Prep. time: 30 minutes
Raising time: 90 minutes
Baking time: 25-30 minutes

Try brushing them with a mixture of melted butter and rum at the end, to give them better taste and aroma and long-lasting tenderness.

The dough

1. Warm the milk to approximately 30°C.
2. Mix the yeast with a bit of sugar and 100 ml / 2/5 cup lukewarm milk and put the mixture in a warm place to let the yeast ferment.
3. Melt the butter in the rest of the lukewarm milk.
4. Put the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl, add the remaining sugar, egg yolks, some grated vanilla and some grated lemon zest. Pour in the warm milk with melted butter, egg yolks and the fermented yeast mixture.
5. Knead to a smooth dough, sprinkle with some flour and let rise until doubled in bulk - approx. 1 hour.

The poppy seed filling

1. Mix ground poppy seed with milk and sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
2. Cook the mixture over low heat and finally add raisins, and a bit of rum and cocoa for better taste. Let it cool.

Making the buns

1. When the dough is ready, put it on floured pastry board. Roll the dough to a 1/2 cm / 1/4 inch thick layer and divide it into equal square pieces.
2. Place a tablespoon of filling onto the centre of each square piece.
3. Bend the edges over the filling, press together using your fingers and make a roll.
4. Grease the buns with melted butter and place them into a greased baking pan, one beside the other. Finally, brush some more melted butter over the top of all of them.
5. Let rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.  

 A plum brandy to stay in the tradition.