
Denise says:
Poppy seeds play a symbolic part on Purim recipes and this cake is ideal as a dessert for your Purim Seudah. The word ‘mohn’ in Germany means poppy seeds and tash means pockets which is one explanation to Hamantaschen filled with poppy seeds.
On a health note, poppy seeds are known to have anti-oxidants, disease preventing and health promoting properties as well as being a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin B complex and good levels of iron, copper, calcium, zinc, potassium and magnesium.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8 – 10
Ingredients:
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200g butter, softened, plus more for greasing
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60g icing sugar
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6 eggs – separated
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Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
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2 tablespoons Kiddush wine/ Pesach liquor
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½ tsp vanilla extract
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280g poppy seeds
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120g hazelnuts, ground
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125g caster sugar
For the filling and topping:
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200g apricot jam
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125g icing sugar
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2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method
- Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the bowl, mixing until very light and creamy.
- Add the lemon juice, zest, Kiddush wine, vanilla extract, poppy seeds and ground hazelnuts and mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
- Grease and line with baking paper a 24cm-wide spring form cake tin.
- Beat the egg whites into peaks, then add the caster sugar slowly, beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Gently fold into the poppy seed mixture with a metal spoon.
- Pour the mixture into a tin and smooth the surface. Bake for an hour. When the torte starts to darken, cover with foil.
- Allow to cool in the tin. When the torte is cool enough to handle, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a cake rack.
- Slice the torte in half horizontally and spread the lower half with apricot jam, then reassemble.
- Cover the top of the torte with a thin layer of the apricot jam and set aside to dry.
- Mix the icing sugar with the 2 tablespoons Kiddush wine and spread over the glaze with a palette knife, letting it drip down the sides.
- Allow the glaze to dry before serving.