The Christmas Kugelhupf or Gugelhupf is a traditional Austrian and German leavened dessert.
The original version uses raisins in the dough, but over time there have been variations like the one I propose.
This dessert seems to have been known to the Romans in ancient times, due to the discovery of a mold dating back to that period.
I don’t have precise information, but I think that after that discovery, due to commercial exchanges between various states, the shape of the mold spread and then the typical dessert.
The Gugelhupf with its classic twist shape obtained from the classic donut mold.
Variations of this dessert include raisins, but also candied fruits and almonds on the surface of the cake, but since I do not like these ingredients, I omitted them and also the almonds, which are very good for many recipes, but in the decoration, I avoided.
A yeast that stays soft in a plastic bag for at least 3-4 days.
If you have the opportunity, I recommend using a stand mixer for kneading, otherwise, put in some elbow grease and do everything by hand.
The shape of my cake is not perfect, but this is because it had risen a lot and therefore exceeded the mold, but I assure you it was truly a spectacle of taste and softness.
If you make this or any other recipes on my blog, send me the photo, if you would like, I will post it on my Facebook page in your name.
About 304 Kcal per person
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: German
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
Ingredients for Making Christmas Kugelhupf or Gugelhupf
- 2.7 oz water
- 0.5 cup flour w300
- 0.5 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup flour w300
- 1.8 oz whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 4.6 oz sugar
- 5.3 oz butter
- zest of 1 orange
- 2.1 oz dark chocolate chips (or raisins and candied orange)
- 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla
- 3 tablespoons rum
- 1.3 cups flour w300
- 0.7 oz powdered sugar
- 1 Mold Gugelhupf mold
Preparation of Christmas Kugelhupf or Gugelhupf
Let’s start by preparing the starter dough by placing the water, yeast, flour, and honey in a small bowl, mixing well, covering with cling film, and allowing it to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Once the starter dough is ready, prepare the stand mixer, pour in the starter, add the egg whites, flour, milk, and a pinch of salt required for the first dough.
Work for a few minutes at low speed with the flat beater.
Once the dough is obtained, let it rest in the mixer for about 15 minutes before continuing with the addition of the other ingredients.
Continue processing with the ingredients for the second and final dough, adding one egg yolk at a time, making sure to mix a little between each yolk.
Add the sugar in two portions, always mixing, then add the liquid vanilla, rum, and half of the flour and mix well.
Soften the butter, grate the orange zest and mix it into the butter, then add it to the dough in two stages.
Finally, add the remaining flour and replace the flat beater with the dough hook, and work for a few minutes at low speed, then increase slightly, but the dough should work for at least 20 minutes.
If we see the dough seems to warm up, turn off the machine for a few minutes and then resume mixing.
Finally, add the dark chocolate chips and work the dough just long enough to incorporate them, otherwise if mixed too much, the chocolate will turn the dough brown.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it rise for 3-4 hours, or alternatively, let it rise for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 6-10 hours, and once the time has passed, take it out of the fridge and continue rising.
Once risen, transfer the dough to a floured work surface
….make folds in the dough, repeating the operation twice.
Form a ball closed at the bottom, create a log….
place it in the typical donut mold for this dessert, pressing with your hands to fill all the spaces well.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 3 hours, the dough should come to half a finger from the edge of the mold… mine went a little beyond.
Once risen, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes, checking the cooking.
In the oven, place the cake not in the middle, but on the 2nd shelf, just one notch lower.
Once baked, let it cool completely, then turn it over onto a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar.
