Poppy Seed Roshky

Roshky (also spelled rozky or rohlik) are crescent-shaped pastries from the Eastern European baking tradition. This version wraps a buttery, egg-rich yeast dough around a homemade poppy seed filling spiced with cinnamon and lemon zest.

The dough is soft and enriched, closer to brioche than bread. Four eggs, half a cup of butter, and scalded milk give it richness, while the yeast provides lift. Use only enough flour to make the dough smooth and elastic. Too much flour and your crescents will be tough instead of pillowy.

The filling is simple but worth making from scratch. Water and sugar get boiled into a syrup, then ground poppy seeds, cinnamon, and lemon rind stir in. As it cools, it thickens into a spreadable paste. Ground poppy seeds are key here. Whole seeds won’t bind into a paste and will spill out of the crescents when you roll them.

Roll the dough thin, cut into triangles, spread with filling, then roll from the wide end to the point and curve into crescents. An egg wash with water gives them a glossy, bakery-quality sheen, and a sprinkle of sugar and chopped nuts adds crunch.

Kitchen Tips

• Scald the milk first, then cool it to lukewarm before adding yeast. Hot milk kills yeast; cold milk won’t activate it.
• Roll the dough as thin as you can manage. Thick dough means bready crescents instead of delicate, flaky ones.
• Let the shaped crescents rise fully doubled before baking. Under-proofed roshky will be dense.
• Grind poppy seeds in a spice grinder or buy them pre-ground. Whole poppy seeds won’t form a smooth filling.

Variations

• Fill with walnut paste (ground walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of cream) for a nut-filled version.
• Add a tablespoon of honey to the poppy seed filling for a deeper sweetness.
• Dust with powdered sugar after baking instead of the egg wash and nut topping for a simpler presentation.