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Christmas Stollen

Christmas Stollen, or Christstollen, is a Christmas bread that is full of nuts, raisins, and candied fruit, and dusted with confectioner's sugar. Like so many other holiday breads, you will find so many versions of this lovely holiday bread. It is typically made weeks in advance and should mellow in flavor Christmas fruit bread recipes, stollen is best when made weeks in advance.
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: German
Keyword: Christmas, yeast bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Lora

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2/3 cup warm milk 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/3 cup butter softened
  • 2 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1/3 cup currants
  • 1/3 cup sultana raisins
  • 1/3 cup red candied cherries quartered (I skipped this and added dried cranberries)
  • 2/3 cup diced candied citron skipped this and added 1 large orange zest
  • 6 ounces marzipan I did not have marzipan to do the marzipan surprise
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
  • When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  • Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
  • Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. IF you are using marzipan in the center, roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Cover with a damp cloth and combine 1 tablespoon milk and 1 egg. Brush dough gently with milk mixture.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners’ sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Notes

Sugar glaze: Combine 1 tablespoon milk and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth; drizzle over cooled loaves; drizzle over cooled loaves.