KUGELHOPF with ALMONDS

Kugelhopf is a very traditional yeasted cake enjoyed throughout much of Europe, though it originated in Austria. You need to have a tall, decorative wavy ring mould to make an authentic kugelhopf. When you remove the baked cake from the mould, it has a regal ring shape, like a crown — and inside you’ll find a bready, mildly sweet, vanilla-flavoured cake dotted with raisins and decorated with roasted almonds. We think it’s a perfect breakfast cake, but you can eat it all day really — all year round! It makes great toast, if it lasts the day.

Serves 15

110 ml (3½ fl oz) milk

240 g (8½ oz) unsalted butter

110 g (4 oz/ ½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

zest of 2 oranges

18 g (½ oz) compressed fresh yeast

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) bakers’ flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs

100 g (3½ oz) raisins

30 g (1 oz) almonds

BRANDY GLAZE

75 g (2½ oz/ ¹/₃ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

70 ml (2¼ fl oz) boiling water

30 ml (1 fl oz) brandy

Put the milk in a saucepan and warm to body temperature. Add the butter and sugar and continue to cook until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and add the orange zest, yeast and vanilla seeds.

Sift the flour, salt and spices into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and make a well in the centre. With the mixer on low, slowly add the milk mixture. Increase the speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing for 6 minutes, until the dough is silky smooth and elastic.

Add the raisins and mix briefly to combine.

Grease a 10 x 23 x 8 cm deep (4 x 9 x 3¼ inch) kugelhopf mould. Arrange the almonds in the bottom of the tin. Add the dough and press it evenly into the mould.

Set aside in a warm, damp, place for 2 hours, or until the dough comes three-quarters of the way up the tin.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F).

Bake the cake for 50 minutes, placing a tray over the tin halfway through baking. To check that it is cooked, pierce the cake with a skewer; if it comes out clean it is ready.

While the cake is in the oven, make the brandy glaze. Put the sugar in a small bowl, add the boiling water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool, then stir in the brandy.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack with a plate underneath.

Liberally brush half the syrup over the cake with a pastry brush. Leave for a few minutes, then brush the remaining syrup over. Leave to cool completely before slicing.

Your cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.