Stollen

Christmas food..... German traditional....

Found on a scrap piece of paper in Mum's pantry. This is the original recipe Mum used to make a few years ago. (She's been using a different one lately - shock horror) Mum said she hasn't made this version in a while cos it makes a fair amount that she gives away. (She said about 4 largish ones.) So here we go. Will have to ask Mum to elaborate on her brief instructions - which also happen to be overwritten in black felt pen with the note 'Rowan's wallet'.... wonder if he left it somewhere? Oh and sorry, it's not in metric - yet.

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 lb butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages dry yeast (2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp lemon peel (fresh grated - or use mixed peel packet if no fresh)
1tsp almond extract
5 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup finely chopped candied orange peel (again, mixed peel packet if desperate)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup slivered almonds

(filling)
1 packet of almond paste (marsipan) - optional

(topping- a)
1 egg white beaten with 1 tsp sugar

(topping - b)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup icing sugar


Bring milk, butter, sugar to the boil in a pan. When just on the boil, remove from the heat and cool. Sprinkle yeast onto the warm water in a seperate bowl, leave to activate.

Put 3 cups of the flour, salt, lemon peel in a large bowl, add the cold milk mix, yeast mix, and almond extract. Beat well.

Add eggs one at a time. Add fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants, slivered almonds and candied orange peel. And 2 cups of the remaining flour. Mix. Turn onto a board, knead till smooth, approx 10 mins. Use some of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour where needed (excuse the pun)

Rise until double. Approx 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

Beat down. (ie: punch down in bowl with knuckles) Divide into 4. Mould each piece into an oval about 3/4 inch deep. If wanting a filling, use 1/4 of the marsipan (1 for each of the stollen) and roll the marsipan into a small 'sausage' to fit approx length of the oval. Fold the oval in half lengthways so that the bottom layer extends beyond the top layer by about an inch - sealing the filling at one end and not at the other*. (if you have the filling)
*Mum says, the filling often represents the baby Jesus in his swaddling clothes so imagine his head is peeping out - but not his feet.

Brush with egg white mix (see topping - a) Leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 mins.

Bake at 375 deg F (180 deg C) for 25 mins. While still hot, brush with melted butter and dust thickly with icing sugar (see topping - b) Put back into oven for a few minutes.

When cold, wrap in foil and store in a cool, dry place. Can be left for a week before eating, however in NZ it tends to go dry in our summer climate. But it does 'keep' okay for a while. Can even be frozen.

To serve, slice and eat!