Poppy seed Stollen

“Poppy seeds have a distinctive old-world flavour about them. I associate them with the colder months of the year and they remind me of fur coats and mothballs. And likewise, whenever I see a fur coat out and about (not that often these days, I definitely don’t own one) I taste poppy seeds in my mouth, or at least imagine that I do. The memory triggers strange connections when it comes to taste and it’s such a personal thing – I’m sure, though, that I’m not alone in this one, as many German children of my generation will have had a similar experience of the winter coats coming out of the cupboards around the same time as Mohnstollen being present on the kitchen table. I like to create a plaited pattern in this dough as it makes it a little more special for the festive time of year, but the dough can simply be folded over for ease and will taste exactly the same. It’s important to grind the poppy seeds before they are baked so that their oils are released; don’t be tempted to skip this part of the process. ”