Festive Stollen

I have spoken previously about my old pass-me-down recipes from an elderly friend regarding my Christmas Fruit Cake & Christmas Pudding recipes. Last night I was browsing through my very old cookbook that has yellowed with age, also the handwritten recipes I have stored inside, and I found a real gem of a recipe handwritten on a scrap of yellowed paper for Stollen too! I find these traditional recipes marvellous to re-create with a very nostalgic feel, and no better time than at Christmas too when you are thinking of family & friends past and present!

Dresdner in Germany is where the most famous Stollen originates, but I am sure this recipe still stands its muster. It has the flavours of dark rum, almond extract, mixed spice, cinnamon and mixed dried fruits, peel, glace cherries and good quality marzipan. Have I sold the idea enough yet for you to also bake this? Even better still, it will keep well wrapped and stored in an airtight container for two weeks to develop even more depth of flavour! I haven’t cut into my Stollen to show you it sliced due to storing this little treasure away for my family Christmas this year.

Festive Stollen

Makes 1 large loaf

Ingredients
275g (10 oz) mixed fruit - with mixed peel
4 tbsp dark rum
400g (14 oz) strong white bread flour
Pinch of salt
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
A few drops of almond extract
7g fast action dried yeast (1 sachet)
1 egg, beaten
140ml (5 fl oz) lukewarm whole milk
50g (2 oz) butter, melted
50g (2 oz) whole blanched almonds, chopped
50g (2 oz) glace cherries, washed dried and chopped into quarters
225g (8 oz) good quality marzipan
For The Topping
50g (2 oz) melted butter, for bushing
Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

You will need a baking tray lined with non-stick paper.

In a saucepan place the mixed fruit with mixed peel and the dark rum. Gently heat through take off the heat and cling film the top of the saucepan. Leave to one side to cool. *I do this the night before and leave the fruit to soak overnight*.

In a large mixing bowl, sieve the flour and salt together then add, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, yeast. Then stir in the mixed fruits and rum from the saucepan, glace cherries and almonds. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the butter, lukewarm milk, egg and almond extract, then mix in until all combined.

Lightly flour a work surface and take the dough out of the bowl and knead for 5 – 6 minutes. Place back into the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place until doubled in size.

Turn out the dough and on a lightly floured surface knock back the dough kneading for about 3 – 4 minutes. With a rolling pin roll the dough gently into a 23 x 30cm (9 x 12in) oval. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape to fit just the centre of the dough and place in the middle. Fold the dough from top edge away from you slightly more over the middle, then take the next edge nearest you at the bottom of the dough and fold over the top to just slightly over lap. Seal the sides and top with your hands pressing down and place onto a non-stick paper lined baking tray.

Cover over the loaf with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the base with your hand. Cover the top with baking paper if becoming to brown before the end of baking time.

Bring out of the oven and brush over generously with melted butter and dust with icing sugar.

Leave to fully cool on a wire rack. Serve in slices or wrap in greaseproof paper or foil and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.