Stollen

prep time:: 30 minutes plus overnight
total time:: plus 1 more hour

Makes 30 slices

Connie Reeves

German Christmas bread covered with confectioner’s sugar

ingredients

Flour mixture

3 3/4 c flour
1/4 c lukewarm milk
1/4 c confectioner’s sugar
1 pkg yeast

Basting ingredients

1/2 c lukewarm milk
1 stick butter
3/4 c confectioner’s sugar

Main ingredients

1 stick + 1 T softened butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 T rum
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 T grated lemon zest
1 c slivered almonds
1/4 c candied orange peel
1/4 c candied lemon peel
1 1/4 c raisins
1/4 c lukewarm milk

directions

Preparing Stollen

1
Sift flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour, pour in 1/4 c lukewarm milk and 1/4 c confectioner’s sugar. Sprinkle in yeast and then dust with a little flour. Allow yeast to develop for 15 to 20 minutes.
2
Add 1 stick + 1 T softened butter, egg, salt, 3/4 c confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, lemon zest, almonds, orange peel, lemon peel, and raisins.
3
Taking 1/4 c lukewarm milk, add only enough to make dough pliable. Knead thoroughly. Cover with clean, damp dishtowel and let rise overnight.

Baking the Stollen

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Knead dough again for 1 minute. Shape dough into one oblong loaf and place on large buttered cookie sheet.
2
Push any raisins in that popped out so they won’t scorch during baking. Baste loaf with several tablespoons of lukewarm milk, up to 1/2 c.
3
Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Test with toothpick, which should come out clean when inserted.

Decorating the Stollen

Melt stick of butter. Baste stollen with plenty of butter while stollen is still hot, then sprinkle with some of 3/4 c confectioner’s sugar over the stollen. Repeat the basting of butter and sprinkling of sugar until the loaf has an even, white surface. This will keep the stollen fresh and moist for several weeks.

notes

Derek's high school German teacher passed out this recipe along with other German recipes, and after all our years of living in Germany, I was delighted to have it. I made it almost every year since and. It's scrumptious, though the loaf crumbles.

Source: Patuxent High School