Kugelhopf

So taking advantage of the fact that I am in Germany and it's cold here, I decided to try a brand new recipe that I had never made before, namely a kugelhopf!! I wasn't disappointed, it turned out to be delicious!

As a warning though, this is a BIG BIG cake so if you're only 2 people, it will take you the week to finish it off but no worries, if you cover it with aluminum paper it lasts and keeps its freshness all week long!

Also it's a bit better to make it on the week-end or when you have a bit of time as it is a bit lengthy to bake.

So here's what you need:

• a good 2h30min

• a bundt pan
• a whip (not electric)
• your hands!! (preferably cleaned!)
• a dish towel
• a big big bowl
• a small bowl

• maximum 1kg (8.5 cups) flour
• 2 eggs
• 40cl ( 1+3/4 cup) milk
• 250g (1 cup) butter
• 200g (1cup) sugar
• 40g (1.4oz) yeast
• 15g (0.5oz) salt
• 125-150g (4.5-5oz) raisins
• 100g (3.5oz) nuts and almonds
• 5cl (3tbsp) Grand Marnier (optional but so much better)

On to the recipe:

• Fill a small bowl with slightly warm water and dump the raisins in it.
• In a big bowl, whip 125g (1 cup) of flour with the yeast and the slightly warm milk.
• Cover it up with the dish towel
• Let it raise for 15-30min

• Soften the butter by putting it in the microwave for a few seconds.
• Remove the raisins from the water and put them on a paper towel.
• Add to the now risen batter, the eggs, the salt, the butter, the sugar, the raisins and the Grand Marnier.
• Mix well.
• Add flour and knead the dough. Add flour until the dough stops attaching to your hands and to the bowl. Depending on how well you do it, you should be able to reach that state after using between 600 and 875g (5-7 cups) of flour.

• Butter well the bundt pan.
• Scatter the almonds and nuts at the bottom of the bundt pan.

• Put the dough in the bundt pan. Try to spread it evenly. Note that it should reach about the 1/2 or 3/4 of the bundt pan. At this stage, the dough should NOT reach the top.
• Cover the bundt pan with the dish towel.
• Let it rise for 1h or so. When the dough reaches the top of the bundt pan, remove the dish towel and let it rise some more.

• Put it in the oven for 45 to 60min at 150°C (300°F).

• Turn the bundt pan over and slightly hit the pan, then remove the cake from the pan. It should remove itself very easily and not stick at all to the pan.
• Let it cool down for 30min.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar on top (or honey or maple syrup)

Doesn't it look delicious?