Kuglof

Kuglof

Buttery and delicately sweet Kuglof is traditional to the region of Alsace in northeastern France. This sweet enriched bread that is similar to a brioche is filled with brandy soaked dried fruits
and made with our Stardust 00 and whole wheat flours. A great companion with your morning cup of coffee this holiday!

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

Yield: Two 8-inch kuglof loaves; OR one large Bundt pan loaf

Ingredients:
Tangzhong:
30g BSM Stardust 00 flour
130g whole milk

Dough:
200g whole milk
28g sugar
8g instant yeast
40g milk powder
7g fine sea salt
1 large egg + 2 yolks (room temp)
260g BSM Stardust 00 flour
100g BSM Stardust whole wheat flour
4g ground cloves
zest of two large oranges
162g unsalted butter (softened)
200g assorted dried fruits (soaked in water or brandy)
(combo of chopped apricots, cherries, and raisins used in this recipe)
brandy (optional)

Garnish:
reserved brandy syrup
confectioner’s sugar

Strain the dried fruits in the brandy or water overnight. Strain well, reserving the brandy or water soak for syrup, and set aside before starting the dough.

To make the Tangzhong:
In a small sauce pan, weigh 130g of whole milk and 30g flour. Whisk out any lumps and continuously whisk over medium heat until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.

In a standup mixer, add the Tangzhong, 200g cold milk, and sugar. Whisk to dissolve and to allow the hot Tangzhong to cool from the cold milk. Add in the yeast and whisk to dissolve. Let stand for 15 min to allow the yeast to bloom. Add the eggs to the liquid mixture.

Measure both flours, milk powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the yeasted liquid and switch to the dough hook for 12-15 min on medium-high speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. The dough will be sticky.
Allow to rest for 10 min. Add the butter half at a time while using the dough hook on medium speed. Once all the butter is added, continue on medium-high speed for 5 min. Do a windowpane test. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for 20 min to relax the gluten.

Lightly spray your work surface with pan spray, and reverse the dough on the surface. Gently flatten out the dough and fold in the soaked dried fruit. Give the dough several turns and folds to pick up the fruit bits, making sure to distribute the fruit evenly throughout the dough.

Use a clear plastic container or bowl that is more than twice the size of the dough ball. Spray the container lightly with pan spray to prevent sticking. Place the dough ball in the container seam side down and cover with plastic food wrap. The dough should double in size in the
refrigerator overnight (8 hours or so), as this allows the dough a long cold bulk fermentation for the flour to fully hydrate.

(**Note: This can be made the same day: 2-2 1⁄2 hours bulk ferment at room temperature after adding in the fruit, or when doubled in size. A 75°F room temp is best for the dough to rise properly. Remember, temperature is an ingredient in bread making!)

Remove dough from fridge and let stand for 15min if proofed overnight.
Reverse onto a lightly sprayed work surface once more. De-gas the dough by pressing the dough down to release any bubbles. Begin to shape into a log about 10- inch long. Shape into a wreath and place into a well sprayed Kuglof pan or Bundt pan for its final proof. Repeat this process with the second Kuglof pan if making two, and proof for about 1-1/2 hrs.
(**Note: Be sure to divide the dough out evenly before shaping and placing into the Kuglof pan
if making two loaves. Each dough ball should weigh 650g.)

Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Once the dough has risen slightly above the rim of the pan, give the dough a poke test. If it springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof. If it holds an indentation, it is ready to bake.
Place the kuglof onto a sheet tray, and bake for 30-35 min, depending on your oven. The loaves should reach at least 195°F when done. Remove the loaves from the pans soon after removing from the oven. Cool completely onto a cooling rack.

Using the reserved soaking brandy or water, weigh out equal parts sugar to the weight of the brandy liquid. Dissolve the sugar and brandy into a small sauce pan to create a syrup. Brush the loaves with the brandy syrup, followed by rolling into a tray of powdered sugar to coat very generously. Slice and enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot holiday beverage!
Tip: If the powdered sugar begins to sog out a bit over time, simply cover with more powdered sugar as this will create a sugary coating. Be sure the bread has cooled completely before the initial coating.
Happy baking this holiday season!