Alsatian Pride. Kougelhopf

It was in Lyon that I first tried Kougelhopf, after seeing a photo of it in one of my first French baking books—a book I discovered when I was around 16. I remember looking at that photo for years, trying to imagine the taste of that strangely yet beautifully shaped bread, with a name that didn’t sound French at all.

Kougelhopf (also called Gugelhupf or Kouglof) gets its name from Alsace—a French region heavily influenced by German traditions and language. This brioche-like bread (some call it a cake) is a staple in Alsatian cuisine, as well as in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. It’s known for its distinctive shape and flavour, where rich, brioche-style dough is mixed with raisins and almonds.

As with many well-loved classics, Kougelhopf has more than one story to tell. Some say the name comes from the turbans of the Three Wise Men, and that an Alsatian potter named Kügel created the bread in their honour. Another tale claims that the Wise Men, passing through Alsace on their return from Bethlehem, baked a turban-shaped bread as a gesture of thanks for the hospitality they received.

Whichever story you choose to believe—or even if there’s another we’ve yet to hear—the first recorded recipe appeared in Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine by Alexandre Dumas, published only in 1873.

Today, while it can be found in many boulangeries across France on a near-daily basis, Kougelhopf was traditionally, and still is in many families, a symbol of celebration—especially for baptisms, weddings, and religious holidays. Its ring shape is said to symbolise spirituality.