Coconut, poppy seed, and Turkish delight pastry

I have often found myself preparing these little sweet breads when I crave something sweet but don’t want to bake a whole loaf. I make them often because they turn out fluffy, the poppy seed and coconut filling gives them a unique taste, and they stay good even the next day. I also like that I can use the bread machine for the dough, so I don’t waste time kneading.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2.5 hours
Actual preparation time: 30-40 minutes (excluding rising)
Rising time: 1 hour (automatically in the bread machine)
Baking time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 12-16 little breads (depending on the size of the molds)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe suitable for holidays or when you want something special with coffee or milk.

Ingredients

For the dough:
60 g butter
3 small eggs
125 g sugar
200 ml milk
550 g flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 g dry yeast
zest of one lemon

For the filling:
100 g poppy seeds
100 g coconut
1 egg white
100 ml milk
turkish delight, cut into pieces
rum essence

For brushing:
1 egg yolk
granulated sugar

Preparation method

1. I prepare the dough in the bread machine, on the kneading and rising program. I put in the melted (or soft) butter, eggs, sugar, milk, flour, salt, yeast, and lemon zest. I set the program and let the machine do its job. There’s no need for me to keep an eye on it.

2. In the meantime, I prepare the filling. In a small pot, I bring 100 ml of milk to a boil with 125 g of sugar (the sugar for the filling is taken from the amount for the dough). When the milk starts to boil, I add the poppy seeds, stir, and let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. The poppy seeds will swell quite a bit; I just need to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Finally, I add the coconut and a few drops of rum essence. I mix well, then let it cool.

3. I whip the egg white until frothy and incorporate it into the filling once it has cooled slightly. In the mixture of poppy seeds and coconut, the egg white distributes easily and makes the filling more cohesive.

4. When the dough is ready, I take it out of the machine and divide it into two equal pieces. I roll each piece out on a floured surface into a rectangular sheet about 0.5 cm thick.

5. I distribute the poppy seed and coconut filling over the two sheets. I spread a uniform layer, but not too thick. I sprinkle small pieces of turkish delight over the filling.

6. I roll each sheet tightly, lengthwise, like a roulade. Then, with a sharp knife, I cut each roll into slices about 3-4 cm thick.

7. I place the slices in muffin or savarin molds. If I don’t have special muffin paper, I grease the molds with a little oil and dust them with flour.

8. I let the little breads sit in the molds in a warm place for 30 minutes. During this time, they rise beautifully, almost doubling in volume.

9. I preheat the oven to a moderate temperature. I place the tray in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. About 25-30 minutes in, I brush the little breads with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle granulated sugar on top, then let them finish baking.

10. Once they are done, I take them out of the molds and let them cool on a rack or cutting board.

Why I make this recipe often

I like it because the result is airy, and the combination of poppy seeds, coconut, and turkish delight is suitable for both kids and adults. The recipe is not complicated and is easy to adapt to what I have at home. If I store them in a box, they stay soft for 1-2 days. They are quick to make with the bread machine for kneading.

Tips and variations

Tips

The dough works best if you don’t overload it with too much flour on the surface.
The filling needs to cool before being placed on the sheet; otherwise, the dough sheet can become soggy.
If the dough seems too soft, I add a little more flour while kneading, but without excess.
Cutting with a serrated knife yields cleaner slices for the rounds.

Substitutions

You can use fresh yeast (about 25 g), but it needs to be activated first with a little warm milk and sugar.
If you don’t have poppy seeds, a simple filling with just coconut or, if necessary, ground nuts will work.
For a different taste, you can replace the rum essence with vanilla.

Variations

If you don’t want turkish delight, you can use raisins or pieces of chocolate.
They can also be made plain, just with poppy and coconut filling.
You can use small loaf pans if you don’t have muffin trays.

Serving ideas

They are suitable for breakfast, snacks, or alongside coffee. For kids, they go well with a glass of milk. They can be packed for lunch or taken to school.

Frequently asked questions

Can I knead the dough by hand?
Yes, you can, but it takes about 10-15 minutes of intense kneading for an elastic dough.

What do I do if the poppy seed filling turns out too runny?
I can add a little more coconut or let the mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Can I freeze the little breads?
Freezing doesn’t preserve their texture well, but you can try. It’s better to keep them cool for a few days.

Can they be baked without special molds?
Yes, you can place them in a regular tray, a little spaced apart. They won’t have a perfect muffin shape, but it won’t affect the taste.

Nutritional values (approximate)

One piece has about 220-250 kcal, with 6-8 g of fat, 35-40 g of carbohydrates, and 4-5 g of protein. These are approximate values, depending on the amount of turkish delight used and the size of the little breads.

Storage and reheating

They can be stored in a sealed box at room temperature for 1-2 days. If they dry out, they can be warmed slightly in the oven or microwave. I do not recommend storing them for more than 3 days, as the dough becomes dry.

I put the ingredients for the dough in the bread machine, using the kneading and rising program, while I took care of the filling. I boiled the milk with the sugar, and when it started to boil, I added the poppy seeds. I left it on the heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, during which the poppy seeds doubled in volume. I added the coconut along with the rum essence and mixed well. I whipped the egg whites until frothy and incorporated them into the poppy mixture. When the dough is ready, I divide it into 2 equal parts and roll out 2 rectangular sheets, about 0.5 cm thick. I fill the sheets with the poppy mixture, but I also line them with pieces of Turkish delight. I roll them lengthwise, then cut into rounds, which I place in muffin or savarin molds (if I don't have special paper cups, I grease the tray with oil and dust it with flour). I let the sweet breads rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, during which they will double in volume. I bake them in a preheated oven at a moderate temperature for 35-40 minutes. 10 minutes before taking them out of the oven, I brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

 Ingredients: Dough for sweet bread: 60 g butter, 3 small eggs, 125 g sugar, 200 ml milk, 550 g flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 10 g dry yeast, zest of one lemon. Filling: Turkish delight, 100 g poppy seeds, 100 g coconut, 1 egg white, 100 ml milk, rum essence. For brushing: 1 egg yolk, granulated sugar.

 Tags:  sweet bread christmas recipes easter recipes transylvanian sweet bread