- Mar 19, 2016
- 55
- 27
This is an adaptation of a recipe my mother made every Christmas Eve for breakfast on Christmas morning. It's a traditional German Christmas bread. When I make it this year (probably on Christmas Eve, but maybe earlier...I have made a loaf for a friend for about 25 years, and it varies when she wants hers) I will post pictures.
Stöllen
1 2/3 – 2 cups dried or candied fruit (I used dried apricots cut into smaller pieces, dried cherries, dried pineapple, craisins and raisins)
3 tbsps orange juice
The night before making stöllen, soak the dried fruit in the orange juice and enough water to cover the fruit.
Yeast sponge
1 ½ cups milk or water heated to 105 – 115°F
2 packages dry yeast
1 cup bread flour
Combine these ingredients in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm location for 1 hour.
Dough
1 ½ cups butter
¾ cups sugar
3 eggs
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp lemon rind
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
4 ½ cups bread flour
2 cups pecans (or walnuts, but pecans are God’s favorite.)
½ cup bread flour
¼ cup butter melted
In a mixer bowl (We use a KitchenAid) beat the butter until it is soft. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the salt, lemon rind, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the yeast sponge and flour.
Attach the dough hook (or turn the bowl contents out onto the counter or a board if kneading by hand) and beat at speed #2 until the dough starts to pull away from the bottom of the bowl, about 8 minutes (or if kneading by hand about 10 – 15 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic).
In a separate bowl, combine the fruit, pecans and ½ cup bread flour and stir to coat the fruit and nuts with flour.
Knead the fruit and nuts into the dough.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Spread a little flour on the counter or board, and roll or pat each half into an oval about 8 ½ inches long and about 5 inches wide. Fold the oval almost in half lengthwise so the bottom extends slightly past the top.
Place each loaf on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.
Cover the loaves with clean dish towels and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until done. (An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read 190°F)
When the loaves are slightly cooled, transfer them to cooling racks place in baking sheets.
Lemon glaze
About 2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp lemon extract
Enough water to make a thick glaze (I have never measured, but it is probably about 3 or 4 tbsps, maybe a little more.)
Wisk these ingredients together until there are no lumps.
Pour and spread over the warm loaves, making sure to cover the whole loaf.
Stöllen
1 2/3 – 2 cups dried or candied fruit (I used dried apricots cut into smaller pieces, dried cherries, dried pineapple, craisins and raisins)
3 tbsps orange juice
The night before making stöllen, soak the dried fruit in the orange juice and enough water to cover the fruit.
Yeast sponge
1 ½ cups milk or water heated to 105 – 115°F
2 packages dry yeast
1 cup bread flour
Combine these ingredients in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm location for 1 hour.
Dough
1 ½ cups butter
¾ cups sugar
3 eggs
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp lemon rind
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
4 ½ cups bread flour
2 cups pecans (or walnuts, but pecans are God’s favorite.)
½ cup bread flour
¼ cup butter melted
In a mixer bowl (We use a KitchenAid) beat the butter until it is soft. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the salt, lemon rind, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the yeast sponge and flour.
Attach the dough hook (or turn the bowl contents out onto the counter or a board if kneading by hand) and beat at speed #2 until the dough starts to pull away from the bottom of the bowl, about 8 minutes (or if kneading by hand about 10 – 15 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic).
In a separate bowl, combine the fruit, pecans and ½ cup bread flour and stir to coat the fruit and nuts with flour.
Knead the fruit and nuts into the dough.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Spread a little flour on the counter or board, and roll or pat each half into an oval about 8 ½ inches long and about 5 inches wide. Fold the oval almost in half lengthwise so the bottom extends slightly past the top.
Place each loaf on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.
Cover the loaves with clean dish towels and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until done. (An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read 190°F)
When the loaves are slightly cooled, transfer them to cooling racks place in baking sheets.
Lemon glaze
About 2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp lemon extract
Enough water to make a thick glaze (I have never measured, but it is probably about 3 or 4 tbsps, maybe a little more.)
Wisk these ingredients together until there are no lumps.
Pour and spread over the warm loaves, making sure to cover the whole loaf.
