Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
In a small dish or bowl, combine the golden raisins and diced apricots (see Chef’s Tips). Cover with hot water and cover dish with a lid or plate; 10 minutes. Strain water from the dried fruit using a fine-mesh sieve (see Chef’s Tips). Add drained fruit back into the dish and add the brandy. Soak for at least 5 minutes or until needed.
In the bowl of a large food processor, combine the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt, black pepper, ginger, and nutmeg. Pulse several times until sugar mixture is fragrant, spices are evenly distributed, and sugar is moistened. Set aside to allow flavours to meld.
Add butter into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Swirl pan once the butter begins to melt and foam. Continue to heat until the milk solids on the bottom of the pan begins to brown and the butter starts to turn a deep golden brown and become fragrant; about 5 minutes.
Once a nutty aroma comes from the butter, watch carefully as the butter can quickly go from brown to burnt. Remove from heat and transfer contents to a heatproof bowl; ensure to include the toasted milk solids. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large pot, bring water and the remaining 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of salt to a boil. Add in the egg noodles and cook to just before it hits al dente; decrease the cooking time it mentions on the packaging by 2 minutes as it will continue to soften and cook in the oven. Drain egg noodles in a large colander, or if using a pasta pot, remove pasta strainer (pour out the pasta water). Replace strainer or sit colander of noodles over the pot.
In a large pot, bring water and the remaining 1 tablespoon (18 grams) of salt to a boil. Add in the egg noodles and cook to just before it hits al dente; decrease the cooking time it mentions on the packaging by 2 minutes as it will continue to soften and cook in the oven. Drain egg noodles in a large colander, or if using a pasta pot, remove pasta strainer (pour out the pasta water). Replace strainer or sit colander of noodles over the pot.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Gently and thoroughly whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Stir in the raisins, diced apricot, and brandy.
Transfer the noodles to the large bowl and carefully fold them into the custard.
Transfer the coated noodles and custard into prepared baking dish (see Chef’s Tips).
Cover with foil and place dish into the preheated oven; bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil. Rotate pan. Evenly sprinkle the surface of the kugel with the sliced almonds.
In a small bowl, stir together the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the almonds and noodles.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes without the foil to crisp up the top. The top should be golden brown, and the centre should be set.
Remove from oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool; 20 to 30 minutes.
With a sharp knife, cut into portions. Slices will not hold if sliced while dish is still hot. Serve kugel at room temperature, chilled, or warm (reheated).
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
*Ensure ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with recipe. This helps everything come together more easily.
*Not a fan of raisins? Use dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries instead. Dried apples, pineapple, more raisins, or other dried fruit can be used in place of the dried, diced apricots.
*Repurpose the soaking water from the dried fruit and use it as part of the water to boil the egg noodles.
*Do not omit the tablespoon of salt in the pasta water; this will prevent the dish from tasting bland.
*Try to submerge any dried fruit poking out of the custard to prevent charred raisins or apricots.
*Brandy can be substituted with whisky, dark rum, bourbon, or a fruit liqueur. For a non-alcoholic substitute, use orange or apple juice instead.
*Cottage cheese can be substituted for ricotta cheese.
*Penne, fusilli, or bowtie pasta can be substituted for egg noodles.
*For a nut-free kugel, omit almonds from the topping.
*Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar can be used instead of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. Note that the resulting custard will be darker in colour, and the flavour will have a stronger caramel undertone.
