Traditional German Stollen: the perfect sweet bread for Christmas

A German Christmas sweet bread, with dried fruit, citrus zest and spices. A delicious tradition to enrich Christmas

A German Christmas sweet bread, with dried fruit, citrus zest and spices. A delicious tradition to enrich Christmas

Recipe for 2 people.

Classic (no restrictions), Vegetarian

Preparation: 03:30 + cooling time

Interval: 3:00

TOOLS

2 bowls, 1 pan(s), 1 baking dish or baking dish, 1 rolling pin (optional), 1 brush(es), 1 spatula(s), 1 pan(s) (optional), 1 cutting board(s), 1 rack , 1 strainer(s) (for dusting), 1 grater

EQUIPMENT

conventional + mixer with hook whisk (optional)

METERS

cup = 240 ml, spoon = 15 ml, teaspoon = 10 ml, teaspoon = 5 ml

Ingredients for the sponge:

– 60 ml of hot milk

– 10 g of sugar

– 60 g of special wheat flour for bread

– 5 g of dry organic yeast

TRADITIONAL STOLLE Ingredients: PASTA

– 150 g of special wheat flour for bread

– 30 g of sugar

– 1 small beaten egg(s)

– 100 g of softened unsalted butter

– 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla essence

– 2 tablespoons of milk to highlight (optional)

– ground cinnamon to taste

– powdered cloves to taste

– nutmeg to taste, grated

– cardamom powder to taste

– 1/2 teaspoon(s) of salt

STUFFING Ingredients:

– 30 g dried cranberries (or raisins)

– 30 g of black and white raisins, mixed

– 30 g of mixed candied fruit (or raisins)

– 1/2 unit of orange peel (avoid the white part)

– 20 g of raw almonds (or walnuts), without peel, coarsely chopped

– 50 ml of rum (to hydrate the dried fruit) (or orange juice)

Ingredients TO COMPLETE:

– 10 g unsalted melted butter (or as needed)

– icing sugar to taste for dusting

PREPARATION:

1. Separate the recipe ingredients and utensils. The yield is one 400g sweet bread for every 2 portions.
2. Hydrated dried fruit:
   • Mix dried fruit with rum or orange juice.
   • Let sit in a covered container at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Chop the walnuts or almonds into smaller pieces. If necessary, toast lightly over low heat in a pan to enhance the flavor and crunchiness.
4. Prepare the sponge cake – see preparation.
5. Remove the butter from the refrigerator and use it as an ointment. Beat the egg(s) and set aside.

PREPARATION:

Sponge (do this step during pre-preparation):

1. Heat the milk until lukewarm, being careful not to heat it too much as this will kill the yeast.
2. In a bowl, mix the warm milk, yeast, sugar and flour for the sponge cake.
3. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes until frothy.
4. Note: If the sponge does not foam within 30 minutes, the yeast may be inactive. In this case, restart the sponge cake with new yeast.
5. Return to pre-preparation (step 5).

Stollen – Preparation of the dough:

1. Mix the remaining bread flour, sugar and spices.
2. Add the fermented sponge cake, beaten egg(s) and vanilla essence.
3. Mix until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
4. Note: If the dough seems dry, slowly add a small amount of milk (see amount in dough ingredients).
5. Knead for a few minutes to incorporate the ingredients.
6. Then add the butter until creamy, mix to homogenize.
7. Add the salt, and knead for 10-12 minutes by hand or 6-7 minutes with the mixer until you obtain a smooth (elastic) tip and a smooth, but still a little sticky dough.

Incorporate the filling into the prepared dough:

1. Drain the hydrated fruit and mix it with the grated lemon and grated orange zest.
2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, distribute the filling and fold it over the fruit.
3. Knead gently to incorporate and form a ball.

First Fermentation:

1. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, flour the surface and let it rest at room temperature for 1h30 or until it doubles in volume.
2. To find the sweet spot: lightly touch the dough with your finger. If the imprint slowly returns, the fermentation is finished.

Modeling and second fermentation:

1. Roll out the dough into a rectangle of approximately 20 x 15 cm (2 portions) and 40 x 30 cm (4 portions). For larger quantities, divide the dough into smaller loaves.
2. Fold one of the longer sides of the rectangle(s) to the center, covering two-thirds of the width.
3. Fold the other longer side, aligning it with the bottom edge, forming an overlap.
4. Press gently to seal the folds and create the classic Stollen shape, slightly elongated and domed.
5. Place the Stollen on the baking tray seam side down. For a more rustic effect you can cook it with the seam facing upwards, as long as it is well sealed to prevent it from opening in the oven.
6. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for another hour or until the ideal growth point is reached.
7. How to know if the dough is at the ideal growing point.
   • The dough should rise visibly and feel light to the touch.
   • When you lightly press the dough, it should spring back slowly without collapsing.
   • If the dough does not rise visibly within 1 hour, it may take longer, especially if the room is cold.

Cook and finish:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. If the Stollen darkens quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
3. Melt the butter a little before removing the bread from the oven.
4. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter while still hot.
5. Sprinkle the still warm bread generously with icing sugar.

FINALIZATION AND ASSEMBLY:

1. Leave the Stollen cool completely before cutting. Stollen gets even better after 1 or 2 days as the fruit and spice flavors intensify.
2. If necessary, dust the surface again with icing sugar.
3. Serve in thin slices, accompanied by coffee or tea.
4. Storage: wrap well in cling film and aluminum foil. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Source: Food Challenges – Bia Freitag – Tested by Bake and Cake Gourmet

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Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.