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Brown Butter Poppy Seed Strudel

Brown Butter Hungarian Poppy Seed Strudel

Brown Butter is brushed on layers of phyllo dough which get wrapped around a wonderful mixture of ground poppy seeds, milk, sugar, cinnamon and raisins.  In no time this classic European pastry is ready to be dusted with icing sugar and enjoyed with a cup of coffee, or even a grappa!

Servings 10 slices

Ingredients

  • Phyllo dough thawed, 1 package, see Notes
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
  • 2 cups (250 grams; 9 oz) fresh Poppy seeds
  • 1/3 cup Raisins heaping
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, lightly brown the butter. It will go through the foaming stage, the 'popping' sound stage, and then you will see brown bits of the butter fat settle to the bottom. Time to remove from the heat. Set aside.

Poppy Seed Filling

  1. Take your poppy seeds and raisins and in small batches, grind them well in a small coffee grinder (Nutri Bullet type, if you know what I mean!)  You don't have to add the raisins here, but I find that breaking them down with the poppy seeds will mean that they won't be so obvious in the filling once it bakes up.  They will also help the seeds break down a bit better.  You want as fine a grain as possible.  But of course, the raisins will not end up as small as the poppy seeds.

  2. In a pan heat milk with sugar and bring it to a light boil. Take pan off the heat.
  3. Add ground poppy seeds, raisins, ground cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix well and let cool completely.
  4. Wet and wring out a kitchen towel. Lay out flat on a clean counter.

  5. Place the phyllo sheets that you will be using gently next to the towel. I keep these covered with a damp towel as well.

  6. Remove one sheet and carefully lay it down on the wet towel.  I lay mine out horizontally (landscape)

  7. Carefully and GENTLY brush the entire sheet with some browned butter.
  8. Place a second layer of phyllo on top, butter and repeat until you have four layers.

  9. Spread poppy seed filling evenly along the bottom of the dough, leaving about 1 inch along the bottom and sides. It should look something like a 3" or so wide log.

  10. Using the towel as a tool, roll dough tightly around the filling and place on baking sheet.  Depending on the size of your baking sheet, and how you rolled up your phyllo, it may need to go onto the sheet diagonally.

  11. Brush strudel with browned butter.
  12. Place into pre-heated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until light brown. Check after 20 minutes.
  13. Remove from oven and let cool.

  14. Dust with powdered sugar, slice into 10 or so slices (depending on the size of yours, and how many you are serving)  It can be an intense flavour, so smaller rather than larger is better here!

Recipe Notes

You will only need 4 sheets of the thawed Phyllo.  As soon as I had thawed mine, I divided it into 4 portions and refolded them in plastic wrap.  I put three of them into a plastic bag and sealed it.  These are now back in the fridge for other uses.

Store unused poppy seeds (and all nuts) in the freezer to keep their freshness.  There is nothing worse than working so hard to bake something only to find that the rancid taste of old nuts and seeds is the only flavour that comes through.