Description
Festive German Christmas stollen brings holiday cheer with rich dried fruit and marzipan center. Bakers can share this traditional sweet bread that delights guests during seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (115 g) cold butter
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup (40 g) slivered almonds (toasted and cooled)
- ⅓ cup (50 g) mixed dried fruit (golden raisins, cherries, cranberries)
- ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar (for topping)
- 6 tbsps (85 g) butter (melted, for topping)
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 325°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or light grease.
- Dry Mixture: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, creating a uniform dry base for the stollen.
- Butter Integration: Cut cold butter into tiny cubes and blend into dry ingredients until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Wet Component Blending: Whisk cottage cheese, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest into a smooth, cohesive liquid mixture.
- Fruit Preparation: Lightly coat dried fruits and almonds with flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into the dry ingredient mixture.
- Dough Formation: Add wet ingredients to dry components, stirring until a soft dough emerges, being careful not to overmix.
- Dough Shaping: Transfer dough to a floured surface, kneading minimally to maintain delicate texture. Divide into two equal portions.
- Loaf Crafting: Roll each portion into an oval shape, approximately 8 inches long and 7 inches wide, maintaining a half-inch thickness.
- Traditional Folding: Create the classic stollen shape by folding each oval lengthwise, leaving a small unsealed border and pressing down one inch from the sealed edge.
- Baking Process: Position shaped loaves on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they do not touch, and bake for 35-40 minutes until edges turn golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from oven and let rest briefly. Brush warm stollen generously with melted butter, then dust thoroughly with powdered sugar.
- Storage and Serving: Cool completely, apply a second butter coating and sugar dusting if desired. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Prevent Fruit Sinking: Dust dried fruits and almonds with flour to keep them evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Gentle Kneading Technique: Softly bring the dough together without overworking to maintain a tender texture.
- Precise Shaping Matters: Create the classic stollen fold by leaving a small border unsealed and pressing down one inch from the sealed edge.
- Storage Secret: Wrap completely cooled stollen in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to two weeks, allowing flavors to develop and intensify.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg