INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation, dough Put the yeast and the milk in the bowl of your
mixer and beat lightly. Add the salt, then the flour and the eggs.
Switch the mixer on to medium speed and work the mixture with the
dough hook for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and  elastic
with plenty of body. If you are making it by hand, use a  spatula and
work the dough for about 20 minutes. 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. 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. It should be supple and  fairly elastic and
will be coming away from the sides of the bowl.  Cover the dough with a
baking sheet and leave it in a warm place  (about 24 C/75 F) for 2
hours, until it has doubled in bulk. Knock  back the dough by punching
it with your fist not more than 2 or 3  times. Cover it with a baking
tray and refrigerate for at least 4  hours, but not loner than 24
hours.  Preparation, raisins: Put the raisins in a bowl with the rum,
cover  with clingfilm and leave to macerate for several hours.
Moulding Generously butter the mould and place one-third of the
almonds in the bottom of the ridges. On a lightly floured surface,
roll out the chilled dough into a narrow rectangle long enough to  line
the bottom of the mould. Chop the remaining almonds and strew  them and
the rum-soaked raisins over the dough. Roll out the dough  into a fat
sausage shape, pressing it firmly together. Arrange it  round the
bottom of the mould and press down lightly. Seal the two  edges
together with a very little egg yolk-milk-mixture. 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. Preheat the oven to 220  C/425
F. 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.  If it
is becoming to brown towards the end, cover it with greaseproof  paper.
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. Leave to cool for at  leat 2
hours before serving.  Serving Lightly sprinkle with icing sugar.
Kouglof freezes very well  once cooked. Wrap in a plastic bag and
freeze; it will keep for  several weeks. Be sure to take it out of the
freezer 2 or 3 hours  before serving. (The Roux Brothers, French
country cooking, M  Papermac, 1992, ISBN 0-333-57670-5)  From Gemini's
MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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