Christmas Stollen (Weihnachtsstollen)
MAKES 1 LARGE STOLLEN (SERVES 10-12)
Ingredients
• 75g mixed peel
• 175g raisins
• 1tbsp dark rum
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 350g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 50g caster sugar
• ½tsp fine sea salt
• ¼tsp ground coriander
• ¼tsp ground cloves
• ¼tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼tsp ground cardamom
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 150g unsalted butter, at room temp, cut into cubes
• 1egg
• 20g fresh yeast, or 10g dried
• 150ml tepid whole milk
• 60g flaked almonds
To coat:
• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 50g vanilla sugar
• 50g icing sugar, plus extra to serve
METHOD
Put the mixed peel and raisins into a bowl, spoon over the rum and vanilla extract and set aside to infuse while you prepare the dough. Put the flour, sugar, salt, spices and lemon zest into a large mixing bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon. Add the butter and egg.
Crumble the yeast (or sprinkle if using dried) into the tepid milk and stir to dissolve. Pour the yeasted milk into the flour mixture and, using your hands, bring the ingredients together until a rough dough is formed. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with the heels of your hands for about 10 minutes until it becomes more elastic. Form it into a neat ball and nestle it into the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1-3 hours until visibly larger in size. As the amount of butter in this dough is hefty, it won’t double in size when it rises; you’re looking for the dough to expand roughly by half its size again.
Knock the dough back with your fist and add the almonds and boozy dried fruit (along with any liquid) to the dough. Knead the fruit and nuts through for a couple of minutes until evenly incorporated. Form it into a neat ball and nestle it into the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside in a warm spot for 20 minutes for a second rise.
Lightly dust the work surface with flour, gently tip the dough out and roll into a rectangle 30 × 15cm/12 × 6in. Lay the dough on a large baking sheet lined with nonstick baking parchment, take one of the long sides and fold it three-quarters of the way back over the dough to create a classic
Strudel shape. Lay a tea towel over the shaped Stollen and put in a warm place for a third rise of 30 minutes, by which time the Stollen should have risen slightly again.
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Bake for about 50 minutes until browned all over, checking after 30 minutes; if it looks quite brown already, cover it with a layer of foil to stop it from burning (butter-rich yeasted doughs tend to colour quite easily). Transfer the baked Stollen to a wire rack and, while still hot, brush all over with the melted butter, repeating until there is no butter left. Sprinkle the vanilla sugar over the top, then sift the icing sugar over that.
Allow the Stollen to cool fully before wrapping tightly in a double layer of foil. Store in an airtight container for at least a week before slicing and serving. The Stollen will keep well for a good two months. When ready to serve, dust with a little icing sugar again.
■ Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk (Quadrille, £25).