Mohnstollen (Poppyseed Stollen)

For the Dough:
3 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 package Active Dry Yeast
3 tablespoons lukewarm Water
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm Milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted Butter
1 Egg
Pinch of Salt

For the Filling:
8 oz (250g) Poppyseed
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) Butter
1/2 cup Seedless Raisins
1/2 cup chopped Almonds
1 package Vanilla Sugar
Zest of 1 Lemon

For the Topping:
2 packages Vanilla Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter (melted)
4 tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Combine yeast, milk, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 2 tablespoons flour and mix until a thin batter develops. Allow this mixture to stand (covered) in a warm place for 20 - 30 minutes. This will activate the yeast. The mixture should begin to bubble.

To the yeast mixture add the remaining dough ingredients. Knead into a dough (if using a mixer, use a hook attachment).

Transfer dough to a clean bowl and allow dough to rise (covered) in a warm place for 1 hour.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. In a small cooking pot, combine poppyseeds, milk, and sugar. Gently bring to a simmer and allow to simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Mix in remaining Filling ingredients. Allow to cool completely.

Place dough onto a floured surface. Knead dough to remove any air pockets. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thickness - create a rectangular shape. Brush the dough with a little melted butter, then spread the poppyseed mixture over the dough leaving about an inch border.

There are two ways of rolling up the dough. To make the shape of a traditional Mohnstollen, fold 1/3 of the dough (long side of the dough) over. Fold this over again. Tuck the remaining dough under so that the dough holds together. This will create a Stollen as shown in the photo above.

Another way to fold the Mohnstollen is to roll up each side of the dough (long side) and have each meet in the center of the dough. This is called a "Mohnrolle" (Poppyseed Roll). The picture below shows how this form would look.

Transfer the Stollen to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow dough to rise again for 30 minutes (covered) in a warm place. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Bake Stollen for 35-40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking, brush Stollen numerous times with melted butter.

Remove Stollen from oven. Sprinkle Stolen with Vanilla Sugar and powdered sugar.