This week, Maison Kayser Academy takes you to Alsace. Today, Éric Kayser is teaching you how to bake a sweet kouglof.
Either sweet or savoury, it is baked in a baking pan with a central chimney that allows an optimal distribution of the heat in the oven.
So let’s go to the east of France for a sweet treat to be shared with your family or friends.
The ingredients:
275g of flour.
30g of sourdough starter.
140g of butter.
60g of sugar.
6g of salt.
15g of fresh baker’s yeast.
2 eggs.
20g of milk powder.
24 almonds for the decoration almonds.
85g of flaked almonds for the recipe.
70g of raisins.
The utensils:
An electric stand mixer.
Two kouglof’s baking pans.
A dough scraper.
A dough cutter.
A cloth.
The timings:
Kneading: more of less 10 minutes
1st rising: 2 hours
Rest: 30 minutes
Proofing: 3 hours
Baking: 30 minutes à 180°C
The recipe:
Start by adding the liquids ingredients first in the mixer: the eggs and the sourdough starter.
Then, add the baker’s yeast (so, it won’t be damaged by the salt or the sugar), the flour.
Start the mixer.
And add the milk powder, the salt, and the sugar.
Soften the butter a little bit with your hand to make it softened.
Once the dough is well kneaded, add the butter.
Once all these ingredients are well kneaded, add the flaked almonds and the raisins. Not for long, just enough time to incorporate them in the dough without smashing them.
If you want to add a little bit of rum or Kirsch it is the right time.
Floured a little bit the bottom of the mixer before stopping it.
Dust your table with flour.
And put the dough down your floured table.
Check if your dough is well kneaded by forming a ball between your hands.
Fold the dough.
And place it down your mixing bowl.
Cover it with a cloth.
Leave it to rest for 2 hours.
You can put it in the fridge for the night if you want. You just have to let it rise for 2 hours before re-using it.
Put your dough down your floured table.
Divide it into 250g to 300g pieces.
Form two balls with them.
Put some flour on top of each.
Let them rest for 30 minutes.
Place an almond in each groove of your baking pans.
Use your elbow (or palm) and pierce the middle of your doughs.
Take the edges away.
Place them on the baking pans, the seam should be on top, and pressed them a little bit inside.
Let them proof for 3 hours at room temperature.
They should have doubled, reach the edge of the baking pan.
Put them into the oven for 30 minutes at 180°C.
If you want, you can dust them with icing sugar for decoration.
And get caught by the flavours of these sweet Alsatian treat.
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