Gugelhopf
- 1 cup raisins
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast or
- 1¾ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¼ cup warm (105°F to 110°F) water
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pure lemon oil or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions:
This beautiful sweet bread (sometimes called kugelhopf)
can be found year-round at bakeries in northern Europe.
- Place the raisins in a small bowl and stir in the rum. Let stand for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- To make the sponge, in a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast.
- In a small saucepan or a microwave, heat the milk to 105°F to 110°F. Stir the warmed milk into the yeast mixture. Add 1 cup of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 100 strokes. (This helps develop gluten and improves the cake’s texture.) Scrape down the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until the sponge doubles in volume, about 1½ hours.
- Butter a 10-inch gugelhopf mold (or use a plain or fluted tube pan) well. Drain the raisins well (if you like you can save any drained rum to use in the glaze) and set aside.
- To make the gugelhopf, using a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle blade, set on high speed, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, then the salt, lemon oil, and lemon zest. The mixture will be soupy. Reduce the speed to low. Scrape the sponge into the butter mixture. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 cups flour, ½ cup at a time, to make a thick batter. Beat for about 10 minutes. The batter will feel sticky, look elastic, and cling to the sides of the bowl. Beat in the raisins just until incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the batter rises to the top of the pan, about 1¼ hours.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven heated to 350°F. Bake until the top is golden brown and a long wooden skewer inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the mold and the tube to release the bread. Unmold onto the rack and cool completely.
- To make the glaze, in a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the rum until very smooth. Place the cooled bread on the wire rack placed over a piece of waxed paper. Pour the glaze over the top and around the sides of the bread, then thinly spread the glaze all over the bread with a pastry brush. Immediately sprinkle the almonds over the wet glaze, patting them if necessary to adhere. Allow the glaze to set, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.