Stollen

Prep Time: 0:20
Cook Time: 0:30
Makes: 2

Ingredients / Shopping List

50g currants
50g candied peel
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tblsp orange juice
1 tsp cardamon
pinch black pepper
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dough
7 g yeast (instant)
1 tsp sugar
500g flour
150 ml tepid water
3 tblsp soft brown sugar
50g butter
2 beaten eggs
300g marzipan
Melted butter to glaze
 

Prep to Cook:  Remember Stollen needs to rise or prove after making and before cooking.  Allow extra time for this.

Mixing bowl, basin, lemon squeezer, wooden spoon, teaspoon, flour dredger, baking tray, jug, pastry brush

Prep:  Put the currants, candied peel and sultanas in a basin with the lemon zest, orange juice  and spices and mix well.  Leave to stand (overnight)

Mix yeast, lukewarm milk, sugar and 125 flour together to form a soft Leave to stand
 
In a mixing bowl place remaining flour,salt, brown sugar, diced butter and most of the beaten egg to create a dough
 
Add the juicy fruits and form a soft dough.
 
Turn onto a floured table and press into an oblong shape
 
roll the marzipan into a strip and place along the dough
 
Wrap the dough round the marzipan
 
Allow to rise until double in size (30 minutes)
 
Pre-heat oven to 190°C Gas mark 5.
 
Glaze the dough with milk and bake for 30 minutes
 
Cool on a wire rack and brush the Stollen with melted butter
 
Dust with plenty of icing sugar.
 
Check it out!

Stollen is a continental fruit cake make with a yeast dough, dried and candied fruits, marzipan and spices. It is eaten around Christmas time in Germany dedged with icing sugar.  

Recipe Science

Cooks Know How:

My home cooked Stollen is in the style of Chelsea buns or Bath buns.  It is not dense and heavy.  It does of course contain dried fruits and these need to be softened and soaked prior to use.  Do this the evening before if you have time.
 
The dough is a rich one.  It is enriched with butter, sugar and eggs. These ingredients make the final texture of the bread more like a cake, softer and with a tender crumb and crust.  The marzipan adds further enrichment and flavour.  The flour does not have to be strong but it does need to hold the sweet ingredients and cope with the yeast producing gas bubbles as it raises the dough.  The colour of Stollen comes from the glazes.  Milk is used on the dough just before cooking and the other, melted butter, is painted over the dough just as it is taken out of the oven.  The Stollen needs to be cooked thoroughly and therefore I suggest initial cooking at a high temperature followed by a reduction in the oven temperature to ensure the rich dough is firm throughout. Stollen keeps well and can be dredged with icing sugar to serve.