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Jewish Mohnkuchen recipe.
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Mohnkuchen (Poppyseed Shortbread Bars)

Buttery shortbread topped with poppy seed filling and crumbs topping.
Course Dessert
Cuisine European, jewish
Keyword Mohnkuchen
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 16 Bars
Author Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

Make the Dough

  • 2 Sticks Unsalted butter, soften (226g)
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar (100g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Large Egg at room temperature
  • 2 3/4 Cups AP Flour (340g)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Poppy Seed Filling

  • 1 Cup Whole poppy seeds (120g)
  • 1/2 Cup Powdered sugar (60g)
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • 1 Large Egg at room temperature
  • 1/4 Cup Unsalted softened butter (55g)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Crumbs Topping

  • 2 TBS Sugar (25g)
  • 2 TBS Butter ir shortening soften (28g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Honey
  • 1/3 Cup AP flour (40g)

Instructions

  • In a food processor, process the sugar and butter until incorporated.
  • Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl then add it to the food processor followed by the egg and vanilla extract.
  • Pulse the mixture until a dough is formed.
  • Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before baking.
  • Preheat oven to 375F Line an 8x8-inch  baking pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
  • Roll the dough and flatten it evenly inside the baking pan. Using a fork prick it thoroughly and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Make The Toppings

  • Place the poppy seeds filling ingredients in a food processor and process until a smooth paste is formed.
  • Use a fork to mix all of the crumbs topping together until you have a lumpy mixture.

Assemble and Bake

  • Preheat your oven to 350F (180C)
  • Evenly spread the filling and sprinkle the crumbs on-top.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the streusel is slightly golden brown. Allow the bars to completely cool before slicing.

Notes

  • Use a store-bough filling if available to you. (1-2 cups depending how thick you wish your filling to be)
  • For a thicker layer of filling, double the filling layer.
  • Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature, and always use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
  • Brush the topping with beaten egg yolks for a more vibrant topping color.
  • The cake is ready when the topping is golden brown, and the edges of the crust should be set. If unsure, insert a toothpick into the filling; it should come out mostly clean.
  • You can use ground poppy seeds instead of whole poppy seeds but note it will enhances the bitterness of the seeds.
  • Add 1/2 cup of fine ground almonds to the flour mixture for an extra nutty flavor.
  • This recipe can be used to make one 8x8-inch cake, or 9x9-inch cake, and can be sliced into 12-16 pieces. You can also use an8, or 9 inch springform pan.  Another option is to se a 9x13-inch baking pan, it will be thinner and I recommend doubling the filling recipe. Make sure the pans are at least 2.5 heigh.