Stollen is thought to have originated in Germany in the 1400’s. Stollen is a fruit bread of nuts, spices and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar and often containing marzipan. It is a traditional German bread eaten during the holidays. Learn to make your own

This recipe is tried and tested ! I got this from the Cupcake Jemma and it is a fabulous recipe. I tweaked it a bit as I prefer orange juice over rum and brandy. But you can add the rum!

Ingredients:

• 150ml whole milk- warm to touch

• 1 pack of instant yeast

• 415 g all purpose flour

• 100g fine sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp mace

• 1/2 tsp cardamom

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 150 g soft unsalted butter

• 2 egg yolks

• 200 gr currants/raisins/sultanas (soaked in rum or brandy overnight) I used orange juice

• 100g (mixed peel) I used orange and lemon peel

• 50 g almonds

• 250 g marzipan

Directions:

1. Activate yeast ( add yeast to the milk and add the sugar) stir and leave in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes

2. Sift all purpose flour into the mixer(don’t start mixer yet), add sugar, soft butter, egg yolks and all spices, salt and finally the milk/yeast mixture. Start the mixer with regular paddle for about 1 minute and then switch a dough hook. Keep mixing till you see a dough ball ( about 10 minutes) you should be able to stretch it.

3. Proof the dough in a greased bowl and cover with saraan wrap and a tea towel ( in an oven -with a bowl of hot water) Leave for an hour till it rises to double the size.

4. Remove dough and roll it out into a circle. Add soaked fruit , raisins and slivered almonds. Knead the dough through. You can divide the dough in two and roll each again into a circle. Add a tube of marzipan and mold into a stollen bread shape. Cover again with saran wrap and proof the stollen again for another hour in the oven again. Dough should be ready once it springs back very slowly (about 45 mins to an hour) Remove any fruit that are poking out as they will burn.

5. Bake at 320 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes. Poke holes in the stollen with a skewer and drizzle unsalted butter all over making sure the stollen is well soaked. Sprinkle icing sugar all over till covered. Let cool for 15 minutes and its ready to eat. Enjoy!!