Step-by-Step Cakes by DK Publishing

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Kugelhopf

Dark raisins and chopped almonds are baked into this classic kugelhopf,

an Alsatian favorite. A dusting of confectioner’s sugar hints at the sweet filling.

Method

1 Bring the milk just to a boil in a saucepan,

pour

1

⁄ 4 cup of it into a bowl, and let cool to

lukewarm. Add the sugar and butter to the

milk in the pan and stir until melted. Let cool.

2 Sprinkle the yeast over the^1 ⁄ 4 cup milk and

let stand for 5 minutes until dissolved,

stirring once. Sift the flour and salt into the

bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough

hook. Add the dissolved yeast, eggs, and

the butter mixture.

3 Gradually draw in the flour and work it

into the other ingredients to form a smooth

dough. Knead for 5–7 minutes, until very

elastic. It should be very sticky. Cover with a

damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm

place for 1–1½ hours, until doubled in bulk.

4 Meanwhile, grease the mold with butter.

Freeze the mold until the butter is hard

(about 10 minutes) then butter it again. Pour

boiling water over the raisins and allow to

plump up.

5 Knock back the dough lightly with your

hand to push out the air. Drain the raisins,

reserving 7 of them, and knead the rest into

the dough with the chopped almonds.

Arrange the reserved raisins and whole

almonds in the bottom of the mold.

6 Drop the dough into the mold, cover with

a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm

place until it comes just above the top of the

mold. It should take about 30–40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) when the

bread has risen.

7 Bake the kugelhopf until puffed and

brown, and the bread starts to shrink from

the side of the mold, 45–50 minutes. Let it

cool slightly. Turn out on to a wire rack and

let cool completely. Just before serving, sift

over the confectioner’s sugar.

STORE The kugelhopf will keep in an airtight

container for 3 days.

BAKER’S TIP

This dough is very sticky. It is natural to want

to add more flour, in order to make it look

more like a conventional dough. However,

this would be a mistake, as it would make

the kugelhopf tough.

Rising and proofing time

2–2^1 ⁄ 2 hrs

Special equipment

10 cup kugelhopf or ring mold

Ingredients

(^2) ⁄ 3 cup milk
2 tbsp sugar
11 tbsp unsalted butter, diced,
plus extra for greasing
1 tbsp dried yeast
33 ⁄ 4 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs (at room temperature), beaten
(^1) ⁄ 2 cup (3oz) raisins
(^1) ⁄ 3 cup (2oz) blanched almonds, chopped,
plus 7 whole blanched almonds
confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
MAKES
1 RING
45–50
MINS
45–50
MINS
UP TO 8
WEEKS