I say Slovak, but they are of course also eaten in the Czech Republic as they used to be one country.

But no matter where they are from, these little sweet Christmas buns are a great treat. If you like poppy seeds, then this one is for you. This recipe yields 20 bobalkis. Multiply the amount of ingredients to make more.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the dough –

300g (10.5oz) strong white bread flour

4g (0.15oz) salt

50g (1.75oz) soft butter

3g (0.1oz) dry yeast or 3x the amount of fresh yeast

40g (1.4oz) sugar

180g (6.3oz) cold milk

To learn more about dough temperature control click here.

For the poppy seed glaze –

100g (3.5oz) honey

50g (1.75oz) poppy seeds

Method

1. In a bowl combine the milk, salt, yeast, sugar, butter and mix to dissolve the sugar and hydrate the yeast.
2. Add the flour and mix to a dough.
3. Knead for 5 – 7 minutes. Desired dough temperature 25-26C (77-79F).
4. Ferment for 1.5 -2 hours.
5. Divide into 20 equal pieces & preshape.
6. Rest for 20 minutes.
7. Final shape. Place on a non-stick surface ready for baking.
8. Final proof 1 – 1.5 hours. During the final hour of fermentation preheat your oven to 160C (320F) fan on.
9. Whist the buns are fermenting mix the honey & poppy seeds in a pot and bring to a simmer. Turn off and leave on the side for later.
10. Bake the buns for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown all over.
11. Rest for 5 minutes. Separate them and toss them with the honey & poppy seed glaze in a large bowl. Make sure you have large bowl! I made a mess of it.

Enjoy whist still warm! 🙂