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Christmas Stollen

How to Bake a Perfect Christmas Stollen 🎄🍞
Christmas Stollen is a traditional German holiday bread, filled with dried fruits, nuts, and festive spices, then dusted with powdered sugar to resemble freshly fallen snow. Here's a quick overview of how to make this classic treat:
Stollen tastes even better after a day or two, making it perfect for gifting or enjoying throughout the holiday season. It's a delicious way to bring a touch of Old World tradition to your celebrations!
Prepare the Fruits: Soak raisins in rum or orange juice for extra flavor.Mix the Dough: Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs, yeast, and warm milk with holiday spices and citrus zest to form a rich, fragrant dough.Add the Fillings: Knead in raisins, candied peel, and almonds.Shape & Rise: After the dough rises, shape it into the classic stollen fold and let it rise again.Bake & Finish: Bake until golden, then brush with melted butter and coat generously with powdered sugar.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine German

Ingredients
  

For the dough:

  • 4 cups 500g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 1 packet 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup 180ml warm milk (110°F/43°C)
  • 1/2 cup 113g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:

  • 1 cup 150g raisins
  • 1/2 cup 75g candied citrus peel
  • 1/2 cup 60g chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup 60ml rum or orange juice (for soaking raisins)

For finishing:

  • 1/2 cup 113g unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup 120g powdered sugar

Instructions
 

Prepare the Raisins:

  • Soak the raisins in rum or orange juice for 1 hour (or overnight for best flavor). Drain before use.

Make the Dough:

  • In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon zest, and softened butter. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and yeast mixture. Mix until combined.
  • Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5-7 minutes) until smooth and elastic.

Incorporate the Filling:

  • Flatten the dough slightly, then knead in the raisins, candied citrus peel, and almonds until evenly distributed.

Let the Dough Rise:

  • Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1.5-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Shape the Stollen:

  • Punch down the risen dough and roll it into a rectangle. Fold one side lengthwise over the other, leaving about 1 inch uncovered. This creates the traditional stollen shape.

Second Rise:

  • Transfer the shaped stollen onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover it lightly and let it rise for 45 minutes.

Bake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. (Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.)

Finish the Stollen:

  • While the stollen is still warm, brush it generously with melted butter. Sift powdered sugar over the top to create a thick layer. Repeat with more powdered sugar for extra coverage once the first layer sets.

Cool and Store:

  • Let the stollen cool completely. Wrap it tightly in foil and let it rest for at least 1-2 days to allow the flavors to meld. It can be stored for up to 2 weeks.
Keyword cake recipe, Christmas cake, Christmas stollen, German cake, Stollen, Stollen Recipe