bakekrazy

Stollen is a bread with nuts, spices and dried or candied fruit and sprinkled with powered sugar or icing. It is a traditional German bread eaten during the Christmas season. It was known to have been first baked in 1545. Over time it went from hard and tasteless to a rich sweeter tasting bread. This recipe I filled the center with almond paste. Just, slice a generous piece, slip it into a toaster and spread a little butter and you have a wonderful morning meal.

Preheat Oven at 375 degrees

Sponge: {better flavor is added to the bread with a sponge}
3/4 cup of bread flour
3/4 cup of warm water (100 degrees)
1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

Dough
2  cups bread flour (+ or -)
1/4 cup water (warm 100 degrees)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 tablespoons sugar
1.5 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons dry powered milk
3/4 cup unsalted butter (very soft)
1/4 cup chopped Hazel Nuts toasted
1 lb. golden raisins (soaked in rum 12 hours.. optional)
1/4 cup dried dried cherries
1/2  cup chopped pistachios
1/4 cup candied orange peel
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
3/4 cup almond paste

Coating bread:
egg wash
unsalted butter (melted)
powered sugar

First make the sponge by hand mixing the yeast, flour, water together in a small bowl and allow it to sit covered for at least 2 hours up to 12.
In a stand mixer with a dough hook place in the sponge, flour, water, yeast, sugar, corn syrup, salt, egg, egg yolk, powered milk and vanilla. Mix on a medium speed for 8 – 10 minutes to incorporate the ingredients. Add in the butter until the dough is smooth. At a slow speed add in the hazel nuts, walnuts, cherries, orange peel and pistachios. Spray the inside of a medium bowl and add the dough flipping to coat both sides, cover lightly and place in a warm area to double in size. Pull the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces, flatten each piece, cover and bench rest for 20 minutes. Scale out 1/4 of the almond paste and roll into a log to the length of the dough. Place the almond paste into the center of each dough and fold over and seal edges. On a parchment paper lined sheet pan lightly sprayed with vegetable spray place each dough 2″ apart. Allow the dough to proof covered lightly in a warm area until a 50 percent increase in size. Brush with the egg wash and bake in the center of your oven for 45 minutes. Remove for the oven and brush with the melted butter. Allow to cool on a cooling rack then dust with powered sugar.

Enjoy
Chef Brian Klauss