Dessert - Traditional german christmas stollen recipe
Author: Lydia Martin
It wouldn't be the holidays without authentic German Christmas bread - also known as Stollen. German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries.
BEST Authentic Stollen (German Christmas Bread)
German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries. Your search for the best recipe has ended: Flaky, moist, and divinely flavorful, these homemade German Christmas Stollen are INCREDIBLE!
Provided by: Kimberly Killebrew
Total time: 220 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Prep time: 180 minutes
Yields: 24 servings
Cuisine: German
Number of ingredients: 26
Provided by: Kimberly Killebrew
Total time: 220 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Prep time: 180 minutes
Yields: 24 servings
Cuisine: German
Number of ingredients: 26
Ingredients:
- For the Dough:
- 1 cup lukewarm whole milk
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) (, at room temperature so it's very soft)
- 2 teaspoons quality pure vanilla extract
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 teaspoon ground mace ((recommended but can substitute nutmeg))
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces Homemade Marzipan/Almond Paste (, divided in half (you can omit the marzipan if you prefer))
- or store-bought marzipan/almond paste
- For the Fruits & Nuts:
- 9 ounces raisins
- 3 ounces candied lemon peel (, finely diced)
- 3 ounces candied orange peel (, finely diced)
- Homemade Candied Citrus Peel Recipe ((we VERY STRONGLY recommend using homemade, it makes ALL the difference!))
- 3 ounces blanched slivered or sliced almonds (, finely chopped)
- 1/3 cup quality dark rum
- For the Glaze & Dusting:
- 1 stick unsalted butter (, melted)
- powdered sugar for generous dusting
Nutrition:
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 324 kcal
- Carbohydrate: 41 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Place the raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it. Stir to combine. Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.
- Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.
- Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast/milk mixture. Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together. Knead the dough on the bread setting for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour (likely closer to 2 hours depending on the temperature of the environment).
- Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough). Using the dough hook, knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined. If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves. Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness. Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval. Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough. Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics). In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen. Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan. Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics). Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet. Cover the stollen loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy. At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).
- Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden. You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm. Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides. Let the stollen cool completely. You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.
- The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in plastic wrap then foil) and left to "ripen" in a cool place for 2 weeks. The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture. Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.
- Makes 2 large or 3 medium Stollen.For eating, I like to warm the slices up for a few seconds in the microwave, it makes the crumb nice and soft.
Christmas Stollen (real German Meister's recipe)
Recipe for two medium size Stollen:120 g (4.2 oz) raisins40 g (1.4 oz) candied orange peel 40
Duration: 14:43
Christmas Stollen
As a traditional German fruitcake with a profound history, it's no wonder that there are as many variations of stollen as there are people who make it. This version includes a rich filling of almond paste (or marzipan), which adds to the decadence of the bread-like cake. Stollen's dense butter and sugar coating makes it an excellent candidate for preparing ahead of the busy holiday season, wrapping, and giving to friends and family up to 2 weeks later.
Provided by: King Arthur Flour
Total time: 181 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Yields: 42 servings
Number of ingredients: 18
Provided by: King Arthur Flour
Total time: 181 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Yields: 42 servings
Number of ingredients: 18
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (454g) King Arthur Fruitcake Fruit Blend
- 1/3 cup (74g) orange juice or rum
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 3/4 cup (170g) water warm
- 1 large egg
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup (28g) King Arthur Baker's Special Dry Milk
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mace
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 tablespoon (14g) lemon zest (grated rind)
- 1/2 cup (71g) chopped toasted almonds
- 3/4 cup (191g) almond paste or marzipan
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter melted
- King Arthur Baker's Special Sugar*
- confectioners' sugar or King Arthur Snow White Non-Melting Sugar
Nutrition:
- Serving Size: 1 inch slice (41g)
- Calories: 140 calories
- Carbohydrate: 22g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Sugar: 12g
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- To prepare the fruit: Combine the fruits and orange juice or rum, cover, and set aside at room temperature for up to 12 hours. This mixture will be added to the dough in step 5.
- To prepare the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Using a stand mixer, mix and knead together all of the dough ingredients (except the almonds) to make a smooth, soft dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rise until puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- To make the filling: Divide the marzipan into three pieces and shape each into a flattened 7" log.
- To assemble the stollen: Knead the fruit and almonds into the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, divide it into three pieces, and shape each piece into an 8" x 6" oval.
- Place one piece of almond paste or marzipan down the longer center of each oval, and fold dough over it lengthwise, leaving the top edge of the dough just shy of the bottom edge.
- Press the top edge firmly to seal it to the dough below.
