Poppy Seed Crescent – Mákos Guba
Let’s make it clear … the poppy seed would be considered bordering the illegal in some other countries. The seed of the opium poppy in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe are widely consumed. The sugared, milled mature seeds are eaten with pasta, or are boiled in milk and used as filling or topping on various kinds of sweet pastry.The milling of mature seeds are carried out either industrially or brought a pack at local store and at home manually mill the poppy seeds.
There are two main compositions: the “Poppy Seeds” and the “Kifli” = yeast crescent roll which is a traditional Hungarian and Central European made into a crescednt shape. Not to be confused with French”croissant” in that it’s made from plain breadlike dough, and being more of a roll than pastry.
Not to worry of having to make a fuss dessert, requires no complicated techniques or fancy ingredients. The powerful taste of these tiny black seeds is nicely offset by the lightness and sweetness of milk and honey… Yummy!
It is understandable that those who are doing work where are special regulation and so called food taken as drug containt, instead may replace the poopy seed for a change made with grounded walnuts – Walnut Guba.
The Mákos guba is delicious in both winter and summer after a light lunch or supper. Especially eaten at Xmas and New Years time. People deeply belive that the poppy seeds would bring luck and money in the coming New Year … Same goes in consume lentils at New Year Eve. Just as well symbolozing wealth, either red, brown or black lentil. Here’s a reminder of the receipt by giving a go before New Year Eve. https://rollinginbudapest.com/2020/08/17/hungarian-lentil-soup-with-sausage/
Recipe: Served for 6 person, preparing time: 30 mins, cooking time: 15 mins.
Ingredients: 8-10 bread crescent roll – Kifli, 1/2 litre milk, 1 pack active dry yeast, 3tbs butter, 200g ground poppy seed, 6tbs icing sugar, 4tbs honey, 1tbs vanillia sugar to taste, 1/2 medium size grated lemon zest.
Cooking: Take a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, then add into warm milk vanilla sugar, 2 tbs of honey and 1/2 of the butter. Cut the crescents into slices and roll them into the milk. Adding the grated lemon zest to the ground poppy seed. Add then the icy sugar to it, mix with the milky crescent pieces. Preheat the oven to 180C degree. Place baking sheet in pan and apply with the remaining butter. Fill the pan with the poppy crescents. Bake the guba for ccsa. 5-10mins or see as when the top turns partially brown. The best is when some parts become crunchy-munchy as they bake. Some parts will remain soft as they are marinate in the milk. May serve this warm with adding some extra honey on the top. Fine for lunch or supper.
It is so delicious you would love to eat it not just @ New Year Eve!
Just Good to Know: In the very old days the mother’s gave warm milk with cooked poopy seeds to the babies for them to be peaceful and sleep quickly. To-day some still do at small villages around the regions in Hungary. The Hungarians indeed love this sweetie desert and not affecting to their daily work, but maybe get to go to their beddies earlier.
May also read more about other traditional Hungarian sweeties by visiting previous receipt @ “Q” & “A” Culinary Heritage Into Hungarian Kitchen.
© by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 