Kouglof (Gugelhupf)
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5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
Kouglof (Gugelhupf)
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Kouglof (or Gugelhupf) is a traditional Alsatian cake, baked in a distinctive circular mold that has a round hole in the middle.
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Ingredients
For the dough
- 4 cups flour , sifted
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 5 tablespoons caster sugar
- 5 oz. whole eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk , at 97 F / 36°C
- 12 tablespoons semi-salted butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
For the maceration of the raisins and the soaking syrup
- 6 cups water , at 97 F / 36°C
- 2 cups caster sugar
- Zest of an orange
- zest of a lemon
- 1 vanilla pod , split in half lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons amber rum
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 4 oz. currants
For baking
- soft unsalted butter
- flour
- 3 tablespoons slivered almonds (or whole almonds)
- 1 large egg yolk , mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk
Topping
- icing sugar
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Kugelhopf mold
- pastry brush
Instructions
Dough
- Dissolve the yeast in 5 tablespoons of lukewarm whole milk. Set aside.
- Sift the flour over the bowl of a stand mixer and dig a hole in the center.
- Pour the sugar over the flour, around the edges of the bowl.
- Pour the milk and yeast mixture into the center of the well, and start the stand mixer at medium speed, fitted with the dough hook.
- Add the eggs one by one, then the milk, while the stand mixer is still on.
- Add the salt and knead at high speed for 3 minutes to smooth the dough and allow it to come away from the sides of the bowl.
- Gradually add the soft butter and knead until fully incorporated.
- Reserve the dough in the bowl and cover it. Place it in a warm place away from drafts for about 1 hour so that it can rise. It should at least double in size.
Maceration of the raisins and soaking syrup
- In a container, mix 1 quart (1 liter) of water and the amber rum and immerse the raisins in it for 30 minutes to macerate and rehydrate them.
- Drain them and set aside.
- Pour the remaining 2 cups (500 ml) of water into a saucepan and add the sugar, zest and seeds and the vanilla pod.
- Bring to the boil and cook at a low boil for 5 minutes then remove from the heat and add the dark rum off the heat. Leave to cool completely and reserve this syrup for soaking.
Baking
- Butter and flour a kouglof mold. Tap to remove excess flour.
- Drain the currants and add them to the dough that has risen.
- Knead at medium speed for 2 minutes to incorporate the raisins until obtaining a homogeneous mixture.
- Add the slivered almonds into the bottom of the mold and pour the batter to ¾.
- Let rise again for 30 minutes until the dough has reached the edges of the mold.
- Preheat the convection oven to 350 F (180°C).
- Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the dough with the egg yolk and milk mixture.
- Bake the kouglof for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- After 30 minutes of baking, check for doneness with a sharp knife. If necessary, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, reducing the temperature so as not to burn the crust.
- When the kouglof is baked, let it cool before unmolding it on a cooling rack to avoid breaking it.
Assembly
- Soak the cake with cooled syrup.
- Arrange the kouglof in a dish and sprinkle it with icing sugar.
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Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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