The Savory Kouglof: A Christmas Appetizer
Did you know that kouglof, the quintessential Christmas dessert, can also be prepared in a savory version with cheese and bacon? We invite you to discover a delicious recipe for savory kouglof, perfect for the holiday appetizer.
Ingredients
Here are the necessary ingredients to prepare a savory kouglof for 6 people:
350 g of flour.
1 packet of baker's yeast.
3 cl of lukewarm water.
15 cl of lukewarm milk.
1 egg.
60 g of soft butter.
3 pinches of salt.
1 teaspoon of sugar.
2 turns of pepper mill.
150 g of smoked bacon bits.
150 g of cumin gouda.
75 g of blanched almonds.
25 g of whole almonds.
A knob of butter for the mold.
Sourdough Starter Preparation
Just like the famous sweet Alsatian kouglof, the savory kouglof is a type of brioche made from leavened dough. This is why the first step in the recipe is to prepare the starter.
1- Mix the packet of baker's yeast with 3 cl of warm water.
2- Add 25 g of flour and knead with your fingertips until you can form a small ball.
3- Place the starter at the bottom of a large bowl and add the remaining 325 g of flour on top.
4- Let the starter activate in contact with the flour for about one hour.
Preparation of the filling
Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients that will be used as filling for your savory kouglof.
1- Quickly sauté the bacon in a pan without adding any fat.
2- If the bacon has released water, drain it and set aside.
3- In the same pan, sauté the blanched and whole almonds over high heat to toast them.
Note: The whole almonds will be placed at the bottom of the kouglof mold, as per tradition, to decorate the top of the cake, while the others will be incorporated into the dough. I prefer to use blanched almonds because I find it unpleasant to encounter almond skins in the kouglof when tasting.
4- Set aside the whole almonds for decoration and chop the blanched almonds with a knife.
Note: You can also use a food processor, but this tool has the disadvantage of turning some of the almonds into powder.
Dough preparation
Once the starter has rested for an hour, you can proceed with preparing the dough.
1- Make a well in the flour to find your ball of starter and place it in the center of the well.
2- Add the salt, pepper, and sugar.
3- Pour the warm milk and the whole egg into the center of the well and begin to knead. It is normal for the dough to become sticky at this stage of the recipe.
4- Incorporate the soft butter cut into small pieces and continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth and uniform.
5- Form a ball of dough, then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the dough rise for an hour in a warm place.
Kouglof mold preparation
1- Butter a kugelhopf mold.
2- Place a whole almond in each indentation of the mold.
Savory Kouglof Assembly
Once the dough has rested, you can incorporate the filling for your savory kouglof.
1- Punch down the kouglof dough and roll it out into a rectangle shape.
2- Add the bacon bits, gouda cheese cubes, and crushed almonds onto the dough before folding it over onto itself.
Note: Since this kouglof is generously filled, you may have to repeat the process of incorporating the ingredients and folding the dough several times.
3- Knead the dough until all the filling is perfectly incorporated.
4- Make a hole in the center of your ball of dough to be able to place it in the kouglof mold.
5- Cover the mold with a kitchen towel and let the kouglof rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
Kouglof Baking
1- Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).
2- Bake the savory kouglof for about 45 minutes, keeping an eye on the color.
3- If the kouglof is browning too quickly, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.
4- Unmold the still-warm kouglof onto a serving platter.
Tasting Tips
You can serve this savory kouglof as an appetizer on Christmas Eve.
You can also pair it with a green salad and serve it as a light dinner during the holiday season and throughout the winter.
