INGREDIENTS
150ml (5fl oz) milk
2 tbsp sugar
150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
20g (¾oz) fresh yeast or 1¼ tbsp active dry yeast
500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
100g (3½oz) raisins
100g (3½oz) blanched almonds icing sugar, for dusting
Method
- Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan. If using fresh yeast, measure 4 tablespoons of the milk into a cup and leave to cool until lukewarm. Add the sugar and butter to the remaining milk in the pan and stir until the butter has melted. Allow to cool.
- Crumble the fresh yeast into the lukewarm milk in the cup and stir until dissolved. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the yeasty milk, the eggs, and the milk-and-butter mixture. Knead to make a soft dough, using a handmixer fitted with dough hooks. Continue to knead for 5–7 minutes until it is elastic and sticky, and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1–1½ hours or until doubled in volume.
- Meanwhile, butter the mould and freeze for about 10 minutes until the butter is hard, then butter again. Pour boiling water over the raisins and leave to soak.
- Knock back the dough with your hands. Drain the raisins, reserving 7 of them. Reserve 7 blanched almonds and chop the rest, then knead into the dough along with the raisins. Arrange the reserved raisins and whole almonds at the bottom of the mould. Put the dough into the mould, cover with a tea towel, and leave to prove in a warm place for 30–40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5).
- Bake the gugelhupf in the hot oven for 45–50 minutes until nicely risen and golden brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool slightly in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
TIP
The dough for gugelhupf must be soft and sticky. Resist the temptation to knead in more flour for a firmer dough.