Classic kougelhopf

For the recent November afternoon tea I tried for the first time to bake a classic kougelhopf cake using a flour mix from my Summer vacation to Alsace. As you can see from the photos this cake outgrow the available silicone form !!!! So next time I should only take half the volume mentioned in the recipe on the flour mix.

My good friends from Horsens and I discussed flavour combination for Christmas version of the kougelhopf, so look in again in December to see these suggestion and if I have been able to tame the dough !!!

This cake reminds me about the Italian pantone cake in both taste and texture. It really taste excellent, so I have to buy of this kougelhopf flour mix next time I am in Alsace or perhaps find an "original" recipe ?

Classic kougelhopf: - 1 extreme big cake

• 500 g kougelhopf flour mix
• 80 g raisins
• 22 g fresh yeast
• 240 g water
• almonds for top decoration

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water in the mixing bowl.
2. Add in the flour mix, knead the dough on stand alone mixer, first 3 minutes on speed 1 followed by 10 minutes on speed 4.
3. Add in the raisin and knead until they are distributed homogeneously in the dough.
4. Let the dough raise at 20'C for 1 hour.
5. Place almonds in the bottom of the kougelhopf form. Place the dough in the form on top of the almonds.
6. Let the dough raise in the form at 30'C for 1½ hour.
7. Heat up the oven (conventional) to 160'C.
8. Bake the kougelhopf in the lower of the oven at 160'C for 50-60 minutes.
9. Cool down the cake, before it is removed from the form.