Mákos Guba: Baked Poppy Seed Bread Pudding

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Hungarian comfort with a tender, custard-set center and a fragrant poppy seed crunch.
• Uses humble, day-old bread for a zero-waste dessert that tastes bakery-worthy.
• Make-ahead friendly and easy to scale for holidays and gatherings.
• Balanced sweetness and lemon-vanilla aroma keep every bite bright and cozy.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 lemon
• Dairy: Whole milk, eggs, unsalted butter
• Pantry: Day-old rolls or baguette/kifli, blue poppy seeds, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, fine sea salt, optional honey, raisins, dark rum

Full Ingredients

Bread and Pan

• 400 g day-old Hungarian kifli or plain white rolls/baguette, sliced into 1 cm (3/8 inch) rings (about 8 cups loosely packed)
• 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, divided (1 tbsp for greasing, 2 tbsp melted for drizzling)

Vanilla–Lemon Custard

• 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp)

Poppy Seed Mixture

• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) blue poppy seeds, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins, soaked in warm water or 1 tbsp dark rum, then drained (optional)

To Finish

• 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, for dusting

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and bread

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×13 inch (3 L) baking dish with 1 tbsp butter. Slice day-old kifli or rolls into 1 cm rings. If the bread is not quite dry, spread slices on a sheet pan and bake for 8–10 minutes to gently dry without browning. This helps the bread absorb custard without turning mushy.

Step 2: Grind poppy seeds and prep add-ins

Grind the poppy seeds in a poppy seed grinder or clean coffee/spice grinder until they look damp and mealy, not whole. In a small bowl, mix the ground poppy seeds with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar and the honey, if using. If you like raisins, soak them in hot water (or 1 tbsp rum) for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Step 3: Make a warm vanilla–lemon custard

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Heat over medium until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, 3–5 minutes; do not boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. While whisking constantly, slowly ladle in about 1 cup of the hot milk to temper the eggs. Whisk the warmed eggs back into the saucepan. The custard should be smooth and pourable.

Step 4: Soak the bread rings quickly

Add the bread rings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm custard over the bread and gently toss with a spatula to coat every slice. Let stand for 5 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard but still holds its shape.

Step 5: Combine with poppy seeds and fill the dish

Sprinkle the poppy seed mixture over the soaked bread and fold gently until the seeds are evenly distributed. Fold in the raisins if using. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading into an even layer. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tbsp melted butter.

Step 6: Bake until set and fragrant

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center is just set (a knife inserted near the center should come out moist but without liquid custard). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes to finish setting.

Step 7: Finish and serve warm

Dust generously with powdered sugar. Serve warm as is, or with a drizzle of warm milk or a spoonful of lightly sweetened custard sauce. Mákos guba is lovely with coffee or tea.

Pro Tips

• Stale is key: If your bread is fresh, dry it briefly in the oven so it soaks custard evenly without turning soggy.
• Grind the poppy seeds: Whole seeds will taste flat and can be gritty. Grinding releases their fragrant oils and creates a velvety texture.
• Temper patiently: Add hot milk to eggs slowly while whisking to avoid curdling. The custard should never boil.
• Balance the soak: The bread should be saturated but still hold its ring shape. If it looks dry after 5 minutes, splash in 2–4 tbsp extra warm milk.
• Zest first, then juice: Only the zest is used here; it perfumes the custard without adding extra liquid.

Variations

• Classic milk-soaked: Skip the eggs for a looser, traditional version. Use 3 1/2 cups milk and a touch more sugar; bake just until warmed through.
• Orange and rum-raisin: Swap lemon zest for orange zest and add 1–2 tbsp dark rum to the custard. Fold in rum-soaked raisins.
• Apricot-glazed: Warm 1/4 cup apricot jam and brush over the baked top before dusting with sugar for a glossy, tangy finish.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, at 300°F (150°C) for 10–15 minutes or until warmed through. Freeze well-wrapped for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above. For prep-ahead, slice and dry the bread up to 24 hours in advance. You can assemble the whole dish up to 4 hours ahead, cover, refrigerate, then bake—add 5 minutes to the bake time. For best flavor, grind poppy seeds just before assembling.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 8 servings (without optional raisins/honey): 405 calories; 18 g fat; 52 g carbohydrates; 12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 28 g sugars; 220 mg sodium.