Kugelhopf from Alsace: History, Legends and a Delicious Recipe

Kugelhopf, or kougelhopf as we say in France, is more than just a cake – it’s a little piece of history, tradition, and family life.

In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about this famous brioche.

We’ll start by explaining what a kugelhopf is, its unique shape, and why it’s so loved.

Then, I’ll dive into the fascinating legends that have been passed down through the centuries, adding a touch of magic to each bite.

And, of course, I won’t leave you without a recipe – because nothing beats the smell of a fresh kugelhopf baking at home!

Let’s dive in!

How do you recognise a kugelhopf?

This Alsatian brioche is a showstopper, and you can’t miss it.

Its tall, elegant shape, with twists running down the sides, gives it a unique, almost regal look.

On top, it’s sprinkled with crunchy almonds that add just the right amount of bite.

And then there’s the distinctive hole in the middle, like a crown missing its jewel.

The magic really starts when it’s made at home.

From the moment the dough begins to rise, a warm, comforting aroma fills the kitchen.

It’s that sweet, buttery scent that makes everyone ask, “Is it ready yet?”

And when it finally comes out of the oven, it’s perfection.

Golden brown on the outside, soft and pillowy inside.

As soon as it’s unmoulded, the kugelhopf takes pride of place on the table, still warm and gleaming.

I can’t resist dusting it with a fine layer of icing sugar, like a sprinkling of snow, which makes it look even more irresistible.

Then comes the hardest part—waiting just long enough for it to cool before diving in.

Trust me, it’s worth every minute.

 

The Legends of the Kugelhopf

The kugelhopf, a beloved Alsatian brioche, carries with it not just the sweet scent of baked dough but also centuries of legend and mystery.

Its distinctive twisted shape, crowned with almonds and dusted with sugar, is the centrepiece of stories that span from the holy lands of Bethlehem to the medieval streets of Strasbourg.

From the turban of a Wise Man left behind at the first Christmas, to a crusader’s chance discovery of this forgotten treasure, these tales weave history and imagination into every bite of this delicious cake.

Let’s dive into the intriguing origins of the kugelhopf through two captivating legends that transport us back in time.

A Tale from Ribeauvillé

It was a cold, quiet evening in Ribeauvillé, and the streets were empty.

The wind howled through the narrow lanes, carrying the scent of smoke and pine.

Inside his humble home, a potter named Kugel sat by the fire, warming his hands.

He wasn’t expecting any visitors – not at this hour, not in this weather.

But then, a knock at the door.

Kugel, who walked with a wooden leg, shuffled over slowly, the sound of “hopf, hopf” echoing through his small house as he moved.

When he opened the door, he was met by three strangers.

Their robes were grand, their eyes weary, but there was something mysterious about them.

They asked for shelter, explaining they had travelled far and needed a resting place.

Being a generous man, Kugel welcomed them in.

He offered them what little food he had and shared stories late into the night.

As the hours passed, the potter couldn’t shake the feeling that these weren’t just any travellers.

There was something… regal about them.

And he was right.

These three mysterious men were none other than the Wise Men – Gaspard, Melchior, and Balthazar.

They had just come from Bethlehem, where they had visited the newborn Christ child, and now they were on their way to Cologne, their final destination.

Touched by Kugel’s kindness, despite his humble means and struggle to walk, the Wise Men wanted to thank him in a special way.

They noticed his pottery – simple, yet beautiful.

They saw the moulds he used for his clay work, and an idea sparked.

In the morning, before they left, the Wise Men prepared a special gift for Kugel.

They took his mould, and instead of shaping clay, they baked a sweet, fragrant cake inside it.

This cake, twisted and tall, with a soft, golden crumb and crowned with almonds, was unlike anything Kugel had ever seen before.

The potter, amazed by their creation, was left speechless.

The Wise Men, with a smile, told him that this cake would forever remind him of their visit.

From that day forward, the cake became known as “kugelhopf,” in honour of Kugel and the way he moved through his house—with the sound of “hopf, hopf” from his wooden leg.

And so, the legend of the kugelhopf was born right there in Ribeauvillé, thanks to the humble kindness of one man and the gratitude of three mysterious travellers.

A Crusader’s Discovery in Bethlehem

The story begins, as many good ones do, far from the quiet villages of Alsace and deep in the heart of the Holy Land.

It was the time of the Crusades, and knights from across Europe were embarking on perilous journeys to reclaim Jerusalem.

Among them was an Alsatian knight, weary from years of battle.

He had seen things no man should see—victories and losses, suffering and glory.

But like many crusaders, his mind was often filled with thoughts of home.

He longed for the green hills of Alsace, for the smell of fresh bread from the bakeries in Strasbourg.

But his mission was not yet over.

One night, while resting near Bethlehem, our knight stumbled upon something strange.

The small town was full of relics and treasures left behind by those who had come and gone over the centuries.

As the story goes, he found himself in a modest home, the very place where the Wise Men had once rested after visiting the Christ child.

Tired and curious, the knight explored the room, his armour clinking softly in the stillness.

There, among the dust and shadows, he noticed a forgotten object.

It was a turban woven from delicate threads of gold with almond-shaped diamonds embedded throughout.

It looked ancient, far too precious to belong to any ordinary man.

But it wasn’t until he heard the local stories that the truth came to light.

This, he learned, was no ordinary turban.

It was said to belong to one of the Three Wise Men, left behind after they visited Bethlehem so many years ago.

