Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Tested Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe

Lemony and buttery is how I would describe this delicious Lemon Poppy Seed Bread. Brushing the just baked bread with a sugary lemon glaze makes all the difference. The glaze adds a nice citrus flavor to the bread and makes it tender and moist so it will keep for days. This wonderful recipe is one I adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Cake Bible'.

This recipe uses a slightly different method to mix the batter. Instead of simply creaming the butter and sugar, then adding the eggs, followed by the flour and milk, this recipe uses what is called the 'one bowl' or 'quick method'. That means the dry ingredients are first put into a mixing bowl, and then room temperature butter, along with a little of the wet ingredients, are added. These ingredients are beaten together and then the remaining wet ingredients are added. The reason for mixing the batter in this way is to reduce the gluten formation in the flour, which produces a quick bread with a moist, dense, and velvety texture. This can only happen if the butter has had the chance to coat the flour before all the wet ingredients are added which can have a toughening affect.

Another addition to this Lemon Poppy Seed Bread bread is black poppy seeds. They look lovely dotting the bread and add a delightful crunch. Poppy seeds are the kidney-shaped, tiny ripe black seeds of the opium poppy plant and Tom Stobbart in his 'The Cook's Encyclopedia' describes their flavor as "pleasantly nutty, a little like sesame seeds, and perhaps rather nicer". Although around the world they are used in both sweet and savory dishes, here in North America poppy seeds are used mainly in cakes, cookies, and breads.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (8 x 4 x 2 1/2 inch) (20 x 10 x 7 cm). Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and milk.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds until combined. Add the softened butter and half the egg mixture and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about one minute. (This aerates and develops the cake's structure.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating about 30 seconds after each addition. (This will strengthen the structure of the batter.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may have to cover the bread with buttered foil after about 30 minutes if you find the bread over-browning.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with about half the hot lemon syrup. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes then invert onto a greased wire rack. Brush the remaining syrup onto the bottom and the sides of the loaf. Reinvert the bread so it is right side up and then cool the bread completely before wrapping. Store at least overnight before serving to allow the lemon syrup to distribute throughout the loaf.

Makes 1 loaf.

References:

Bloom, Carole. The International Dictionary of Desserts, Pastries and Confections. Hearst Books. New York: 1995.

Stobbart, Tom. The Cook's Encyclopedia. Harper & Row Publishers. New York: 1980.