Speckgugelhopf with Walnuts – (Sourdough Version)

Traditionally bakers make this rich Alsatian (southern part of France near the Swiss border) bread in hand-painted earthenware molds, but steel, non-stick-metal or glass molds are fine too. The size of the mold corresponds to about 2 liter. This soft savory Gugelhopf (or Kugelhopf or Gugelhups) is perfect to be served (if possible lukewarm) as appetizer with some wine and it goes always very quickly.

Variations:

• substitute walnuts with pecan or almonds
• add chopped rosemary or thyme
• substitute bacon by diced cheese
• add fried onion rings
• substitute pork bacon by dried smoked beef or turkey bacon

Speckgugelhopf with Walnuts - (Sourdough Version)

• Servings: 12
• Time: 60 min + rising time
• Difficulty: medium
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Ingredients

Activated starter

• 100 g sourdough starter
• 100 g water
• 100 g flour

Dough

• 175 ml milk
• 350 g flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 150 g butter or margarine, melted
• 1 egg

Additions for the taste

• 200 g country bacon whole, skin removed
• 1/2 cup walnuts (pecans works well as well), coarsely chopped

Procedure

1. For this recipe, you have to activate the starter combining the sourdough starter you kept in the fridge with the same amount of each water and flour (each 100 g). Best do it the evening before and loosely cover in a bowl; it should be ready after about 10-12 hours at room temperature. At this time starter should be very active and spongy.

Note: his is left to mature (ferment) until ready to be used to mix into a dough.

2. Now it’s time to add the ingredients for the dough. Add the milk, the 350 flour, the salt, the butter and the egg.
3. Knead with the hock until it looks smooth and it begins to loosen from the walls. Cover and let rise until it doubles the volume. Depending on the kind of your culture, this can take 4-8 hours.
4. Dice the bacon into 5-8 mm cubes and roast in in a pan. If it loos to much fat, drain it.
5. Bring bacon and nuts into the risen dough it over several times. I don’t knead it in order to keep the dough as soft as possible.
6. Make a hole into the center of the dough and place it in the prepared tin (please butter it before; you may also use the fat of the bacon).
7. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it at least doubles the volume. This may take about 2-3 hours.
8. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes in the lower half of an oven preheated to 200°C. If notice that during the baking time the surfaces begins to turn to dark, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
9. Wait a few minutes before unmolding and serve it possible lukewarm.

Autor: https://artandkitchen.wordpress.com/

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