Rogale swietomarcinskie (St. Martin's Croissants)

I've been wanting to make this local specialty for a long time.  It's traditionally made for November 11th, St. Martin's Day.  The first year Ed was in Poland, he told me about them.  The second year, he put one in the freezer for me because I was coming for a visit just a week later.  I began reading recipes online back in August.  So you can imagine how thrilled I was to be invited to a  Rogale swietomarcinskie workshop hosted by the head of the bakers' guild.  That was so much fun, and I picked up some good tips.  And now I know that if I make thousands, this pastry dough will become a simple matter for me, as it was for the professional bakers.  It wasn't simple today. 

The filing was easy to put together.   I can see myself using this in other ways - in thumb print cookies, in kolachi rather than a canned filling.  The dough was such a chore to prepare that it maybe be prepared less frequently.  The professionals have a giant rolling machine that I would love to have.  I think with that roller, I could be unstoppable - making fresh croissants every couple of days.  I would have to be riding my bike every waking moment that I wasn't in the kitchen.

Source:  This recipe is adapted from  Regionalna Kuchnia Polska, a cookbook I picked up in the train station and have been translating withe the help of google.  

For the filling:

Ingredients

2/3 cup poppy seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup shortbread cookie crumbs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter
pinch salt
1 tablespoon almond extract

Directions

• With a steel blade, process poppy seeds, walnuts, raisins, almonds, and cookie crumbs in food processor until the texture is a coarse meal. 
• Dump the mixture into a sauce pan , add cream, sugar, butter, and salt.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.  The mixture will still ooze a little.  As it cools it will become more firm.
• Stir in almond extract, cool. 

 For the pastry:

Ingredients

7/8 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 packet dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
4 egg yolks
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter chilled,sliced

for egg wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon canola oil

for glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
milk or cream, to create spreadable consistency  

Directions

• Heat milk to 110 degrees.
• Add 2 tablespoons butter, yeast, and sugar.
• Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes, should be foamy.
• Add egg yolks.
• Stir in flour and salt.
• Place in a clean bowl, cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
• Top dough with butter slices.
• Fold dough into thirds, and roll it out to the original size
• Fold into thirds and roll 4 more times (you now have 243 layers of your original butter topped dough)
• Cut dough into long triangles
• Top with filling, I used my hands and rolled it into ropes 1 inch in diameter
• Roll up starting with the short side
• Place croissants on baking sheet , cover and let rise 30 minutes
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Combine egg, water, and oil.  Lightly brush rolls with egg wash.
• Bake until brown, about 15 - 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and frost with glaze made of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
• Sprinkle with sliced almonds, or chopped peanuts.