Stollen: Rich fruit bread dusted with powdered sugar

Delight your holiday guests with a classic treat straight from the Bake with Jack's kitchen. A traditional German Christmas Stollen is a festive bread filled with sweet dried fruits, aromatic spices, and a heart of homemade marzipan. This stollen is not just a cake; it's a celebratory centerpiece that brings the joy of the holidays to your table. Here's how you can make Bake with Jack's Christmas Stollen, rich with flavor and the tenderness of care.

Ingredients:

- Dried fruits (sultanas, apricots, dried cranberries) for soaking

- 1 medium egg + 1 egg yolk (keep the white for the marzipan)

- 100g warm milk

- 7g fast-action dry yeast

- 250g strong white bread flour

- 4g salt

- 40g caster sugar

- 4g (about 2 teaspoons) mixed spice (blend of cinnamon, coriander seeds, dill seeds, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg)

- 40g unsalted butter, softened

- Homemade marzipan (made from the reserved egg white, almonds, and sugar)

- Flour for dusting

- Peel (orange/lemon), optional

Prep Time: 30 minutes (not including soaking time for fruits)

Cook Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (plus resting and soaking)

Equipment: Mixing bowls, dough scraper, rolling pin, kitchen scale, sieve, kitchen towels, baking tray

Servings: 1 large stollen

Instructions:

1. The night before, soak your trio of dried fruits in a bowl with just enough water to cover them. Let them plump up overnight.

2. The next day, drain the soaked fruits in a sieve and spread them on a tray lined with kitchen towel. Pat them dry to remove external moisture. Add your citrus peel to the tray if using.

3. Make the dough by whisking together one whole egg, one egg yolk, and the warm milk in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve the yeast in the mixture.

4. Add the flour, salt, caster sugar, and mixed spice to the bowl. Use a dough scraper to combine the ingredients.

5. Gradually incorporate the softened butter, then tip the dough onto a clean work surface. Knead for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Use no additional flour during kneading.

6. Let the dough rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your homemade marzipan using the reserved egg white.

7. Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Roll the dough into a 30 cm wide circle. Spread half of the fruit mixture over the dough and pat it down.

8. Fold the dough in thirds and press it out into a rectangle. Add the remaining fruit, patting it down once more.

9. Shape the dough into a log, ensuring even distribution of the fruit. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours.

10. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).

11. On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough out to prepare for the marzipan. Shape and place the homemade marzipan in the center of your dough and then roll the dough around it.

12. Place your shaped stollen onto a baking tray, cover lightly, and allow it to proof for a final 20 minutes.

13. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the stollen is beautifully golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

14. Once baked, you may choose to brush your stollen with melted butter and dust it generously with icing sugar for a snowy effect.

Enjoy your festive Bite with Jack's Christmas Stollen, perfect for sharing with loved ones during the holiday season.

Recipe attributed to Bake with Jack and their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Bakewithjack

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YouTube channel - Bake with Jack: https://www.youtube.com/@Bakewithjack

Stollen: Rich fruit bread dusted with powdered sugar