Back to baking things that are “Ukrainian-inspired” although this could also be Polish, Hungarian, Slovak, Czech, or from the Baltics (did I cover everything?!?) …. this is Makivnyk : a sweet, poppy seed filled sweet bread, with a dough similar to a cinnamon roll, although not nearly as sweet and cinnamony. It’s often baked as a breakfast bread or something for afternoon tea, and often during celebratory seasons like Christmas or Easter. I’ve sprinkled it with raw sugar, but you can also add coarse pearl sugar or confectioners sugar. I love it because it isn’t overly sweet. The original recipe that I found was yeast-based but I converted to sourdough.

Ingredients
for the dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) ripe sourdough starter
1/2 cup milk, warmed to between 100-110F
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

for the filling
1 cup poppy seed
1/2 cup water or milk
1/2 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg, slightly beaten

for baking and decorating
2 tablespoons milk, for milk wash
pearl sugar for decorating (optional)

Directions
Combine flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle. Heat milk and butter, combine with your sourdough starter, and pour into the well. Add egg and mix until fully combined. Turn out onto a well-floured counter and knead until you have cohesive dough. It should be fairly soft and supple. Set aside in a warm, draft free place for a couple of hours in a greased bowl until it has doubled in size.

In the meantime, make the filling. Combine poppy seeds, milk, honey and salt in a saucepan. Cook over moderate heat until thick, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice. Temper the mixture by adding a little of the hot mixture to the beaten egg and then stir it into the remaining poppy seed mixture. Cool thoroughly before using.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 -inch thick rectangle. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and roll it up jellyroll style and pinching together a seam. Place the roll, seam side down, on the baking sheet and curve slightly to a crescent. Cover loosely with a clean dishtowel and let rise for an additional 20-30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush with the milk wash and sprinkle on some pearl sugar, if using. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Remove the roll from the baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool. Make slices and serve straight away.