Chocolate apricot kugelhupf

12 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ cup Apricot Nectar
1½ cup All-Purpose Flour; sifted
¼ cup Sugar
¼ cup Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
1 pack Fast-Rising Dry Yeast
½ cup Unsalted Butter; at room temperature
1 cup Sugar
2 larges Eggs
3 larges Egg Yolks
3 tablespoons Apricot Brandy
1¼ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 pack Fast-Rising Dry Yeast
2 tablespoons Hot (125øF) Water
3½ cup All-Purpose Flour; sifted
12 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate; coarsely chopped
6 ounces Moist Dried Apricots; quartered
2 tablespoons Firmly Packed Golden Brown Sugar
1½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Powdered Sugar
2 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate; chopped
2 cups Whipping Cream; plus
2 tablespoons Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Sugar
3 tablespoons Apricot Brandy

Directions

SPONGE

DOUGH

CHOCOLATE SWIRL CREAM

For sponge, boil apricot nectar in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour reduced nectar into a large bowl. Cool to 120-125øF. Whisk in flour, sugar, milk powder and yeast. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until double in volume, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare dough: Generously butter a 12-cup kugelhupf pan. (A large bundt or angel food pan may be substituted.) Using an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and egg yolks 1 at a time. Beat in brandy, salt, vanilla and ginger. Combine yeast and 2 tb hot water in a small bowl and stir until yeast dissolves. Mix yeast mixture and sponge into butter mixture. Gradually mix in 3 cups flour. Combine chocolate, apricots, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix into dough.

Spoon dough into prepared pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and clean kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm, draft-free area until dough rises just to the top of pan, about 3 hours.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350øF. Bake kugelhupf until deep brown and cracking on top and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 48 minutes. Cool on rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make Chocolate Swirl Cream: Stir chocolate and 2 tb cream in a heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool. Beat remaining 2 cups cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add brandy and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Pour chocolate mixture over cream and fold together until whipped cream is lightly streaked with chocolate.

Transfer to a serving bowl and chill.

Place kugelhupf on a platter. Lightly sift powdered sugar over. Cut into wedges. Serve with chocolate swirl cream.

Source: Gourmet Magazine From Katherine Smith, Kook-Net: The Shadow Zone IV - Stinson Beach, CA

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