Balthazar, perhaps, or Melchior—who could say for certain?

The details were murky, lost in time.

But the villagers spoke of a crown, left behind in haste, its owner so overwhelmed by the miraculous events of that night that he had forgotten to take it with him.

The knight could hardly believe his luck.

He had uncovered a piece of ancient history.

After the Crusade, when the knight finally returned to his homeland of Alsace, he brought the turban with him.

It was a strange treasure for a warrior, not exactly the spoils of battle, but something about it called to him.

He kept it hidden, showing it to only a few trusted friends.

One of those friends was a baker, a man known for his craft in Strasbourg.

The knight, perhaps in need of something comforting and familiar, often visited the bakery.

And one day, after telling the story of the golden turban, the baker asked if he could see it.

He turned it over in his hands, marvelling at its shape.

Then, in a moment of inspiration, the baker decided to use it in a most unexpected way.

He prepared his rich, buttery, sweet dough and carefully placed it in an unusual mould—a copy of the turban, unsure what to expect.

When he removed the cake from the oven, the result was spectacular: a tall, regal brioche with the same twisted, almond-studded shape as the ancient turban.

The knight and the baker stood in awe.

What they had created wasn’t just a cake—it was a tribute to history, the Wise Men’s journey, and the unlikely connection between Bethlehem and Alsace.

And so, the kugelhopf was born from the hands of a weary crusader and the creativity of a Strasbourg baker.

 

A Royal Journey Through French History

Did you know that the famous Baba au Rhum actually has its roots in the kugelhopf?

It all began with Stanislas Leszczynski, the king of Poland and Duke of Lorraine, who had his court in Lunéville, in the Lorraine region of France.

Stanislas, who was also the father-in-law of Louis XV, found the local kugelhopf (or “babka,” as it’s known in Poland) a bit too dry for his liking.

So, his pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer, worked his magic.

He created a version soaked in sugar syrup and rum, and thus, the baba au rhum was born!

When Stohrer followed Queen Marie Leszczynska, Stanislas’ daughter, to the court of Versailles, his creation became a royal favourite.

A century later, another famous pastry chef, George, brought the kugelhopf from Strasbourg to Paris, making it a hit.

Meanwhile, Stohrer’s bakery, founded in 1730, became one of the oldest in Paris, known for both baba and kugelhopf.

You can still visit Stohrer’s pâtisserie today, at 51 Rue Montorgueil, in the second arrondissement of Paris, and taste these legendary treats for yourself.

Let’s not forget Marie-Antoinette‘s influence, who helped bring the Austrian version of the kugelhopf into fashion at the French court.

Even Napoleon I got in on the kugelhopf trend—his wedding cake, called the gâteau de Napoléon, was a variation of the famous brioche, created for his marriage to Marie-Louise of Austria in 1810 by the renowned pastry chef Marie-Antoine Carême.

Quite the royal lineage for such a humble cake, don’t you think?

 

My Kugelhopf Recipe

It’s a pretty simple recipe… after a few tries, you’ll know it by heart!

 

Ingredients

• 500g plain flour (I use T45)
• 120g caster sugar
• 120g unsalted butter – at room temperature
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 250ml milk
• 1 sachet of vanilla sugar or a few drops of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1 sachet of active dry yeast
• About 30 unsalted almonds (depending on the size of your mould)
• Raisins soaked in rum

 

And the kugelhopf mould?

For this recipe, you’ll need two medium-sized kugelhopf moulds.

Personally, I love using ceramic moulds.

If you can’t find any locally, silicone or aluminium ones will do the trick.

But the crème de la crème is the traditional glazed earthenware mould, the kind that’s been used countless times and has that charming, worn look.

To get your hands on one, you might have to head to Alsace.

Well, that’s a good excuse to visit, isn’t it? 😊

 

Right, let’s get started!

1. Melt the butter in the warm milk.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the yeast.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and butter mixture, followed by the eggs.
4. Mix everything together, then knead the dough energetically until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Lift the dough to let in as much air as possible. (You can save your arms by using a mixer – my bread machine used to handle this like a pro!)
5. Let the dough rise for several hours. Cover it with a tea towel and keep it away from any draughts.
6. Once the dough has risen, knead it again to knock it back, then shape it into a ball.
7. Drain the raisins and coat them lightly in flour, then carefully fold them into the dough.
8. Butter your moulds and place the almonds into each groove at the bottom.
9. Divide the dough in two and place it into the moulds.
10. Let the dough rise again for several hours, covering the moulds with a tea towel.
11. When the dough has risen (it should just peek over the edge of the mould), place the moulds in the oven at 180°C (150°C for fan ovens). Bake for 50-60 minutes. Important: don’t preheat the oven – it needs to be cold when you pop the kugelhopf in.
12. Baking is the trickiest part, and the time depends on your oven. If you’re baking both kugelhopfs simultaneously, it’ll take a bit longer (I’ve waited as long as 1 hour 20!). To check if it’s done, insert a knife – if it comes out clean, your kugelhopf is ready!
13. Let the kugelhopfs cool for 20-30 minutes, then carefully remove them from the moulds by turning them out onto a wire rack.
14. Once cool, dust with icing sugar.

Enjoy with a coffee—or even as an aperitif with a lovely glass of white wine or crémant—from Alsace, of course!

Bon appétit ! 😋

Learn more about the kugelhopf on our French website Mon Grand-Est!