The Friday Baking Project Kugelhopf

Yield: 1 9″ Kugelhopf

# of Servings: 10

Ingredients:
½ oz (2 envelopes / 5 tsp) active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water, 102 °F to 108 °F

4 cups less 2 tbl (18 oz / 510 g) bread or all-purpose flour

¼ cup + 1 tbl (2.3 oz / 65 g) sugar
1 ½ tsp (.3 oz / 9 g) salt
¼ cup (2 fl. oz) milk, warm, approximately 90 °F

4 eggs
½ cup milk (4 fl. oz), warm, approximately 90 °F

8 oz (16 tbl) butter, room temperature, approximately 72 °F
1 ¼ cups (6 oz / 170 g) raisins, golden or dark

16 whole blanched almonds (.75 oz / optional

Soft butter for greasing the mold or baker’s spray

Special equipment needed:

• 1 Kugelhopf mold, 9″ diameter, 4 ½” high, or any Bundt mold with a 12-cup capacity
• Standing mixer and dough hook attachment

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Two hours before starting recipe, remove butter from the refrigerator
• In microwave or stovetop, heat ¾ cup of milk. It will be used in two places in the recipe.

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water.  Set aside in warm place. 
2. In small bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in the milk.
3. Place flour in bowl of standing mixer. Make a well, and pour in the sugar/salt solution. Cover with flour.
4. Add the yeast and stir with heavy wooden spoon or spatula.
5. On low speed using the dough hook attachment, add 3 of the eggs and the milk and begin mixing. Once the dough starts to come together, add the remaining egg. Knead for 12 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl in 3-minute intervals.
6. Continuing with the dough hook in low speed, add the soft butter in 4 stages, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each. In the final stage, as the butter is mostly mixed in, add the raisins and mix until a homogenous dough. Remove from mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom.
7. Let rise in warm, not hot, place until double in bulk.
8. Push dough down and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the dough. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Push dough down. Keep plastic wrap pressed against the dough. Refrigerate overnight.

Forming the Kugelhopf:    

1. If using butter for the inside of the Kugelhopf mold, brush it well with very soft butter¹. If using, baker’s spray with flour (do not use regular cooking spray) spray all around the inside of the mold.  Use a pastry brush on any spots with excess spray.
2. If using whole blanched almonds, place one the bottom of each groove in the mold (see photo below).
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, push down to compress the dough.
4. Roll the dough into an 18″ long by 2 ½” thick roll. Coil the dough into a circle, pinch the ends together.
5. Place in the molds, and push gently down to eliminate any air pockets.  
6. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise. Allow it to rise until the dough just reaches the top of the pan. Time will depend on the room’s temperature.

Baking and finishing the Kugelhopf:

1. About 10 minutes before dough is finished rising, preheat the oven to 375 °F. 
2. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 °F. Continue baking for 35 to 37 minutes longer (total baking time is between 40 and 42 minutes), until the top is golden brown and the dough has reached 205 °F on an instant read thermometer.
3. Remove pan from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Place cooling rack over the Kugelhopf pan, and using pot holders or a kitchen towels, flip the pan upside down to release the Kugelhopf. Allow it cool right side up.
4. Once cool, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Slice with serrated knife.

Baking Notes:

1. Kugelhopf pans are available at Amazon – Amazon.com: Fox Run Kugelhopf Pan, 8.5-Inch, Preferred Non-Stick: Bundt Pans: Home & Kitchen