2 2/3 c All-purpose flour
1 1/2 ts Double-acting baking powder
1 ts Salt
1/4 c Poppy seeds
2 Sticks unsalted butter;
-softened (1 cup)
1 1/4 c Sugar
1 tb Plus 1 teaspoon freshly
-grated lemon zest
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
3 lg Eggs
1/3 c Milk
FOR THE SYRUP
1/2 c Fresh lemon juice
1/2 c Sugar
Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt and
stir in the poppy seeds. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the
butter with the sugar and beat in the zest and the vanilla. Beat in the
eggs, 1 at a time, and the milk and beat the mixture until it is combined
well. Add the flour mixture and beat the batter until it is just combined.
Divide the batter among 4 buttered and floured loaf pans, each 5 3/4 by 3
1/4 by 2 inches, and bake the breads in the middle of a preheated 350F.
oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Make the syrup while the breads are baking:
In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice and the sugar, bring the
mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and keep the
syrup warm.
Poke the tops of the breads immediately all over with a skewer, brush them
with some of the syrup, and let the breads cool in the pans on the rack for
5 minutes. Invert the breads onto the rack and poke all sides of them all
over with the skewer. Brush the breads with the remaining syrup and let
them cool, right sides up. Wrap the breads in plastic wrap and foil and let
them stand overnight. The breads keep, wrapped well in plastic wrap and
foil, chilled for 1 week or frozen for 1 month.
Makes 4 small loaves.
Yields
1 servings