Poppyseed Puff Ups
During the 1940s and 1950s, a bakery truck from a well known bakery that came by our house once a week. This was the way bread was delivered to nearly everyone in our area. The driver would open up the back door of that van type truck, and the aromas would make you lick your lips and roll your eyes. Everything from cream puffs to cookies, cakes and pies rode around in that truck. I had some favorites, too, like everyone else. Poppy seed buns were one of my favorites. This recipe attempts to duplicate that old Helms Bakery recipe, but of course we can't quite get the "salt" flavor. So I've replaced that flavor by using orange zest, almond extract and the low sodium baking powder and baking soda. Bingo! These are great. You can make these "puff ups," or turn them into dinner rolls or even sandwich buns. Your children will love these, too!) A dash of their favorite jam and these hit the spot. (Warm before serving, or serve hot out of the oven.) You can make this recipe into "puff ups" in a muffin tin, in foil lined muffin cups sitting on a cookie sheet, or you can make pull-a-parts or bread for slicing in a loaf pan. These rise high during second rising. Dough for pull-a-parts in loaf pan should sit only at bottom third.

Makes 24 puff ups Or, 2 loaves

• 3/4 cup lowered sodium buttermilk (130 mg)
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons warmed (115° F to 120° F) orange juice (1 mg)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (trace)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (trace)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (.756 mg)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (trace)
• 1 large egg (63 mg)
• 1 medium to large fresh orange or fresh lemon, zest (grated peel) (.18 mg)
• 3 cups white unbleached bread flour (7.5 mg)
• 1 cup whole wheat bread flour (6 mg)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (1.848 mg)
• 1 level tablespoon vital wheat gluten (2.25 mg)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (21.5 mg)
• 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar! (.252 mg)

  To roll the dough balls in:

• 2 large egg whites, beaten until just stiff (109.6 mg)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (1.848 mg)

  Place all ingredients in first list in bread machine in order listed. Make sure you warm the buttermilk to about 90° F up to only 100° F, and that the yeast is at least at 65°F to 75° (room temperature). Set machine on dough cycle (approximately one hour and thirty minutes). While dough is working, prepare one or two muffin tins with muffin cups. (Or "foil" muffin cups on a cookie sheet. Lightly spray the tins and paper cups with olive oil using a spray can. You'll only add a trace of sodium and other nutrients from the can and negligible fats.

  If using Texas size muffin cups, do the same thing. Make dough balls twice as large. If making a loaf for pull-a-parts, lightly spray a loaf pan. I like to make 12 small muffins or 6 Texas size, and one loaf from the same batch.

  When dough is ready, preheat oven to about 100° F and turn off. Just before dough is ready, beat the egg white until nearly stiff. Add in the poppy seeds and stir.

  To make 24 Puff Ups: Using your hands, gently press down on dough. Pull 24 equal size pieces off the large dough ball and roll in your hands to form evenly shaped balls. Roll each ball in the beaten egg/poppy seed mix. Set each ball into a separate cup lightly spritzed with oil from a spray can.

  To make 12 standard or 6 Texas size muffins and a loaf: cut dough in half, pull the needed number of balls off one half and roll in your hands to form evenly shaped balls. Roll each ball in the beaten egg/poppy seed mix. Set each ball into a separate cup lightly spritzed with oil from a spray can. Form the second half of the dough into a loaf shape and roll into lightly oil-spritzed loaf pan.

  To make pull-apart loaf: pull 12 balls from half of the dough, set balls on bottom of 7" or 9" loaf pan, barely touching each other, and then stack.

  For any of the above: Let rise in the warmed oven for about 45 minutes, lightly covered with a cloth or wax paper. Remove gently from oven if you have only one oven, and set oven to 350o F.

  Baking Muffins:
  Bake muffins on a large cookie or baking sheet, on the middle rack at 350° F for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they begin to turn golden.

  Baking Loaves:
  If making a loaf or 'pull aparts,' bake in loaf pan for about 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

  *Can also make 2 loaves of bread (9.6 mg per slice)
  ! Optional, used only to make sweeter.