In 2016 I posted my favourite Christmas Breakfast. One year later I got a bit more into a Christmassy spirit while I was processing chestnuts. Therefore, I present a comforting tip for Christmas – My Bratislava Rolls.The dough is very similar to my Christmas Breakfast Recipe. Nothing like a puff-pastry, more like a cake dough. This is a very traditional pastry in the region I come from, we even call it – ‘Bratislava Rolls’. It is very fulfilling, soft and it smells stunning.
In some regions the rolls can be known as “Pressburger Kipferl” from the former name Pressburg, which is today’s Bratislava. The original rolls are made with 2 basic fillings: poppy in a shape of horseshoe and walnuts in a shape of the letter C. I added our very popular chestnuts filling in a rectangular shape to make a difference. However, you can roll as croissants as per in my Almond Easy Croissants Recipe.
They are very strict measurements, how much of the exact proportion (flour, butter, filling) should be added. I played with my version for a couple of times and trust me, this is a winner. My secret tip is to roll each of the fillings in cane sugar. This way they will not get opened and it gives an extra sweetness to it.
My Bratislava Rolls are suitable for kids from 2 plus, because of a possible egg white intolerance. Offer them as an easy afternoon snack or addition to breakfast. My daughter loves the nutty ones, chestnuts can be nice, too. Go easy on the poppy, in some countries it isn’t even available, better for kids to wait untill they get older.
Get yourselves into a festive mood and roll out with me. The thinner the dough is, the better and…the tastier!
Total Time: 1 hour + 1 hour 30 minutes rising of The Dough
Shopping List
The Dough:
1/2 cup of lukewarm milk
½ cube of fresh yeast (20g)
1 teaspoon of caster superfine sugar and plain flour to dust350g of semi-coarse flour (250g of plain flour mixed with 100g of coarse flour optional), sifted
A pinch of sea salt
50g of caster superfine sugar
2 egg yolks
100g of butter, melted
The Poppy Filling (1/3 of the amount of The Dough):
100g of ground poppy
20g of icing sugar, sifted
1 package of vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon zest and juice from lemon
20g of butter
20ml of milk
A handful of dried raisins, soaked in hot water/rum
The Chestnut Filling (for 1/3 of the amount of The Dough):
100g of chestnuts, cooked and peeled
10g of butter, 10g of icing sugar
1 package of vanilla sugar
2 splashes of double cream
A splash of rum (or a handful of raisins soaked in rum)
The Walnut Filling (1/3 of the amount of The Dough):
100g of walnuts + 25g of raisins soaked in a dark rum)
40g of caster superfine sugar 40g
A pinch of lemon zest
A splash of milk
1 whole egg for brushing, separated before baking
2 knobs of butter for brushing, melted after baking
Instructions
The Dough
First, activate the yeast. In a coffee mug place the lukewarm milk. Sprinkle with the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix.
Then, dust with a bit of flour and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl place the flour, salt, sugar and stir.
Add yolks and melted butter. Give it a good stir and add yeast with a bit of milk.
Start kneading the dough. Pour in the milk accordingly to the texture. The dough should not be too sticky, nor too thick. Once you are done, you get a homogeneous bowl of The Dough.
Next, place it in the bowl, sprinkle with the flour and cover with a clean cloth.
Let it rise in a warm place, for at least 1,5 hour. You can knead it for a bit twice in the meantime.
The Poppy Filling
In a small deep pan place ground poppy, sugars, lemon zest and juice, butter and milk. Heat it up on a medium heat and stir until you get a very smooth texture.
Add raisins and let it cool down for a bit. Refrigerate until further processing. The time of chilling is important (for all the fillings) because it makes it afterwards better to work with them.
The Chestnut Filling
In a blender place the chestnuts, butter, icing and vanilla sugar. Blend.
A splash of double cream. Blend until perfect texture. Add rum and taste. The texture should not be too liquid, nor too thick. Just mix until it is nicely smooth. If using raisins, add them in the end and mix.
Taste and refrigerate until further processing.
The Walnut Filling
In a small mixing bowl put walnuts, sugar, lemon zest and milk. Mix with a spatula until you get a smooth texture. Taste and stir in the raisins. Refrigerate.
Once the dough is chilled enough, preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
The Presentation
Now you have 2 ways to go: original is more filling, less dough, the difference is in the shape. You can always continue the same way as per in My Almond Croissant Recipe.
The Original Roll Up
Divide all The Dough as per The Fillings you decided it to use (poppy, chestnut or walnut).
Next, create small equal balls. Tear The Dough with hands and roll into a ball. Easy.
Than, take a roller and roll them out into rectangular shape. All of them.
Decide which of the 3 fillings you are gonna use. Take few of the filling with hands (approximately amount of a small ball) and form it into a cylinder. Each of the cylinders roll in a cane sugar and place in the middle of the rolled out dough.
Roll it out gently. Place the endings on the bottom and shape accordingly to the fillings: the Poppy like a horseshoe, the chestnut leave the way it it and the walnut into the letter C.
The Croissant Roll Up
Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll it out into a rectangular shape. This dough is really easy to work with and it does not stick.
Divide each rectangle into triangles. Depending on size you want, you should get around 15 medium triangles.
On thicker side of each triangle, place 1 tablespoon of desired filling + 1 tablespoon in the middle. Press it gently with hands. Next, roll it all up and transfer it into a baking tray lined with a baking paper. Continue with all the croissants.
Let them rise for 10 more minutes and widen them with hands. This way they get bigger and thinner.
Serving Time
Firstly, brush them all with egg yolk reduced with a bit of water. Let it dry on top.
Next, brush them with egg yolk and let them dry once again.
Place the tray in the preheated oven (2 baking trays in total) and bake for about 20 minutes until they are baked through and golden on top. Take them out and let them cool down on a rack. Brush with a knob of butter. Yummy already now.
Serve warm with a cup of tea or coffee.
Makes around 2 baking trays of rolls.
