kuglof sa smokvama i anisom - Anise Bundt Cake with Figs

Evo ga još jedan kolač iz Cake Keeper Cakes kuvara. Jednostavan sa sasvim malenom cakicom: dve kašike mlevenog anisa i malo suvih smokava. Kisela pavlaka je ponovo doprinela da je kolač neverovatno mek. Divno jednostavan kolač od kog je cela kuća zamirisala.

Ni ovaj kolač nije predviđen da bude kuglof, ali nije zabranjeno, zar ne? Autorka kuvara koji pečem od korica do korica u svom projektu samorazvoja i obrazovanja sopstvenog ukusa, zamislila je da ovo bude klasičan pound cake. Pri tom preporučuje da se neko suvo voće skuva u šerbetu i njime prelije kolač kad se ohladi. U pravu je sasvim da se ukus anisa savršeno slaže sa suvim smokvama. Imala sam neke zaboravljene smokve koje su se malo osušile, pa sam ih par dana natapala u sasvim malo Scotch-a. Iseckala sam ih i posula po kolaču pre pečenja. Sviđa mi se ukus zapečenih suvih smokava, sa jedva primetnim tonom viskija i neverovatno mekog biskvita sa anisom - ovo je ispao baš krasan kolač.

I dva dana posle, još smo uvek imale fenomenalan kolač. Tako pobacane smokve u testo, koje su se malo zapekle, daju divan šmek kolaču, koji je i mek i mirisan i veoma pikantan i posle dva dana. Ako nije još i bolji nego kad sam ga izvadila iz rerne.

Potrebni sastojci:

• 2 kašikice semena anisa
• 1⁄3 (80 ml)šolje kisele pavlake
• 2 veća jajeta
• 1 veliko žumance
• 1 kašikica ekstrakta vanile
• 1 1⁄2 (200 g) šolje brašna
• 3⁄4 kašikice praška za pecivo
• 1⁄4 kašikice soli
• 3⁄4 (180 g) šolje omekšalog putera
• 1 1⁄4 (160g) šolje šećera
• šaka suvih smokava potopljenih u Scotch, pa iseckanih

Rernu zagrejati na 175ºC. Podmazati i pobrašnjaviti kalup za kuglof. Seme anisa malo propržiti pa istucati u avanu - imala sam zvezdasti anis, pa sam to uradila sa njim. Nisam sigurna da je ovo ispravan način upotrebe zvezdastog anisa. čak sam se zabavljala i vađenjem semenki iz ljuske zvezdastog anisa. E sad, ne znam varam li se, ali same semenke nisu tako mirisne, kao kad sam im ipak dodala i opnu. Sudeći po rezultatu - a on je divno mirisan kolač blagog ukusa anisa, nisam napravila grešku. 

Puter dobro izmiksati sa šećerom, dok smesa ne postane penasta. 

Prosejati brašno sa praškom za pecivo u solju.

Jaja i žumance pomešati sa kiselom pavlakom i ekstraktom vanile.

U smesu putera i šećera postepeno dodavati smesu sa jajima i brašno, dok se sve dobro ne sjedini.

Presuti smesu u kalup i posuti odgore seckanim suvim smokvama.

Peći dok čačkalica ne potvrdi da je ispečeno - trebaće oko pola sata.

• 2 tablespoons anise seeds
• 1⁄3 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1⁄4 cup sugar

The author of the Cake Keeper cakes, sais for this cake: ANISE IS ONE OF MY favourite dessert flavours, and I try to bake with it whenever I can. Here, I toast and grind some of the seeds to intensify their flavour in pound cake. Slices of the fragrant cake are delicious when served with vanilla ice cream. Or make a dried fruit compote: Bring 1⁄2 pound of dried apricots, figs, and prunes to a boil with 1 1⁄4 cups of water and half of a split vanilla bean. Simmer until the fruit is softened and the liquid becomes syrupy about 10 minutes.


I've made some changes - I had some overdried figs, and have soaked them in Scotch for a whole day. Then I cut those soaked figs into small pieces. When I made a cake, I just sprinkled them over the cake dough. It happened to be such a good move. Pieces of figs soaked in alcohol slightly burned and caramelized in the edges, and some of them sank a bit in the dough. Even after two days, this cake is so delicious.


This is a recipe from Cake Keepers Cake cookbook, by Lauren Chattman. This is the cookbook that I find out thanks to Joyce's food blog named Kitchen Flavours. I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #25 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour. Place the anise seeds in a small skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind fine. Set aside.


2. Combine the sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.


3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.


4. With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides.


5. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, 1⁄2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.


6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.