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Holidays & Special Occasions

Christmas Stollen

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Ingredients

  • 500 g (4 cups) flour
  • 80 g (1/3 cup) sugar
  • 10 g (2 tsp) instant yeast
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) warm milk
  • 200 g (14 tbsp) butter, softened
  • 200 g (1.3 cups) raisins
  • 100 g (2/3 cup) candied citrus peel
  • 100 g (1 cup) chopped almonds
  • 3 tbsp rum
  • 200 g (7 oz) marzipan, rolled into a log
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 100 g (7 tbsp) melted butter, for brushing
  • 150 g (1.25 cups) powdered sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Soak the raisins and candied peel in rum for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, warm milk, salt and cardamom into a dough; knead in the softened butter gradually until smooth, about 10 minutes.
  3. Knead in the soaked fruit, peel and chopped almonds until evenly distributed.
  4. Cover and let rise for 1.5 hours until doubled.
  5. Roll the dough into an oval, lay the marzipan log along the center, and fold the dough over to encase it, shaping into the traditional Stollen loaf shape.
  6. Place on a lined baking sheet and let rise a further 30 minutes.
  7. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 55-65 minutes until deep golden brown; cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
  8. While still warm, brush generously all over with melted butter, then dust thickly with powdered sugar.
  9. Wrap tightly and let mature for at least 3-5 days before slicing, for the best flavour.

Introduction: A dense, fruit-and-marzipan-studded bread dusted heavily with powdered sugar, Stollen originated in Dresden and remains the centerpiece of German Christmas baking, often made weeks in advance to let its flavour mature.

Cultural Background: A dense, fruit-and-marzipan-studded bread dusted heavily with powdered sugar, Stollen originated in Dresden and remains the centerpiece of German Christmas baking, often made weeks in advance to let its flavour mature.

Tips: Stollen genuinely improves with age — wrap it well and let it rest for at least several days, ideally 1-2 weeks, before serving.

Variations: Mohnstollen replaces the fruit filling with a poppy seed paste, popular in eastern Germany.

Storage: Wrapped tightly, Stollen keeps for 3-4 weeks at cool room temperature; it can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Not typically reheated; served in thin slices at room temperature.

Nutrition: Approx. 340 kcal, 6g protein, 16g fat, 42g carbohydrate per slice.

FAQs:

Q: Why does Stollen need to rest before eating?

A: Resting allows the butter, sugar and fruit flavours to meld and the texture to settle, greatly improving both taste and moistness.

Q: Can I omit the alcohol?

A: Yes, soak the fruit in warm apple juice instead of rum for a non-alcoholic version.

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