This is a newspaper clipping with the date unknown, but I believe it’s from around the 1960’s. Recipe is typed out below as well as a scanned copy (click to view a larger copy).

Hungarian Christmas Bread

Preheat oven to 350, 20 minutes before loaves are ready to bake.

Dough

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/3 cup very warm water
2 pkgs. or cakes yeast, dry or compressed
5 1/2 cups (about) sifted flour
grated rind of 2 lemons (2 tbsps.)

Filling

2 cups ground poppy seeds
2 cups sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup milk
grated rind of 2 lemons (2 tbsps.)
1/8 tsp. powdered saffron (optional)
1 egg, beaten

Scald milk; stir in sugar, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. Measure water into large bowl; sprinkle or crumble in yeast to dissolve. Stir in milk mixture.

Add 3 cups flour and lemon rind; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Put in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides.

Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

TO PREPARE FILLING: Combine poppy seeds, sugar, raisins, milk, lemon rind and saffron. Mix well.

Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat about 10 minutes or until thick enough to spread. The mixture thickens on standing.

Punch dough down; divide into 4 equal parts; roll out each portion into rectangle 1/4-inch thick. Spread each rectangle with 2/3 cup filling and roll up jelly roll style.

Place on greased baking sheets, seam side down; brush with half the beaten egg. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 30 minutes.

Brush with remaining beaten egg. Bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool.

Yields 4 loaves.