Christmas is the perfect time for indulging and there is nothing more delicious than the classic Stollen Loaf. A German recipe dating back to the 14th century, Stollen is a cake-like fruit bread with marzipan, dried fruit, nuts and spices. Slice, toast and serve with lashings of butter, honey or jam. No matter how you choose to enjoy it, this tempting treat will surely have you feeling merry this Christmas. This recipe features in Butter Wouldn’t Melt, created by the food development team at BaxterStorey.
Makes: 2 loaves
Ingredients
- 255g semi-skimmed milk
- 10g fresh yeast
- Pinch of salt
- 50g caster sugar
- 500g type “00” flour
- 5g ground mixed spice
- 100g currants
- 100g sultanas
- 75g raisins
- 50g chopped orange confit
- 50g chopped lemon confit
- 100g glacé cherry
- 50g toasted nibbed almonds
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 whole eggs
- 500g marzipan
To brush and dust:
- 100g melted butter
- 100g icing sugar
Method
- Warm the milk and place it into a bowl with the yeast, adding 50g of flour and 20g of sugar. Set to one side and allow the fermenting to take place. When ready, this will resemble yoghurt in its consistency.
- Place the remaining flour, sugar, salt and mixed spice into a bowl, then add the ferment and eggs.
- Mix to form a rough dough then knead until smooth and elastic.
- Add the butter and work this into the dough. Allow the dough to prove until it doubles in size.
- Add the dried fruits, orange and lemon confit and almonds then mix well to incorporate.
- Divide the dough into two equal amounts and roll out to form a rough rectangular shape. Roll half the marzipan into a log the same length as the dough and fold over to encase.
- Repeat the process for the second loaf.
- Place the stollen dough onto a tray and allow to prove for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Place in a pre-heated oven at 180°C and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Once the stollen has baked, brush with the melted butter and dust heavily with the icing sugar.
- Allow to cool before slicing. Your stolen is now ready to package up as a gift or enjoy as a festive treat!
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