My husband's family loves a good stollen at Christmas time, so naturally I had to learn how to make it. It's a unique bread in that it is a fruitcake that isn't terrible, it gets better the longer it sits, and is endlessly customizable. Some insist that a stollen must have the brightly-colored candied fruit and maraschino cherries for it to be authentic. Others swear it has to have the proper shape—one that looks something like a sledding hill with a higher side and a lower side. Some believe the addition of marzipan is where the magic is. Most people agree it needs to be sprinkled with powdered sugar before serving. Whichever way you like it, it's a wonderful German Christmas bread that few people will turn down.
I developed my own version of the stollen thanks to some help from my Grandma's cookbook and an old recipe from my husband's uncle. After working with the proportions and creating a mixture of my family's favorite fillings, I had a lightly spiced, soft, but hearty bread. It's full of wonderful Christmas staples like candied orange peel and raisins, but adds a little bit of pizazz from the crystallized ginger. I highly recommend it toasted with a bit of fresh butter.
Notes
- DIY Candied Peels: I very much recommend making your own candied orange and lemon peels. The texture is much nicer than storebought, and they're extremely simple to make. Just make them the day before and you're ready to go. Here's how to do it: Candied Citrus Peels.
- 1 or 2 Loaves: This recipe is written to make one large stollen for sharing. But you can easily cut the dough into and and make two smaller loaves. Or double or triple the recipe if you want to make several small ones for gifting. Just make them in smaller loaf pans or with room to grow on the pan. Just remember the baking time may be shorter if you're making smaller loaves.
- Scalded Milk: Many traditional methods recommend that you scald your milk before adding it to your stollen. This, in theory, provides a fluffier, softer bread. If you'd like to try this, just heat your milk in a small saucepan until about 180 degrees, or until steaming and foamy. Don't let it boil. Then set it aside to cool before you use it. If it is too hot when you add it to your dough, it will kill the yeast.
- "Ripening" Stollen: If you want to ripen your stollen, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks before serving. It will lose some of its bounce and moisture, but flavor of the bread and the rum-soaked fruits will be enhanced. One week is the minimum amount of time you'll want to ripen the stollen, otherwise you won't taste much of a difference. However it's perfectly fine to serve it fresh as well.
Storage
Wrap in plastic wrap and store on the counter or in the fridge for 4-5 days after cutting. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Related
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Grace Says:
The Stollen is not meant to be a tall, puffy bread. The rum, spices, and heavy fillings make sure of that. But if you'd like it to be a little taller and easier to slice, you can certainly split the dough into two, and make it in small, greased loaf tins to help it get some height. 8x4 loaf pans are fine.
📖 Recipe
Christmas Stollen Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 3 teaspoon yeast, or 1 ½ packets (you can pour the packets into a small bowl and measure from there)
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (one stick)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice or mace
- ½ cup candied citrus peels, chopped finely (I use a mix of orange and lemon)
- ½ cup golden or regular raisins
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup slivered or sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup dark rum
- ⅓ cup crystallized ginger, chopped finely
- 1 Tbl lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Add candied citrus peels, raisins, cranberries, and almonds into a small bowl, and pour the rum over them. Stir to mix well, and then set aside for later.
- Combine the yeast and lukewarm milk and set aside to let the yeast bloom.
- Add the eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice or mace, and lemon zest (if you're using it) to a mixing bowl, and mix until well blended. Then add the flour, and mix. Finally, add in the milk and yeast mixture and mix until just combined.
- Lightly grease the mixing bowl and turn the dough ball around to coat all sides. Set aside to rise in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. You can put it in your cold or very lightly warmed oven to keep it away from drafts. At the 1-hour mark, check the dough. If it has not fully doubled in size, allow to rise for another 15-30 minutes.
- Lightly grease or cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, tip out the dough and spread it out slightly. Then drain off any excess liquid from your fruit and rum mixture, and sprinkle the soaked fruits and nuts onto the dough. Roll or fold the dough over to contain the fruits, and then knead for 1-2 minutes to distribute the fruit evenly throughout the dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal sections, and then roll each section into a rope about 16" long. Press the ends of the three ropes together, and then braid them, pressing the tips of the ropes together again when you reach the end.
- Tuck the ends under the loaf to tidy it up, and then transfer your braided loaf onto your baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and allow to rise again in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes.Preheat your oven to 350℉ while the dough rises a second time.
- After the dough has risen, bake for 40-50 minutes, until the internal temperature has reached 190℉. Then remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!