Poppy Seed Apple Béles
Almás-mákos béles
Ingredients: 2 1/3 cups (300 g) of flour, a little less than 1.5 sticks (150 g) of butter, little more than 1/2 cup (120 g) of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (120 g) of sour cream, 2 egg yolks, zest of a lemon, 1 packet of vanilla sugar (9 g), 1 teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt
Filling #1: a little less than 2 pounds (800 g) of peeled and grated apples, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of butter, juice of a half a lemon, zest of a lemon, a little less than 1/2 cup (100 g) of granulated sugar, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 3 tablespoons of apricot jam
Filling #2 : 7 ounces (230 g) of ground poppy seeds, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water, little more than 1/2 cup (120 g) of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, zest of a lemon, 2 packets of vanilla sugar (2x9 g)
My intention was to create a cake with poppy seeds and apples, because they really go well together. In Hungary we often combine poppy seeds and apples, especially when we make strudels. I was thinking for couple of days how I should create this recipe. First l thought l will put a cake layer between the apples and the poppy seeds, so it will look like a three-layered beautiful dessert. Unfortunately, that method did not work as expected.
After an hour of baking, the middle layer was still a little bit raw. Then l decided to omit the middle layer, and just add the apple and the poppy seed filling; the result was simply amazing. This treat is not just pleasing the eyes, but also tastes very delicious. If you like apples and poppy seeds, try this recipe. l promise you will love it. On my new subscription group you will see many of my newly created own recipes and those I invented over the past three decades. I always enjoy creating something new.
For the apple filling heat up the butter and add the sugar, cinnamon and the grated apples. Cook the apples until they release their juices, and add the lemon juice, vanilla sugar and lemon zest. Put the apples in a colander and let the liquids drip down. You can also gently squeeze out the juice of the apples with a wooden spoon.
Combine the flour salt, baking powder and vanilla sugar, then crumble the room-temperature butter in. The mixture will be quite crumbly. Add sugar, the egg yolks, lemon zest and sour cream. Knead the ingredients into a dough. You should get a nice soft dough. Knead it on a well-floured surface for one more minute, then cover the dough with a plastic wrap. Let it sit in the fridge for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the poppy seed filling. Pour the water and the sugar into a pot and heat up. Add the poppy seeds, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon. Cook for a minute while stirring it frequently until it thickens, then set aside.
After resting, cut the dough in two and roll out one half to a 9x12-inch rectangle, then put it into a greased and floured baking pan. Spread the apples on the dough evenly, then comes the apricot jam over the apples. Add the poppy seed filling with a spoon, and smoothen with a wet spatula. Be careful not to apply too much pressure. Add the other half of the rolled-out dough. Make the dough nice and even, then brush with an egg. Prick the dough and bake it in a preheated 355F oven until the top turns golden brown, in approximately 45 minutes. If the top is browning too fast, cover the with aluminum foil. Let the cake cool down to room temperature before slicing.
