Kugelhopf Recipe

100 g

15 ml

15 ml

120 ml

115 g

90 g

3

1

5 ml

2.5 ml

425 g

120 ml

25 g

80 g

Raisins

Kirsch or brandy

Easy blend dried yeast

Lukewarm water

Unsalted butter, at room temperature

Sugar

Eggs, at room temperature

Grated rind of lemon

Salt

Vanilla essence

Strong white flour

Milk

Flaked almonds

Whole blanched almonds, chopped

Icing sugar, for dusting

• In a bowl, combine the raisins and Kirsch or brandy. Combine the yeast and water, stir and leave for 15 minutes.
• Cream the butter and sugar until thick and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the lemon rind, salt and vanilla. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add the flour, alternating with the milk, until well blended. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Grease a 2.75 liter kugelhopf mould, then sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the base. Work the raisins and chopped almonds into the dough, then spoon into the mould. Cover with a polythene bag, and leave to rise in a warm place until the dough almost reaches the top of the tin, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180^oC / 350^oF / Gas 4. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack. Dust the top lightly with icing sugar.