Kouglof, its history and our good addresses

Its history spans Poland, Germany, Austria and Alsace, which explains its multiple spellings: kougelhopf or kouglof. It first appeared in Alsace in the 18th century, probably thanks to the pastry chefs of King Stanislas of Lorraine. Still baked in traditional Alsatian clay molds, the brioche-like dough is enriched with raisins macerated in a local spirit, and whole almonds are inserted in the bottom of the mold before baking. A classic that's been reinterpreted time and again.

Olivier Nasti, Levain, Boulangerie du Chambard,

Chef Lucas bakes every morning. His sourdough recipe is reworked with more flaked almonds. "The grapes macerate in Gewurztraminer marc. There's also a touch of marc in the syrup that coats the kougelhopfs after baking," explains the baker. The famous Alsatian brioche is produced year-round in three sizes, and also comes in a savory version with country bacon and walnuts. A detour to Alsace is a must!

www.lechambard.fr/fr/boulangerie

Joël Defives, Boulangerie Baptiste, Paris

A kouglof prepared on natural sourdough by the MOF baker. "I prepare the dough the day before, because kouglof requires a long fermentation process. What's different about the traditional kouglof is that I put it in a syrup like a Baba to give it softness and conservation. I also add a little honey and fermented dough to the dough in preparation, to give it strength", explains Joël Defives. There's no alcohol here, just grapes macerated in plain syrup. On top, as tradition dictates, are whole, unhulled almonds and a touch of powdered sugar. A kouglof available all year round, exclusively at weekends.

www.boulangeriebaptiste.fr

Kouglof glacé, Christine Ferber

"My father made his first iced kouglof in 1963, but he didn't patent it. Today, everyone in the region makes it in their own way. Ours, whose recipe is unchanged, is made with lead ice cream - a creamy custard flavored with alcohol - and raisins. and grapes macerated in Alsatian stone fruit alcohol (quetsche, cherry, morello cherry, mirabelle) and a little Kirsch. "says Christine Ferber. To mimic the look of a traditional Kouglof, it is sprinkled with bitter cocoa powder. To taste it is to adopt it!

www.christineferber.com

Stéphane Vandermeersch, Paris

A brioche-type dough prepared over 3 days to knead, rest and then bake in terracotta molds from the Alsatian potters' village of Soufflenheim. "In my interpretation, I use orange blossom for the appliance, but above all for soaking. For the finishing touch, Stéphane Vandermeersch alternates almonds and hazelnuts on the top of the kouglof and adds a little powdered sugar for larger pieces. Everything here is handmade, so much so that kouglofs are sold by weight! Don't miss the savory version with chorizo, cherry tomatoes, herbes de Provence and olives.

www.patisserie-vandermeersch.com

Pascal Hainigue Auberge de l'Ill, Illhaeusern (68)

Pastry chef Pascal Hainigue makes his kouglof the old-fashioned way: "In Alsace, you learn the recipe from an early age. So mine is traditional: the grapes are macerated in Gewurztraminer marc. The dough is then baked in local clay molds, with almonds on top. Here, the Kouglof can be eaten at any time of day, even as an aperitif, in a sweet or even savoury version: "Dusted with powdered sugar, its texture is brioche-like and firm. And there's no question of changing the recipe!

www.auberge-de-l-ill.com