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kugelhopf bread in a blue plate
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5 from 27 votes

Savory Kugelhopf Bread Recipe

The Kugelhopf is typically baked in a round pen with a hole in the center, somewhat similar to the Bundt pan, but heavier than it. Since it is a yeasted cake, the kugelhopf has dense bread-like texture to it.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Proofing time2 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Bread
Cuisine: austrian, European, France
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 10 Serves
Calories: 300kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Bundt Cake Pan
  • Stand Mixer
  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH -

  • 3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon Instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 75 gms Butter room temperature
  • ¾ cup Milk Warm
  • 2 Eggs lightly beaten

FOR THE FILLING –

  • ½ cup Green bell peppers Chopped
  • ½ cup Onion chopped
  • ½ cup Toasted Pine nuts Or any other nut of your choice
  • ½ cup Cheddar cheese Or any other sharp cheese
  • ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Crushed black pepper
  • to taste Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

Instructions

To make the dough

  • In the bowl of the mixer, add 3 cups of flour, salt, and yeast. Attach the beater hook and mix well. Slowly add the butter to the flour and mix until all the butter is well incorporated.
  • Now slowly add the warm milk and mix till well blended.
  • Next, add the eggs and mix well again. Now change to a dough hook and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add a little flour if needed (I did not need more flour) to make it into a soft dough that will be slightly sticky. Do not add more flour than absolutely necessary.
  • Knead the dough until it is elastic and then transfer it into a well-greased bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise until double in volume. This could take anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ hrs.
  • Proofing the dough using an Instant pot - If you own an instant pot, place the dough in the greased inner pot. I set it on yogurt mode and set it to low heat and timed it for 30 minutes. Make sure you use a glass lid to cover the IP and not the actual lid as it could get stuck under pressure. Most of the time, the dough would double in size in 30 minutes. If you feel, it needs a little more time, leave it for 10 more minutes.

To make the Kugelhopf filling

  • Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and add the onions and the chopped bell pepper. Add the salt needed and the spices and mix well.
  • Stir fry until the onions and bell peppers are cooked and caramelized. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool. I also added half the nuts in the filling mixture

To shape the dough

  • Grease the Bundt pan or kugelhopf pan liberally with oil, especially around the center stem. Now sprinkle a little bit of the pine nuts (or whatever nuts you are using) in the base of the pan. Do not do this if you are using a loaf pan. You could stick the nuts gently on top of the dough after the second rise, just before baking.
  • Once the dough has well risen, transfer it to the work surface. Deflate it and then incorporate all the fillings. The best way to do this would be to spread the dough and then add all the filling in the center of the dough.
  • Fold the dough over the filling and then knead it. This will ensure even distribution of the filling around the dough. This step would be very sticky, so use a scraper to help you knead. Do not add more flour.
  • Roll the dough into a long roll that can fit comfortably around the pan and then lift it slowly and place it in the pan.
  • Pinch the edges well to close the circle. Cover and let it rise again until the dough reaches the rim of the baking dish. This could take again anywhere from an hour to 1 ½.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake the kugelhopf for about 35 – 40 mins until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
  • Unmold the kugelhopf from the pan and then let it cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve with breakfast or soup.

Notes

Expert tips
  • Make sure that you use yeast that is not expired. If the yeast is old, use a new batch.
  • Do not be tempted to add more flour when kneading the dough for kugelhopf. The dough has to be elastic and soft.
  • When incorporating the filling in the dough, take your time to evenly spread. This way every slice of the kugelhopf will have enough filling and flavor.
  • Let the kugelhopf bread completely cool before slicing. The center of the bread may take a bit to cool down and may appear wet and doughy if not cooled completely.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg