BLUEBERRY KUCHEN (for nine)

For the dough:

2-1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons rapid rise, bread machine or other instant yeast

½ cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

finely grated zest of 1 orange

vegetable oil for bowl

For the glaze:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon orange juice

For the topping:

2 cups fresh blueberries

½ cup shelled pecans

2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

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1.   To prepare the dough, combine 2-1/2 cups flour with the salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter and place over low heat until milk is lukewarm.  Pour into a bowl and add eggs, vanilla and orange zest; mix until well blended.  Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients to make a soft dough, adding more flour if necessary.

 2.   Using a mixer with a dough hook, or by hand, knead dough until smooth and springy.  Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Leave to rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.  (Or let rise in the refrigerator overnight, returning to room temperature before proceeding to next step.)

3.   Punch the air out of the dough press it into a shallow 12 by 8 inch baking pan.  Cover with a kitchen towel and leave it to rise in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes longer.

4.   Heat oven to 400*.  Prepare a glaze by mixing together egg and orange juice until blended.  Paint gloss over dough.  Spread blueberries on dough in a single layer.  Chop pecans until splintery but not too fine.  Mix with sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over blueberries.

5.   Place pan in oven and bake 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350* and bake until dough is risen and golden brown at edges, about 15 minutes more.  Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing into 9 rectangles.  Serve warm.

 from Nigella Lawson for the New York Times