The Best Homemade Poppy Seed Milk Bread

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 480-500g (3¾-4 cups) wheat flour, divided
• 5g (1½ teaspoons) dry yeast
• 24g (2 tablespoons) sugar
• 15g (2 tablespoons) poppy seeds
• 5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) apple cider vinegar
• 3g (½ teaspoon) salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 25ml (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
• 200ml (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) warm milk
• 50g (3½ tablespoons) butter, softened

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 egg yolk
• 15ml (1 tablespoon) milk

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients:

• Sift 250g (2 cups) of the wheat flour into a large mixing bowl
• Add dry yeast, sugar, poppy seeds, and baking powder
• Mix well to combine

1. Combine Wet Ingredients:

• Add apple cider vinegar, salt, room temperature egg, and vegetable oil
• Pour in warm milk (temperature should be around 110°F/43°C)
• Mix thoroughly until well combined

1. Form the Dough:

• Gradually add remaining 230-250g (1¾-2 cups) flour
• Knead until the dough becomes soft and non-sticky
• Incorporate softened butter while kneading
• Continue kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 10-12 minutes)

1. First Rise:

• Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil
• Place dough in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel
• Let rise in a warm place for 50-60 minutes or until doubled in size

1. Shape the Rolls:

• Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal portions
• Roll each portion into a smooth ball
• Place each ball into greased individual baking dishes
• Cover and let rise for 20-25 minutes

1. Bake:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F)
• Mix egg yolk with milk for egg wash
• Brush tops with egg wash
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown

Timing

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Rising Time: 70-85 minutes
• Baking Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Nutritional Information

(Per roll)

• Calories: 385
• Protein: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Fat: 16g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 8g

Pro Tips and Tricks

1. Temperature Matters:

• Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature
• Milk should be warm (110°F/43°C) to activate yeast properly
• Keep dough in a draft-free environment while rising

1. Kneading Technique:

• Knead until the dough passes the “window pane test”
• Add butter gradually after initial gluten development
• Use bench scraper for easier handling

1. Rising Success:

• Create a warm environment by preheating oven to lowest setting, then turning off
• Place dough nearby warm (not hot) oven
• Don’t rush the rising process

Variations and Substitutions

• Dairy-Free Version:
• Replace milk with almond milk
• Use dairy-free margarine instead of butter
• Results will be slightly less rich but still delicious
• Seed Variations:
• Substitute poppy seeds with sesame seeds
• Try a mixture of seeds (sunflower, flax, chia)
• Add caraway seeds for a traditional flavor
• Enrichment Options:
• Add 2 tablespoons honey for sweeter bread
• Include 2 tablespoons potato flour for extra softness
• Mix in 2 tablespoons milk powder for richer flavor