Almond Crowned Kugel Recipes

NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, mix until no lumps of brown sugar remain. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture has a clumpy, crumbly texture. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Cook the noodles for 6 to 8 minutes, or according to package instructions, until tender. Drain well.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the sour cream and softened cream cheese and whisk to combine. Add the half & half, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon, and whisk until completely smooth.
• Spread the cooked noodles evenly in the prepared baking dish. Pour the custard mixture evenly over top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove and discard the foil. The custard should be just set. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top, making sure to cover all the noodles. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes more, until the streusel topping is crisp. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.
• Make Ahead: The kugel and topping can be assembled and stored separately in the fridge up to a day ahead of time, and then baked before serving. (The kugel with the streusel topping may also be fully cooked a day ahead of time and reheated, however the texture will be denser than if baked fresh. To reheat, cover with foil and place in a 325°F oven for 25 minutes; remove and discard the foil, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until warm throughout and crisp on top.)

ALMOND CROWNED KUGEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
• Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for 10 minutes.
• Drain and rinse with cold water.
• In a large bowl, combine the remaining kugel ingredients and stir in the noodles.
• Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Prepare the topping by combining the brown sugar, almonds and melted butter.
• Sprinkle over noodles and bake for 1 hour.

GRANDMA BUSCH'S NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Parboil the noodles (five to seven minutes).
• 2. In a very large bowl beat eggs until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, then the cottage cheese, margarine or butter and vanilla. Stir in the drained noodles.
• 3. Pour into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until kugel is set.
• 4. To make a Cherry Noodle Kugel top the noodle kugel with one can of Cherry Pie filling after the first hour of baking. I like to add a teaspoon of almond extract to my cherry pie filling before spreading over the kugel. Continue baking for 30 minutes.

ORANGE CURRANT NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• In a small bowl soak currants in hot water to cover 5 minutes and drain well.
• In a blender blend together sour cream, cottage cheese, eggs, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, zest, vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.
• In a kettle of salted boiling water cook noodles until just tender, about 5 minutes, and drain well. Peel apple and grate coarse into a bowl. Add noodles and toss with sour cream mixture and currants. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
• In a small bowl stir together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and almonds and sprinkle evenly over kugel. Drizzle top with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• Bake kugel in middle of oven 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.