillings, depending on the origin of the recipe. In continental parts there is walnut or poppy seed roll, in Istria, you will find a moist apple and walnut filling while you could easily stumble upon carob roll in Dalmatia. Nut rolls, however, are not exclusively Croatian; you will find them in most Eastern European countries around Christmas time, and they are all delicious, especially when served with a cup of tea or coffee.
How to Make Povitica?
For starters, you need to make some enriched yeast dough. While the dough is fermenting, you should prepare a filling of your choice. I’m using poppy seeds in this recipe simply because I adore their deep nutty flavor and there is no walnut or apple that can compete with it! Then roll out the dough in a form of a rectangle, spread the filling and roll it up. Place your roll into a pan, leave it to prove, and bake when ready.
Poppy Seed Povitica Recipe
by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra
PRINT PDF (EN) ISPIŠI PDF (HR)Prep. time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 60 minutes
Ready in 90 minutes
Level : Advanced
Ingredients: The Dough- All purpose flour 370g (13oz)
- Milk 180g (6.3oz)
- Dry yeast 10g (2Tsp)
- Salt 7g (1Tsp)
- Sugar 50g (1.8oz)
- Eggs 50g (1.8oz or 1 medium egg)
- Butter 50g (1.8oz)
- Poppy seeds, ground 300g (10.6oz)
- Sugar 160g (5.4oz)
- Milk 300g (10.6oz)
- Rum 10ml (1Tbsp)
- Vanilla powder
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Put flour, salt and sugar into a bowl of a mixer fitted with hook attachment.
- In another bowl mix milk with one egg and add yeast.
- Add liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix on low speed for approximately 10 minutes.
- Add softened butter and mix for another 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough with a cloth, and leave it to ferment until doubled in size.
- While the dough is fermenting, make the filling. Mix ground poppy seeds, sugar and vanilla. Bring milk to a boil and pour it over the poppy seed mixture. Stir well, and add a tablespoon of rum.
- Sprinkle some flour on the counter and roll out half of the dough as thin as possible. It should be approximately 40cm x 20cm (16″ x 8″) in size.
- Spread half of the poppy seed filling all over the dough. Roll it tightly like a Swiss roll. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- Carefully transfer the rolls into the pan. Place one end in the corner of the pan forming a letter “U” at the bottom of the pan, and place the other “U” on top of that.
- Leave povitica to prove for about 40 minutes.
- Brush poppy seed povitica with egg wash.
- Bake it at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 160°C (320°F) and continue baking for another 30-40 minutes.
- Take povitica out from the oven, leave it to cool down, and dust it with some powdered sugar.
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