Yeasted Poppy Seed Apple Buns

1. Place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook, covered, until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Pass cooled potatoes through a potato ricer and set aside.

2. Stir 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk and yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until creamy or foamy, about 10 minutes.

3. Combine potatoes, yeast mixture, flour, sugar, butter, egg, lemon zest, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead on low speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and detaches from the bowl, about 5 minutes; dough should be slightly sticky.

4. Place dough into an oiled bowl. Turn over to coat. Cover with a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

5. In the meantime, mix apple, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon for filling together in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate filling.

6. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12x14-inch rectangle. Spread filling evenly over dough, leaving about 1/2 inch free on each long side. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Roll up tightly lengthwise. Brush seams with a little water and pinch to stick together.

7. Place the roll on a large cutting board, seam-side down. Cut into 1 1/2-inch slices using a very sharp knife.

8. Fit rolls loosely into a greased 10-inch round or 9x13-inch rectangular baking pan, cut-side down, with a little space between them. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until visibly doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

10. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

11. Meanwhile, stir confectioners' sugar and enough lemon juice together in a bowl to make a thick, spreadable frosting.

12. Remove buns from the oven. Brush frosting over rolls while they are still warm.

Cook's Notes:

Use starchy potatoes. The potatoes together should weigh about 10 ounces total.

I made these with grey poppy seeds, which is a specialty from the Austrian region of Waldviertel, but you can also make them with regular poppy seeds, just make sure they are freshly ground.

If dough is too dry, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. If too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

If the buns don't all fit in 1 greased pan, put them in a second small greased dish. If the tops of the buns are getting too dark before the bake time is up, cover loosely with aluminum foil.