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Kugelhopf

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Kugelhopf
Kugelhopf is a golden yeast coffee cake which is baked in a fluted Kugelhopf pan, although a Bundt pan can be substituted, and is traditionally served for breakfast or afternoon tea. This basic Kugelhopf is light and fragrant, made with almonds and and lots of cherry kirschwasser or brandy soaked raisins.
Recipe type: Dessert | Yeast Bread | Fruit Bread
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: 10 Cup Kugelhopf or Fluted Tube Pan Pan Prep: Greased Oven Temp: 350° Yield: One Cake Storage: Tightly Wrapped, Room Temperature

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Ingredients
Dough:
  • ¾ cups raisins
  • 2 tablespoons Kirschwasser brandy, Grand Marnier liqueur or brandy
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
  • ½ cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees) (preferably whole milk)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
Topping:
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons confectioner's (powdered) sugar
Instructions
Dough:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the raisins and brandy or liqueur. Set aside to let the raisins soak.
  2. In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and warm milk; stir and let sit until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and lemon zest; with an electric mixer on medium speed beat the butter and lemon zest about 1 minute until it is smooth and light in color. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix thoroughly. Add the yeast mixture and mix thoroughly.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add about one half of the flour mixture, mix until the flour is completely blended. Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula, and add the rest of the flour; mix until completely blended. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 10 minutes longer. The dough will be very soft.
  6. Place dough in a well greased bowl. Cover bowl with a small kitchen towel and let dough rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
  7. Stir the dough down, cover, and let rise again until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. This second rise improves the texture and takes less time, however this rise is optional.
  8. Prepare one 10 cup Kugelhopf pan or one 9 inch Bundt pan; generously grease the pan with shortening. Sprinkle the slivered almonds evenly in the bottom of the pan.
  9. Stir the dough down. Stir the raisins and soaking brandy or liqueur, and chopped blanched almonds into the dough. Spoon the dough into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise is a warm place until doubled in size, and dough almost reaches the top of the pan, 1 to 2 hours.
  10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  11. Bake: Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover with a sheet of foil about halfway through the baking time if the surface begins to brown too quickly. Remove pan from oven, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove Kugelhopf from the pan and finish cooling on a wire cooling rack.
Topping:
  1. Before serving, use a fine-mesh sieve to dust the top of cake with confectioner’s sugar.