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Kouglof (Sweet brioche with raisins and almonds)

A home-style Kouglof (Sweet brioche with raisins and almonds) made with Fresh Yeast, Milk Boiled, Fine Salt, Flour, and Butter. Scale it up or down for the number of people at the table.

Ingredients

• 25 g
• 120 ml
• 15 g
• 500 g
• 350 g
• 75 g

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Put the yeast and the milk in the bowl of your mixer and beat lightly.

2. 2

   Add the salt, then the flour and the eggs.

3. 3

   If you are making it by hand, use a spatula and work the dough for about 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Mix together the butter and sugar, reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the butter mixture to the dough, a little at a time, working the dough continuously.

5. 5

   When all the butter is incorporated, increase the speed and mix for 8 to 10 minutes in the mixer or about 15 minutes by hand, until the dough is very smooth and glossy.

6. 6

   Cover the dough with a baking sheet and leave it in a warm place (about 24

7. 7

   C/75 F) for 2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk.

8. 8

   Cover it with a baking tray and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but not loner than 24 hours.

9. 9

   Put the raisins in a bowl with the rum, cover with clingfilm and leave to macerate for several hours.

10. 10

    Generously butter the mould and place one-third of the almonds in the bottom of the ridges.

11. 11

    On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a narrow rectangle long enough to line the bottom of the mould.

12. 12

    Chop the remaining almonds and strew them and the rum-soaked raisins over the dough.

13. 13

    Roll out the dough into a fat sausage shape, pressing it firmly together.

14. 14

    Arrange it round the bottom of the mould and press down lightly.

15. 15

    Seal the two edges together with a very little egg yolk-milk-mixture.

16. 16

    Leave in a warm place (about 25 C/77 F) for about 2 1/2 hours, until the dough has risen to three-quarters fill the mould.

17. 17

    Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F.

18. 18

    Bake the kouglof in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 200 C/400 F and cook for another 35 minutes.

19. 19

    If it is becoming to brown towards the end, cover it with greaseproof paper.

20. 20

    Invert the hot kouglof on to a wire rack, carefully remove the mould and return it to the oven for 5 minutes so that the centre finishes cooking and becomes ligthly coloured.

21. 21

    Leave to cool for at leat 2 hours before serving.

22. 22

    Lightly sprinkle with icing sugar.

23. 23

    Kouglof freezes very well once cooked.

24. 24

    Wrap in a plastic bag and freeze; it will keep for several weeks.