Polish Poppy Seed Dippers | Łamańce z Makiem
Wafer-thin butter cookies dipped in poppy seed paste that is flavored with vanilla, almond, candied orange peel, raisins, and chopped almonds. This is a classic dessert served during Christmas Eve dinner in Poland. This recipe is adapted from the book Kuchnia Polska, the 1956 edition.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour 2½ c
- 100 g powdered sugar ¾ c
- 120 g unsalted butter 8½ tbsp
- 1 egg + 1 yolk
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
Poppy Seed Dip
- 500 g poppy seeds 3½ cups
- 50 g unsalted butter 3½ tbsp
- 250 g sugar 1¼ cups
- 4 tbsp honey
- the zest of one lemon
- 50 g candied orange peel, chopped ½ cup
- 50 g chopped or sliced almonds ¾ cup
- 50 g raisins ⅓ cup
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml heavy cream ½ cup
- 2 egg whites room temperature
Instructions
To Make the Cookies
- Whisk together the flour and sugar, and then work the butter into the mixture until it resembles wet sand.
- Make a well in the center and add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
- Knead everything together until you have a smooth dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- After the dough is firm from refrigeration, roll it out on a piece of floured parchment until it is ¼ inch or ½ cm thick. Using a knife or a pastry cutter, cut 2 inch or 5 cm wide diagonal strips, and then repeat the same cuts in the opposite direction to create rhombuses.
- Place the rhombuses on a parchment lined baking sheet. They can be close together because do they not spread during baking.
- Bake in a 350℉ / 180℃ pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them because they burn easily. Transfer them to a rack to cool while you make the poppy seed dip.
To Make the Poppy Seed Dip
- Rinse the poppy seeds, drain, and then place them in a medium-sized pot. Pour boiling water over them, and let them simmer until they are soft enough to mash when rubbing them between your fingers. This could take 30-60 minutes.
- Drain them in a fine mesh sieve.
- Grind the poppy seeds by either passing them through a meat grinder machine twice, or by using an immersion blender and applying pressure as you press down to grind them. A high-speed blender like a Vitamix would probably work as well.
- Put the butter in a clean, medium-sized pot, and add the sugar and honey. Stir and melt those all together. Then add the lemon zest.
- Stir in the ground poppy seeds, and then add the candied peel, raisins, and almonds. If your mixture seems dry, add the heavy cream.
- Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove it from the heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Pour the poppy seed mixture into a bowl to cool slightly while you make the meringue.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until you reach stiff peaks. Then, fold the meringue into the poppy seed paste. This will help to lighten the mixture and make it easier to scoop with the cookies.
- Let cool before serving. This is often served by spooning the poppy seed dip into a serving dish, and then placing the cookies point side up in the paste.