INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

EQUIPMENT
DOUGH
FILLING
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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