👩🏻🍳 Preparation Steps for Traditional Poppy Seed Cherry Roll:
1. Scald the poppy seeds by boiling them in water for 15 minutes, drain through fine cheesecloth, and pound thoroughly in a mortar until crushed and paste-like.
2. Mix the ground poppy seeds with milk, butter, and honey in a pan over low heat until thickened into a sweet paste, then cool completely.
3. Prepare the plain dough by dissolving yeast and sugar in warm milk, mixing in flour, softened butter, egg, and salt, kneading until smooth, and letting it rise until doubled.
4. Prepare the dark dough by mixing flour, cocoa powder, sugar, warm water, butter, egg, and yeast, kneading into a firm dark dough, and allowing it to rest.
5. Roll out both doughs into wide, thin rectangular sheets on a lightly floured surface.
6. Spread an even layer of the rich poppy seed filling over each sheet, followed by a layer of pitted sour cherry jam.
7. Roll each dough sheet tightly into a long log, transfer onto a baking tray, brush with egg wash, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked through.
8. Whisk milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened into a smooth custard, then whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
9. Spread the warm vanilla custard evenly over the tops of the baked rolls before slicing and serving.
