I discovered Kugelhopf as a child, in Alsace. It was served in gigantic slices in the morning, and I felt like I was eating dessert for breakfast. This cross between a brioche and a cake is moist, fragrant and not too sweet. Light and pillowy, Kugelhopf is the perfect canvas for butter, jam and honey. Assembling a Kugelhopf is easy, but the dough needs resting time. Start in the morning if you want the Kugelhopf to be ready by teatime.
SERVES 8 TO 10 / MAKES 1 KUGELHOPF
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (24 g) instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
1 tbsp (22 g) honey
½ tsp orange zest
1 tsp salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (205 ml) milk
⅓ cup (80 g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
15 almonds, unsalted
½ cup (125 ml) water plus ½ cup (125 ml) Kirsch (see tip)
½ cup (75 g) raisins
Powdered sugar, for serving
In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, honey, orange zest and salt. Add the egg, egg yolk and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until the ingredients come together into a soft dough. Add in the butter in small additions, and knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, elastic and slightly sticky. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl brushed with the vegetable oil, cover with a cloth and let rise for 3 hours in a warm, dry place.
Meanwhile, grease the Kugelhopf pan with butter (see note). Lay the almonds at the bottom of the pan, in the crease of each ridge. Place the pan in the fridge for the butter to harden and the almonds to set in place. Combine the water, Kirsch and raisins in a bowl. Let them soak for 3 hours, and then drain the raisins and dispose of the liquid.
After the 3 hours, the dough should have doubled in size. Punch it with your fist to release the air and fold in the raisins. Shape the dough into a big ball, poke and enlarge a big hole in the middle to create a ring shape and place it in the bottom of the pan. Cover with a kitchen cloth and let rise for another hour in a warm, dry place.
Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C, or gas mark 3), with a rack in the middle.
Bake the Kugelhopf for 35 to 40 minutes. Take it out of the oven, and immediately flip it upside down onto a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
NOTE: Traditional Kugelhopf molds are made of colorful enameled pottery with a signature ridged pattern. Sadly, they are hard to find outside of Europe, but coated-steel Kugelhopf pans can be found in specialty stores. Alternatively, a bundt cake pan will do the trick.
FRENCH PANTRY TIP: Kirsch is an eau-de-vie made from distilling fermented cherries (pulp, juice and pit included) popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. In Alsace, it is consumed for apéro or as a digestif, and often used in baking.