This bread studded with candied fruit is a traditional German Christmas treat. It’s called Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen in Germany. The treat dates to about 1400 though over the centuries, stollen became a sweeter bread made with richer ingredients. Beginning in the mid-1500s, stollen was a traditional Christmas gift to the rulers of Saxony from the populace and was often made on a massive scale. In the US, stollen is also prepared as a Christmastime sweet
Recipe Servings: 2
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed candied fruit
- 1 cup raisins
- 3 Tbsp dark rum or orange juice
- 1 Tbsp or 1 package (¼ oz) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 tsp and ⅓ cup honey
- 4–5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground mace
- ½ cup toasted almonds, chopped
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease bowl
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine mixed fruit, raisins, and rum, if using.
- Mix to coat, cover, and set aside, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, add water and sprinkle in yeast.
- Heat the milk to 110°F and add.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon honey and 1 cup flour, blending well, then cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about 30 minutes, until light and full of bubbles.
- Combine the yeast mixture with the fruit mixture, ⅓ cup honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat well, using the paddle on low speed if using a mixer, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time.
- Continue to beat until dough begins to pull away from side of the bowl.
- Change to the dough hook and knead, continuing to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins pulling away from sides of bowl.
- Knead 4–5 minutes on medium-low.
- If working by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning to coat.
- Cover with a towel and let rise for 60 minutes, until size is doubled.
- Place dough on lightly-oiled work surface.
- Dividing the dough in half, roll halves into a 7 x 9-inch oval.
- Brush with melted butter.
- Grease a baking sheet using nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the mixture over one half of the ovals of dough.
- Fold in half lengthwise and gently place on prepared baking sheet.
- Press down lightly to shape, cover with a cloth, and let rise 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Immediately remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.
- Sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar prior to serving.
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