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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe

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Lemony and buttery is how I would describe this delicious bread. It is like a pound cake in taste and texture but with the added bonus of a sugary lemon glaze that you brush on the bread as soon as it comes out of the oven. This glaze gives the bread a nice citrus flavor and it also makes it tender and moist so it will keep for days. This recipe is from Rose Levy Beranbaum's excellent 'Cake Bible'.

This recipe uses a slightly different method to mix the batter. Instead of the more common 'creaming' method where the butter and sugar are creamed together first and then the eggs, followed by the flour and milk are added, this recipe uses the 'one bowl' or 'quick method'. This is where all 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. This can only happen if the butter has had the chance to coat the flour before all the wet ingredients are added which has a toughening affect. This method makes a cake with a moist, dense, and velvety texture. The only downside to this method is that you will notice that the cake does not have quite the volume of cakes that are made with the creaming method.

Another addition to this tea bread is black poppy seeds. They look lovely dotting this 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.

 

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. Set aside.

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

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.

Sources:

Beranbaum, Rose Levy. 'The Cake Bible'. William Morrow & Company, Inc. New York: 1988.

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.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe:

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)

3 tablespoons (30 grams) poppy seeds

13 tablespoons (184 grams) unsalted butter, softened

Lemon Syrup:

1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

 

 

 

 

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