Poppy Seed Cake with Streusel Topping

Ingredients

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• 200 g (1 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
• 70 g (2.5 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 100 g (1/2 cup) butter cold, cut into pieces
• 1 egg large
• 1 tbsp butter softened, for the pan
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 80 g (2.8 oz) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 250 g (8.8 oz) ground poppy seeds fresh, no bitter smell
• 40 g (1.4 oz) semolina
• 2 eggs large, separated
• 0.5 lemon zest only, finely grated
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 80 g (2.8 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar about 8 g, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g (1/2 cup) butter cold, cut into pieces

Method

1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt for the dough. Add the cold butter pieces and the egg and quickly knead into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
2. For the filling, bring the milk, sugar and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the poppy seeds and semolina and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until you have a thick paste in which the spoon briefly stands upright. Take it off the heat and let it cool and swell until lukewarm, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) conventional or 325 °F (160 °C) convection, with the rack in the lower third. Line the bottom of a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with the butter for the pan. With floured fingers, press the dough about 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick into the pan, shape a rim about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) high and prick the bottom with a fork.
4. For the topping, mix the flour, sugar and vanilla sugar, add the cold butter pieces and rub them in with your fingers into coarse crumbs. Chill until needed.
5. Stir the egg yolks and lemon zest into the lukewarm poppy seed mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in in two additions. Spread the filling over the dough and scatter the crumbs evenly on top.
6. Bake for about 55 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the filling comes out without liquid batter; moist crumbs are fine. If the crumbs get too dark after 35 minutes, cover loosely with foil.
7. Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes, run a knife around the edge and cool it on a cooling rack for about 75 minutes before cutting it into 12 slices.

Tip: Taste ground poppy seeds before using them: if they taste bitter or soapy, they are rancid and will spoil the cake. Store opened packages cool and tightly sealed.

Tip: Instead of the homemade filling you can use ready-made poppy seed filling from a jar (about 500 g / 1 lb): stir it smooth with the egg yolks and lemon zest, fold in the egg whites and continue as described.