Stollen was never part of my family’s tradition, so when a kind-hearted neighbour dropped off a sugar-dusted loaf one Christmas, I had the vague notion that I wouldn’t enjoy it. But my first tentative nibble gave way to a generous slice—and then another. The bread was unexpectedly rich, dotted with boozy fruit and a tender morsel of almond paste in each slice—not as sweet or fruitcake-y as I had imagined. Toasted with a bit of jam, stollen became my favourite holiday indulgence with morning coffee and evening tea.
Makes 3 Loaves
The night before (or days before), soak the cranberries, currents, dried apricots and candied citrus, if using, in the rum.
You can also prepare the almond paste ahead of time, if you wish.
In the bowl of a standup mixer fitted with a dough attachment, or large bowl, mix together 5 cups of flour, granulated sugar, salt and nutmeg.
In a small bowl or jug, mix together the warmed milk, honey, vanilla, 1 cup melted butter, yeast, yolks and egg. Pour the milk/yeast mixture into the flour and mix until a soft sticky dough forms.
Drain the dried and candied fruit and reserve the liquid for another use (such as pouring over cake or ice cream). Add them to the dough, along with the almonds and lemon zest.
Add additional flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
Whether you’re mixing by hand or machine, finishing kneading the dough on a work surface, adding additional flour as necessary until the dough is no longer sticky. It should be slightly tacky but not stick to your hands. (There are always a few errant fruit bits that refuse to stick to the dough.)
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl large enough for it to double. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour or two.
While the dough is resting, prepare the almond paste, if you have not already done so.
Process the ground almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor until the mixture is light and powdery. Add the corn syrup and almond extract and blend until thoroughly combined. The mixture will appear crumbly but should hold together when pressed with your fingers. If not, add a teaspoon of water.
Place the paste onto a sheet of parchment and nudge into a log, using the parchment to help shape it. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into three equal portions. Shape each into an oval about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.
Flatten each with a rolling pin and shape into ovals about 13 inches long and 7 inches wide and a generous 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Brush with melted butter, cover with plastic wrap and rest in a warm place to rise slightly, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Divide the almond paste into three equal portions. Using plastic wrap or parchment, shape each into a rope, about 10 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.
Working with one portion of dough at a time, make a slight dent along the center of the dough, lengthwise, using your hands. Place the almond paste along the dent.
Fold slightly more than half the length of dough over the almond paste; fold the other half over to create a neat bundle. Tuck in the edges and place on a parchment-lined tray, seam side down. (If you prefer a more traditional appearance, leave seam side up.)
Repeat with the remaining dough and almond paste.
Leave space between each stollen for air circulation.
Bake in a preheated oven 40-50 minutes or until a digital thermometer reads 190°F. Turn the baking tray once during baking to promote even baking.
While the stollen are still warm, use a skewer to poke numerous (about 30) holes into each loaf. Brush each with the melted butter. Dust generously with powdered sugar.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups sliced or 3/4 cup chopped
Slice a bit off the bottom and top of the lemon and orange to stabilize them on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut away the peel, from the stem end (it’s okay if the white pith is still attached). Cut the peels into thin slices a generous 1/4 inch thick. (If they’re too thin, they’ll become tough.) Reserve the citrus segments for another use.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the sliced peels and boil 2-3 minutes. (This helps remove the bitterness.) Remove the peels with a slotted spoon and discard the water.
Place a cup of water and a silicone pastry brush near the stove.
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups fresh water in the same saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Add the blanched (boiled) peels and simmer over very low heat until the citrus is transparent, about 45-60 minutes.
To prevent the sugar from crystallizing (and clumping) wash away any bits of sugar that stick to the sides of your pan with a wet pastry brush. Keep an eye on the sugar as crystallization can ruin the sugar.
Carefully remove the citrus strips from the syrup, using a fork or tongs, and dry on a cooling rack set over a sheet or parchment or waxed paper (to catch the syrup). Ensure the candied fruit are separated and not touching.
Place the remaining sugar in a small bowl. When the citrus strips are cool enough to handle, dip them in the sugar. They should be dry but chewy.
Store in a sealed container up to a month.
If using chopped citrus peel in you Stollen: place in a fine-mesh strainer to shake-off any excess sugar, before using.
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