Hungarian poppy seed bread pudding
Mákos Guba - Hungarian Poppy Seed Bread Pudding
Mákos guba is a popular dessert in Hungary that is baked for Christmas. It contains poppy seeds which was originally meant as a fertility charm, to ensure a plentiful harvest in the coming year.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (60 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups (620 ml) whole milk
2 tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups (6 slices) day-old bread cubes
1/4 cup (45 grams) poppy seeds
2-3 tbsp honey
1/4 cup (32 grams) confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C) and butter a 3-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs until the yolks and whites are blended. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, milk, rum, and vanilla.
Add the bread cubes into the prepared baking dish and drizzle egg mixture over it.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the liquid is absorbed by the bread. Meanwhile, grind the poppy seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Remove pudding from oven and sprinkle with poppy seeds and honey. Place back in oven for additional 10 minutes.
When pudding is done, add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and serve hot.
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Suzanne Urpecz, creator and editor of The Hungarian Girl. Click on my About page for more info.
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i made this for my family christmas ! it is amazing…. thank you.
~all the best for a happy holiday
~laura
Thanks Laura. Happy to hear your family liked the pudding!
Happy Hoildays to you as well.
My Grandma would make Bobolyka each Christmas Eve. It seems similar except she would make little pillows of sweet bread. She would cover these with poppyseed and pour warmed sugar water over the top. Custom held that it was good luck to dip your fingers into the sugar water and dab it on your face…for beauty!
Do you have a recipe for Bobolyka? I would love to have this. I enjoy your blog so much! So nice to have a link to such a special heritage.
Hi Elisabeth,
I’ve never made my bread pudding that way. Although, here’s a recipe that I found from a website called Slovak Cooking which might be what you’re referring to…http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/recipes/bobalky-opekance/
Best wishes and Happy Baking!
Thank you so much for finding this! It makes sense that it would be Slovak, though it had not dawned on me. My Grandpa came to the United States as a boy! Many of the dishes and traditions were either Hungarian or Slovak. What is described is very similar to what we enjoyed. I’m sure every village, and every family, had a variation or two. I am so excited to try this for Christmas. I think that my mom, who is now dealing with the progression of Alzheimer’s, will recall the dish, the memories of long ago, and enjoy! Thank you again! Have a beautiful Christmas and a blessed New Year!
I meant to say…my grandpa came to the United States from Czechoslovakia as a boy! Sorry.
No worries. You’re so very kind! May it bring you both fond memories but also new ones. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for publishing this recipe… I can’t wait to make it!
Boldog Karacsonyi unnepeket kivanok!!!
Thank you Aniko. Best wishes. Merry Christmas to you as well. Boldog Karacsonyi unnepeket!