Begin by making the lemon loaf. Knead together all of the ingredients except the poppy seeds either by hand or with the dough hook of an electric mixer. If you're using an electric mixer, mix on the second speed setting. Turn off and scrape down the sides of the bowl to help with mixing if necessary. Keep kneading and mixing until the dough for about 7 minutes or until it is relatively smooth and doesn't stick too much to the sides of the bowl. Add the poppy seeds and give it a few turns or kneads until the seeds have begun to disperse throughout the dough but are nowhere near evenly distributed. We want those thick streaks of poppy seeds!

Place the dough in a slightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise at room temperature and away from direct sunlight until it's roughly doubled in size, which can take around an hour if your room is on the chilly side. Do not allow your dough to rise too long or at too high of heat, otherwise it will become filled with air bubbles and collapse.

Remove the dough and set it on a lightly greased and floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes by folding the dough in half towards you, and then gently but firmly rolling it away from you with the flattened palm of your hand (more tips on kneading in the Tips & Tricks tab above). Shape the dough into a rough loaf shape and place in a lightly greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, seam side down. Loosely cover the pan with a sheet of greased plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until it just becomes taller than the pan. This can take up to an hour, but keep an eye on it.

While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and begin making the candied lemon slices. Bring the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the lemon slices and allow to simmer for 35-45 minutes, turning once, until the white pith is slightly translucent. Make sure the syrup is simmering and not at a rapid boil, as this will damage the thin slices and remove more of the lemon flavor. One done, remove the slices from the syrup with a slotted spoon and allow to cool on a wire rack with a couple sheets of paper towels underneath to catch any dripping syrup. Reserve the syrup in the pan.

When rising is complete, remove the plastic wrap and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. If you find that the bread is browning too quickly, tent some tin foil over it. Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Brush some of the leftover syrup over the top of the loaf and arrange the candied lemon slices on top. Allow to cool completely before serving.