Original Holiday Stollen and Just as Amazing Vegan Holiday Stollen

Original Stollen

Total Time: 3 hr 40 min
Prep: 1 hr
Inactive: 2 hr 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 1 large loaf or 2 medium-sized loaves

Ingredients

For the Fruit:

  • 1 cup mixed candied fruit
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum or orange juice

For the Sponge:

  • 1 scant tablespoon or 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Dough:

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
  • 3 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • Oil, for coating bowl

For the Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Topping:

  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Prepare Fruit: Combine the mixed fruit, raisins, and rum. Cover and set aside. Shake or stir the mixture every so often to coat the fruit with the rum.

Prepare Sponge: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the water to soften. Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and add it to the yeast along with the honey and 1 cup flour. Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and let rise until light and full of bubbles, about 30 minutes.

By Hand: Add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

By Mixer: In the mixer bowl, add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Using the paddle, beat the mixture on medium low speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Change to the dough hook. Continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Knead 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low.

First rise: Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Shape and Fill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. For 1 large loaf, roll the dough into a 9 by 13-inch oval. For 2 loaves, divided the dough in half and roll each half into a 7 by 9-inch oval. Brush the melted butter over the top of the oval(s). Combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and sprinkle over one lengthwise half of the oval(s). Fold the dough in half lengthwise and carefully lift the bread(s) onto a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet. Press lightly on the folded side to help the loaf keep its shape during rising and baking.

Second rise: Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven: About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake and cool: Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees F. Immediately remove from the baking sheet and place on a rack to cool.

To serve: Sprinkle heavily with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Variation: Between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll 3 ounces almond paste or marzipan into the lengthwise shape of half the oval. Omit the butter and cinnamon-sugar filling. Place the marzipan on half of the oval and fold the dough in half. Let rise and bake as directed.

Notes: One cup coarsely chopped mixed dried fruits may be substituted for the candied fruit. Cover the dried fruit with boiling water and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and use as you would candied fruit. You can also make your own candied fruit and peel. This bread freezes nicely for up to 6 months. If freezing it, do not sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
To serve, first thaw the bread, then bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Delicious Vegan Stollen

The recipe makes 2 loaves. You can easily make just one loaf by dividing the amounts listed.

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 ¼cups all purpose flour
  • 2½ tsps. yeast
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 4 tblsps. icing, (powdered) sugar for dusting
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Spices and Fruit

  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. ground cardomom, (optional)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • ½ cup currants
  • 1 cup fruit cake mix or mixed orange and lemon peel
  • 2 tblsps. finely sliced almonds

Wet Ingredients

  • 7oz butter/almost 1 cup butter when melted, non-dairy butter for vegans
  •  1 cup almond milk or milk of your choice
  •  1 tsp vanilla extract
  •  ½ teaspoons almond extract
  •   extra melted butter, (non-dairy butter for vegans)
  •   8 oz/approx. 1½ cups Marzipan, see recipe below
  •   Please add the remaining sugar to the melted butter and mix into the flour

Directions:

  1.   Melt butter and keep aside to cool
  2.   Warm the milk
  3.   Mix yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar, then add milk, mix and leave aside to rise
  4.   Use remaining sugar to add the flour by mixing into the melted butter
  5.   Sift flour in a large dish. Add all the spices
  6.   Follow with vanilla and almond extracts. Mix all together
  7.   Combine with risen yeast and melted butter
  8.   Knead well. If dough feels too dry add small amounts of milk until you get a good consistency
  9.   When well kneaded add almonds, and dried fruits. Carefully mix all ingredients
  10.   When well mixed, place back in bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place, between 1-2 hours
  11.   When well risen, knead again, divide dough in half & roll out
  12.   Apply marzipan in center of rolled out dough, leaving a border of about 2″ on all sides
  13.   Fold the dough with marzipan inside
  14.   Place in a greased baking tray and leave to rise again between 1-2 hours
  15.   Before baking place a piece of foil on top of bread to prevent burning
  16.   Bake in a preheated oven, 190°C/ 375°F for approx 40-60 minutes
  17.   When baked, remove from oven. Whilst still hot, brush generously with melted butter and dust with icing sugar
  18.   Leave to cool
  19.   When cool, slice, apply butter and serve
  20.   Dust with icing sugar before serving
  21.   Keep the extra Stollen in an airtight container or wrap in foil

Marzipan

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/3 cup ground almonds
  • ½cup plus 1 tblsp. icing/powdered sugar
  • 3 tblsps. water
  • ½ tsp. almond essence

Directions:

  1.  Mix icing sugar and ground almonds together until well blended
  2.  Add water and essence and mix until it forms a dough like texture
  3.  Divide mix equally to apply to each rolled stollen dough