Kouglof Recipes

TRADITIONAL GUGELHUPF (KUGELHOPF)

Steps:

• Butter a 8.5 inch Kugelhopf pan (8 to 9 cup capacity).Place the raisins and rum in a small bowl, stir to combine, and let the raisins soak for at least an hour or overnight. Place the lukewarm cream in a bowl or cup and stir in the yeast along with one tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until nice and frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter, lard (if using) and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined. Add egg yolks and beat until combined. Add half of the flour and yeast mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining half of the flour and yeast mixture and the salt and mix until combined. Once the mixture comes together continue to knead with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. If the mixture is too dry, add some additional egg yolk. If it's too wet, add some additional flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm place (like a warm oven) to rise for up to two hours or until doubled in size.
• Roll out onto clean non-stick work surface. Press or roll out to for a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle evenly with the raisins and almonds. Roll it up from the widest side. Bring the ends together to form a circle, pressing the ends together, and place it into the Kugelhopf mold. Press gently down to ensure the dough is evenly spread in the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm place (like a warm oven) to rise for about another hour or until the dough has risen just barely above the mold. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 F.Bake the Gugelhupf until it is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.Serve immediately. Best eaten the same day. To store leftovers, wrap well in plastic wrap (will keep up to 3 days) or freeze. (See blog post for ideas on how to use leftover Kugelhopf.)

KUGELHOPF

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast with the sugar in the warm water and let it proof.
• Sift the flour, putting 2 cups in each of two bowls.
• Set one bowl aside.
• Work together 2 cups of flour and the soft butter (this may be done in the electric mixer).
• Mix in the salt and the eggs, one at a time, beating until very thoroughly incorporated.
• In alternate batches, add the remaining 2 cups flour and the yeast mixture.
• Mix in the electric mixer or with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended and elastic, then stir in the raisins.
• Put in a large, lightly floured bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down.
• Heavily butter a standard 10-inch Kugelhoph mold or a 10-inch tube pan and sprinkle half the sliced almonds around the bottom of the mold (the butter will make them adhere).
• Pour or spoon half the dough into the mold, sprinkle in the rest of the almonds, and add the remaining dough.
• Let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 475 degrees F.
• for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until nicely browned, about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for 3 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a cooling rack.

KUGELHOPF

Steps:

• Stir together yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Heat milk with 6 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar over low heat, stirring, until mixture is warm (105 to 115°F), butter is melted, and sugar is dissolved.
• Sift together flour and salt into bowl of standing mixer. Make a well in flour and add yeast mixture. Add warm milk in a slow stream, mixing at low speed with paddle attachment. Increase speed to medium and beat in eggs 1 at a time, then beat in raisins and zest. Continue to beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.)
• Butter kugelhopf mold with remaining tablespoon butter. Put 1 almond in each depression in bottom of mold (the almonds are only decorative; you can skip them altogether if your mold has no depressions), then scrape spoonfuls of dough evenly into mold (dough will be very elastic). Cover top of mold with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm place until it fills pan, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Remove towel from kugelhopf and gently peel off plastic wrap. Bake kugelhopf in middle of oven 15 minutes, then loosely cover mold with foil and continue to bake until golden and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes more. Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert cake onto a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners sugar.