# Stollen



## pmorton62 (Oct 28, 2016)

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.


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## SmokinAl (Oct 29, 2016)

Thank you for sharing the recipe.

My wife is a really good baker & I'm going to print this out & give it to her.

Al


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 29, 2016)

We love making bread.  This will be tried very soon.

Thank you for sharing a family recipe!


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## smokin jay (Oct 29, 2016)

This sounds very good! Thank you for the recipe!


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## pmorton62 (Dec 27, 2016)

As promised, a picture of the finished product.  Several people told me this was the best stollen I ever made.













20161224_131540.jpg



__ pmorton62
__ Dec 27, 2016


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