German Stollen recipe

9/28/2000

1 package rapid-rise yeast

1/4 cup water

1 cup milk, scalded

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

4 to 4-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 slightly beaten egg

2 cups diced mixed dried or candied fruit

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds

1 tablespoon melted butter

Non-melting confectioners sugar or Glaze (recipe below)

Optional: Almond filling (recipe below)

Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees). Combine milk, butter, sugar, salt, and caradmom; cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups of flour; beat well. Add softened yeast and egg; beat well. Stir in fruits, peels, and nuts. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out on lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 to 10 minutes). Divide into 3 equal parts. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Roll each of the 3 parts to 10-by-6-inch rectangle. If desired, add filling to center, (see recipe below). Without stretching, fold the long side over to within 1 inch of the opposite side; seal edge by pinching dough together. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost double, about 1 hour. Bake in moderate oven 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, brush with glaze; or brush with melted butter and sprinkle with non-melting confectioners' sugar.

To make glaze: Combine 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water, and 1/2 tablespoon butter. Brush over stollen.

Yield: 3 loaves

Almond Stollen Filling

1 cup almond paste, kneaded to make malleable

2 cups fresh soft bread crumbs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup confectioners' or non-melting sugar

Combine ingredients and divide into three parts. Once the dough is rolled in 3 parts to 10-by-6-inch rectangles, using a rolling pin to make an indentation down the middle of each oval piece of stollen dough, spread one-third of filling down the center of indentation. Fold the stollens in half. Press lightly on the edges of the folds. Proceed with above directions.

Source: King Arthur Flour