stollen

German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries.&nbsp; Your search for the best recipe has ended:&nbsp; Flaky, moist, aromatic and divinely flavorful, these homemade German Christmas Stollen are INCREDIBLE!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Best Authentic Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

For the Dough:

whole milk

active dry yeast

sugar

all-purpose flour

unsalted butter

vanilla extract

lemon

salt

cardamom

mace ((recommended but can substitute nutmeg))

cinnamon

Homemade Marzipan/Almond Paste (click link

marzipan/almond paste

For the Fruits & Nuts:

raisins

orange peel (, finely diced)

Homemade Candied Citrus Peel (click link

almonds (, finely chopped)

dark rum

For the Glaze & Dusting:

unsalted butter (, melted)

BEST Authentic Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

Place the raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it.&nbsp; Stir to combine.&nbsp; Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.

Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.

Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.&nbsp; Add the yeast/milk mixture.&nbsp; Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together.&nbsp; Knead the dough on the bread setting for 7-8 minutes.&nbsp; Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough).&nbsp; Using the dough hook, knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined.&nbsp; If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves.&nbsp; Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness.&nbsp; Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval.&nbsp; Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough.&nbsp; Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics).&nbsp; In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen.&nbsp; Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan.&nbsp; Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics).&nbsp; Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet.&nbsp; Cover the stollen loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy.&nbsp; At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden.  You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F.  Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm.  Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides.  Let the stollen cool completely.  You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.

The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in plastic wrap then foil) and left to &quot;ripen&quot; in a cool place for 2 weeks.  The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture.  Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.

Makes 2 large or 3 medium Stollen.For eating, I like to warm the slices up for a few seconds in the microwave, it makes the crumb nice and soft.

Paul Hollywood's almond and apricot 'couronne' is crammed with fruit and nuts and is a great alternative to stollen

Apricot & marzipan twist

strong white bread flour

milk

fast-action dried yeast

apricot

orange juice

light muscovado sugar

plain flour

raisin

walnut

grated zest 1 orange

marzipan

apricot jam

icing sugar

The night before, put apricots and orange juice in a bowl and set aside.

To make the dough, put flour, 1 tsp salt, butter, milk, yeast and egg in a bowl, and mix together to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 mins.

Transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Cover, then set aside to rise in a warm place for 1 hr.

Meanwhile, drain the apricots. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and muscovado sugar until fluffy. Mix in the apricots, flour, raisins, walnuts and orange zest.

Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a rectangle, about 25 x 33cm. Evenly spread over the apricot mix, then roll out the marzipan and lay it on top. Roll up the rectangle tightly so it looks like a Swiss roll. Roll slightly, then cut lengthways along the roll, leaving 1 end joined. Twist 2 lengths together, then shape into a ring on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Set aside to rise for 1 hr.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the twist for 30 mins until risen and dark golden. Towards the end of the baking time, gently warm the apricot jam in a small pan. Brush the freshly baked loaf with the warm jam to glaze it, then set it aside to cool. Once cooled, drizzle the twist heavily with the runny icing.

Although it takes some time, this Christmas stollen, a dense yeasted cake is worth every minute, is redolent with rum-soaked fruit and a hint of lemon zest. It&#x27;s the best accompaniment for coffee on Christmas morning. 

Christmas Stollen with Rum Glaze

golden raisins

cranberries

dried fruit (papaya, mango, kiwi, apricots, pears, etc)

butter (divided)

flour (all purpose)

sugar (divided)

lemon (zested)

packet active dry yeast

ginger (divided)

eggs (large)

Combine the fruit and rum in a small bowl. Stir to combine, cover, and let sit at room temperature while you make the dough or overnight if time allows.

Combine 2 sticks of the butter and the milk in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the butter melts). Combine the flour, ¼ cup of the sugar, the zest, the yeast, 1 teaspoon of the ground ginger, the cinnamon, and the salt in a large bowl. When the butter mixture cools to 100°F—it will feel warm but not hot—add it to the flour mixture and stir with the dough-hook attachment of a stand mixer or by hand. Lightly beat together the eggs and vanilla and stir them into the dough.

Knead the dough with the dough-hook attachment of a stand mixer or by hand until it feels smooth and elastic, about 7-10 minutes. Grease a large bowl, add the dough, and turn it over to coat it lightly with oil or butter. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and let the dough rise for 2 hours.

Punch down the dough and add the fruit mixture. Knead the dough in the bowl with the dough-hook attachment of a stand mixer or by hand until the fruit is evenly incorporated. (The dough will be sticky.)

Grease a baking sheet and shape the dough, as well as you can, into 2 to 4 long, oval loaves on the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and let the loaves rise for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the baking sheet and bake until the loaves are golden brown, about 35 minutes (for smaller loaves) to 1 hour (for larger loaves).

When the stollen is done, melt the remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave). Brush the tops and sides of the stollen with the butter while the loaves are still warm.

Combine the remaining ¾ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground ginger and sprinkle over the stollen. Cool thoroughly. Sprinkle the powdered sugar all over the stollen, pressing lightly to help it stick. Wrap each loaf in foil or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 day before serving.