- Place the loaves on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover them, and let them rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy.
- While the stollen are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the upper third.
- Bake the stollen for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and its internal temperature reads 190°F on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the stollen from the oven, and brush them with melted butter. After 5 minutes, dust with Baker's Special (superfine) sugar and/or confectioners' or non-melting sugar.
- Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for longer storage.
German Stollen
My family and friends agree that the holidays just wouldn't be the same without this traditional stollen. —Valeria Mauik, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Provided by: Taste of Home
Total time: 115 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Prep time: 90 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Cuisine: Europe, German
Number of ingredients: 19
Provided by: Taste of Home
Total time: 115 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Prep time: 90 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Cuisine: Europe, German
Number of ingredients: 19
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
- 1/4 cup dried currants
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- Confectioners' sugar, optional
- GLAZE:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Nutrition:
- Calories: 214 calories
- Fat: 6g fat (3g saturated fat)
- Cholesterol: 30mg cholesterol
- Sodium: 155mg sodium
- Carbohydrate: 36g carbohydrate (16g sugars
- Fiber: 2g fiber)
- Protein: 4g protein.
- In a large bowl, soak raisins, fruit and currants in apple juice for 1 hour; drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add the eggs, zest and extract; beat until smooth. Stir in the almond, fruit mixture and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
- Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down; divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12x8-in. oval. Fold one long side over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar or combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over loaves.
Stollen (German Christmas Bread)
It wouldn't be the holidays without authentic German Christmas bread - also known as Stollen. This yeasty, delicious bread is packed with spices and rum-soaked candied citrus peel, raisins, and nuts. Along with the classic top fold, Germen Stollen is coated in a melted butter and powdered sugar for that signature frosted look.
Provided by: Recipes From Europe
Total time: 205 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Yields: 16 servings
Cuisine: German
Number of ingredients: 19
Provided by: Recipes From Europe
Total time: 205 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Yields: 16 servings
Cuisine: German
Number of ingredients: 19
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup candied orange peel (see notes)
- 1/3 cup candied lemon peel (see notes)
- 1/2 cup ground almonds
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately; might need slightly more or slightly less )
- 1 medium-sized egg
- 1/3 cup butter (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- zest from 1 organic lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 cup butter
- powdered sugar
Nutrition:
- Serving Size: 1 g
- Calories: 305 kcal
- Carbohydrate: 51 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 29 mg
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 32 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- If your candied orange and lemon peels are quite big, chop them into smaller pieces with a knife.
- In a small bowl, combine raisins, candied orange peel, candied lemon peel, ground almonds, and the rum. Stir until everything is well mixed. Cover the bowl with cling film or place the mixture into a container with a lid and let it sit for one hour. You can also let it sit for longer or overnight if you want more intense flavors.
- In a small pot or microwave-safe container, heat the milk until it is lukewarm. Then add the dry yeast and one tablespoon of sugar. Whisk until the yeast and the sugar have dissolved. It's important that your milk is only warm and not hot as this might harm the yeast bacteria.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, egg, butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Mix everything together with the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer.
- Slowly add the milk with the dissolved yeast into the bowl and keep mixing for around 5 minutes until the dough forms a ball that no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.
- Now add your rum-soaked fruit/nut mix and mix for another few minutes until the fruit is evenly distributed. If your dough gets overly sticky again, add a little more flour.
- Set your mixer aside and form the dough into a nice ball using your hands. Rub a little bit of flour onto the outside of the dough ball and put it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel. Now place the bowl in a warm spot without draft for 1.5 hours to let the dough rise.
- Once the time is up and the dough has increased in size, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle some flour onto your countertop and briefly knead the dough with your hand. Then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough slightly into a bread shape. Now place your rolling pin in the middle of the Stollen so it is aligned with the long sides of the Stollen and slightly flatten down one slide with the rolling pin. Then fold it back up and towards the middle of the loaf and press it down lightly.
- Place the dough onto the baking sheet with parchment paper and cover it with a dishtowel. Let it sit in a warm spot for another 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the Stollen for around 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Start watching your Stollen at around 30 minutes and cover it with aluminum foil for the rest of the baking time if the top gets too brown.
- When the Stollen is done, remove it from the oven. Melt 1/4 cup of butter and brush it generously onto the Stollen. Right after, coat the whole Stollen in powdered sugar. Then let the Christmas bread cool.
- While you can eat the Stollen right away, it tastes best after it has had time to sit and "ripen" for a while. For that, tightly wrap the bread in aluminum foil and store it in a cool, dry place (e.g. your garage) between 5 days and 2 weeks (depending on personal preference) before consuming. Enjoy!
