Description
This traditional German Stollen recipe yields a rich, flavorful Christmas bread generously packed with dried fruits, nuts, and a hint of citrus. This festive loaf is perfect for holiday celebrations and features a tender, buttery crumb with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, beautifully braided and finished with a sugary glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 1/4 tbsp Dry active yeast
- 1/4 cup Warm water (about 40.5 °C or 105 °F)
- 5 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
- 5 oz Melted butter (preferably salted)
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
Fruit and Nut Mix
- 4 oz Dried currants (soaked in 1/4 cup rum)
- 7 oz Golden raisins (soaked in 1/4 cup orange juice)
- 4 oz Blanched almonds, sliced
- 4 oz Candied orange peel, chopped (store-bought is fine)
- 2 oz Dried apricots, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
Finishing Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Melted butter (for brushing on top)
- 3/4 cup Icing sugar
- 3-4 tbsp Milk (to make glaze)
Instructions
- Activate yeast: Whisk together the dry active yeast and warm water, then set aside until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg powder to create the base dry mixture for the dough.
- Combine wet and dry: Add the yeast mixture, beaten eggs, whole milk, and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring all ingredients start to come together.
- Knead initial dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes to begin developing gluten.
- Add fruits and nuts: Incorporate the soaked currants, soaked golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, chopped candied orange peel, sliced almonds, and lemon zest into the dough.
- Thorough kneading: Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, or until the fruits and nuts are evenly distributed and the dough is smooth yet slightly heavy. It’s normal for the dough to feel dense; patience is key. Optionally, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for this step.
- First rise: Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Divide and shape: Gently punch down the risen dough to release air. Transfer to a floured surface and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 14-15 inch long log.
- Braid the dough: Take three logs together and pinch at the top. Braid them, tucking the ends under the braid neatly. Repeat with the remaining three logs.
- Second rise: Place the two braided loaves on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350 °F) to ensure it is hot and ready when the breads have risen properly.
- Bake: Bake the braided loaves for 35-40 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F) or until they turn golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
- Butter brushing: Remove from the oven and immediately brush each hot loaf with 2 tablespoons of melted butter to keep them moist and add richness.
- Prepare glaze: While the breads cool completely, whisk together icing sugar and milk until smooth and thick to create a sweet glaze.
- Glaze and serve: Pour the glaze over the cooled stollen breads, allowing it to set slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy this festive treat!
Notes
- This stollen recipe is a traditional German holiday bread, rich with dried fruits, nuts, and warming spices perfect for festive celebrations.
- Soaking the dried fruits in rum and orange juice adds moisture and enhanced flavor.
- Kneading the dough thoroughly ensures an even distribution of fruits and nuts, resulting in a beautiful and flavorful loaf.
- If preferred, a stand mixer with a dough hook can be used to handle the heavy dough more easily.
- Brush the loaves with melted butter immediately after baking to keep the crust soft and flavorful.
- The glaze adds a sweet finishing touch and a lovely presentation for holiday gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 339 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 81 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 44 mg
