Hungarian poppy seed bread pudding recipe

Hungarian poppy seed bread pudding (Mákos Guba) is a Christmas classic in Hungary. Poppy seed is a favorite ingredient all over Central-Europe, a symbol of wealth and fertility. In Hungary, we fill everything with poppy seeds at Christmas time, but we also use them in bread, pasta and baked goods like pies, strudels, and cakes. Mákos guba is baked in the belief that the poppy seeds bring good luck and lots of money in the new year.
It is easy and quick to make and the recipe below is very simple to follow. In Hungary we use day-old, dry kifli, a crescent-shaped bread roll, but you can use any type of roll or bread.