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Mákos guba
Mákos guba: Christmas Eve pudding of milk-soaked crescent rolls and sweet poppy seed
HungarianOn 24 December, after the fish soup and before the presents, many Hungarian families bring a dish of mákos guba to the table, because poppy seed is said to bring plenty in the year ahead. Stale crescent rolls (kifli) are sliced, soaked in warm vanilla milk, layered with sugared ground poppy seed and baked until the top crisps, so the inside is soft and puddingy while the edges turn crunchy. It is simple, very cheap and loved by children; serve it warm, with vanilla custard poured over if you want it richer. Older recipes pour honey over it instead of sugar. A common mistake is drowning the bread, which turns it to porridge; it should be moist but still hold its shape. Chef's tip: grind the poppy seed fresh in a coffee grinder, as pre-ground poppy goes bitter quickly.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 6 stale crescent rolls or white bread rollsabout 250 g, sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 lemonzest only
- 3 ½ oz ground poppy seeds
- 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz unsalted buttermelted
To serve
- 1 ¼ cups vanilla custard (optional)warm
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and brush a 20 cm baking dish with a little of the ⅜ oz unsalted butter.
2 minStep 2: Warm the 1 ¾ cups whole milk with the 2 tbsp caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 lemon zest over a low heat until steaming but not boiling, then take it off the heat.
4 minStep 3: Mix the 3 ½ oz ground poppy seeds with the 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar in a bowl.
1 minStep 4: Dip half the 6 stale crescent rolls or white bread rolls slices in the warm milk for 2–3 seconds each, just until they soften, and lay them in the dish.
4 minStep 5: Scatter over half the poppy sugar, then dip and layer the rest of the slices and finish with the remaining poppy sugar.
3 minStep 6: Pour any leftover milk evenly over the top (no more than about 100 ml) and drizzle with the rest of the 1 oz unsalted butter.
1 minStep 7: Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and the edges sizzle. Serve warm, with 1 ¼ cups vanilla custard poured over if you like.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mákos guba take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of vanilla extract?
- Vanilla bean paste, same amount.
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