My Stollen recipe, also known as German Christmas Bread, has dried fruit that has been soaked in rum, candied orange peels, raisins, and a whole lot of flavor! 

Homemade Stollen Recipe (German Christmas Bread)

(10 ounces 284 grams) raisins

(6 ½ oz/185 grams) candied citrus peel

(3½oz/94 grams) almonds (finely chopped)

(4floz/115 milliliters) dark rum

(8floz/225 milliliters) lukewarm milk

instant yeast

(22½oz/639 grams) all-purpose flour

(6 ounces 170 grams) butter (softened)

mace

(8 ounces 225 grams) marzipan

(4floz/115 milliliters) melted butter

(16 ounces 460 grams) powdered sugar

In a large bowl, combine the raisins, candied citrus peel, chopped almonds, and rum. Set aside to soak.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl), combine the lukewarm milk, yeast, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Once the yeast is proofed and frothy, add the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and the all-purpose flour, egg, egg yolks, softened butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace, and cinnamon.

Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead the dough with your hands for 15 minutes). Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

When the dough has risen, drain the soaking fruit and nut mixture if there is any liquid remaining and knead the mixture into the dough.

Making the Stollen Dough:

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide the dough in half and shape each half into an oval about one inch (3cm) thick.

Divide the marzipan in half and roll each half into a log the same length as the oval of dough. Press a log of marzipan down the middle of each oval.

To properly shape the stollen, for each oval, fold one side of the dough over the marzipan to cover it and press down on the seam to seal the dough.

Then fold the other side of the dough just over the marzipan again to cover it with a second layer of dough. Don’t pull the dough to the edge, just fold it over to cover the marzipan with a second layer – this will give you the classic stollen shape. Press down on this top layer at the seam along the length of the marzipan to seal the dough.

Place both shaped loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and loosely cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap. Let rise for about an hour, until puffed.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the loaves for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.

Let the loaves cool for 5 minutes, and then poke holes all over the loaves with a wooden skewer and brush both loaves all over with the melted butter and then generously coat the loaves in powdered sugar.

Once completely cooled, coat again with more powdered sugar, if desired, and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, stollen can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Shaping the Stollen:

Gemma, this recipe is FABULOUS! I made it last Christmas and was transported back to Christmases at my grandmother's house! I had told my sister that I was making it, but she didn't really remember it UNTIL she smelled it at my house and it smacked her in the memory too.. lol lol Truly though, this is a lovely recipe, one that I am planning on making again this year. The only thing that I did differently was use Jack Daniels instead of the rum, just because I am not a fan of rum. I also left the dried fruit and almonds to soak overnight, and good glory! That flavor was out of this world incredible!

Thank you for sharing your recipe.  Wondering if I can use bread flour instead?

Thank you for sharing. It so wonderful to bake the bread you love most.

Stollen: Buttery, spiced, tender loaves of sweet bread studded with dried fruit, candied citrus peel, and nuts for a heavenly flavor worthy of holiday celebrations. Perfect for holiday snacking, Christmas Eve dessert, or a sweet finish to holiday brunch! Make two loaves as directed, or see the recipe notes to make smaller loaves for gifting!

Stollen

raisins ((240 grams))

orange peel (diced (120 grams))

almond (chopped (60 grams))

dark rum ((120 milliliters))

milk ((110-120F/180 milliliters))

(0.25-ounce 7 grams) packet active dry yeast

all-purpose flour (divided (480 grams))

sugar ((66 grams))

Confectioners’ sugar

In a medium bowl, combine raisins, orange peel, lemon peel, almonds, and rum. Cover and let soak while preparing the dough, stirring occasionally.

For the Fruit and Nuts:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk and yeast, stirring to combine. Let stand until the top is foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup of flour, the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, salt, cardamom, and mace to the bloomed yeast. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is well combined and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Switch to the dough hook. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and the lemon zest. Mix on low speed until a soft and smooth dough forms, about 10 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, cover, and let rise until the dough is about doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Drain any remaining liquid from the soaked fruit.

Add the drained fruit mixture to the dough. Use the dough hook and mix on low speed just until the fruit is combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times to bring it into a ball. flouring the dough and your hands as needed.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 7x11-inch oval, lightly flouring your hands as needed.

Shape the marzipan into 2 (10-inch) long logs. Place a marzipan log down the center of each oval. Fold one long side of the dough over the marzipan to meet the other side. Gently press down along the seam to seal in the marzipan. (Do not pinch the seam together.)

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the loaves on the baking sheet a few inches apart. Loosely cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise until visibly puffed, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the Filling:

Uncover the risen loaves and brush with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown. (The internal temperature should reach 190F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the center of each loaf.) Place on a wire cooling rack.

Brush the hot loaves with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Heavily dust the tops of the loaves in confectioners’ sugar. Pat them with your hands to adhere the sugar to the crust. Cool completely. Dust again once cooled, including the bottom of the loaves, and pat to adhere. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap until ready to serve. Stollen gets better with age and can be enjoyed up to 3 weeks after baking as long as it is stored tightly wrapped.

For the Topping:

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