Christmas Stollen
This Christmas Stollen recipe makes a buttery German-style fruit bread with a soft marzipan centre and a generous coating of icing sugar. Raisins, sultanas and mixed citrus peel bring plenty of Christmas flavour, while chopped almonds add a little crunch. The dough is rich rather than airy, so expect a close, tender crumb and cut modest slices with a serrated knife.
For a hot South African Christmas, bake it early in the morning and serve it at room temperature with iced coffee or cold milk. It is lovely on a breakfast table or as a small sweet bite after lunch. Better still, the flavour settles overnight, leaving one less thing to prepare when the kitchen is busy on Christmas Day.
Ingredients
Fruit
Dough
Finishing
Instructions
- 1Mix the raisins, sultanas, citrus peel, rum or orange juice and orange zest in a bowl. Cover and soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge. Drain off any unabsorbed liquid and pat the fruit lightly with kitchen paper; let chilled fruit come to room temperature before using.
- 2Combine the flour, yeast, caster sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the lukewarm milk, egg and vanilla, then mix into a rough dough. Knead for about 5 minutes by hand or with a dough hook on low speed.
- 3Knead in the softened butter a little at a time, allowing each addition to blend in before adding more. Continue kneading for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky; avoid adding lots of extra flour.
- 4Gently knead in the drained fruit and almonds until evenly distributed. Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and leave until noticeably puffy and roughly one-and-a-half times its original size, about 90–120 minutes. Rich dough may take longer in a cool room.
- 5Line a large baking tray with baking paper. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into an oval about 30 cm long and 22 cm wide. Roll the marzipan into a 26 cm log and lay it lengthways just off the centre of the oval.
- 6Fold one long side of the dough over the marzipan, stopping about 2 cm short of the opposite edge to form the traditional offset ridge. Press firmly along the join and pinch the ends closed so the marzipan is enclosed. Transfer carefully to the tray.
- 7Cover loosely with lightly oiled cling film and leave for 45–75 minutes, until visibly puffy but not doubled. Towards the end of this rise, heat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan.
- 8Remove the covering and bake on the middle shelf for 45–55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Loosely cover with foil after 25–30 minutes if it is browning too quickly. A probe inserted into the bread, avoiding the marzipan, should read about 93–95°C.
- 9Leave on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer carefully to a wire rack. Brush the warm loaf all over the top and sides with the melted butter, allowing it to soak in between coats. Sift half the icing sugar over it.
- 10Cool completely, then dust with the remaining icing sugar. Wrap well and leave overnight before slicing if possible. Cut into 16 slices to serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Saturated fat
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 90 mg
- Cholesterol
- 38 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Allow a relaxed half-day for baking: the 40-minute preparation time excludes soaking, rising and cooling.
- On a hot day, prove the dough in a shaded spot rather than direct sun. Check it early; warmth speeds up the yeast and can make the butter greasy.
- Once completely cool, wrap in baking paper and foil and keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. In very hot or humid weather, refrigerate and bring slices to room temperature before serving.
- For longer storage, freeze the cooled loaf or individual slices, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw while wrapped and refresh the icing sugar before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make Christmas Stollen without alcohol?
Yes. Use the same quantity of orange juice instead of rum and refrigerate the fruit if soaking overnight. Rum-soaked fruit does not make this loaf reliably alcohol-free after baking.
Do I have to use marzipan?
No. Leave it out and fold the dough in the same way for a fruit-and-almond loaf. Begin checking for doneness after 40 minutes, as the lighter loaf may bake a little sooner.
Why has my stollen not doubled in size?
Butter, sugar and fruit make this a slow-rising, heavy dough. Look for a clear increase in volume and a puffy feel rather than a dramatic doubling. If it has barely moved, give it more time in a gently warm spot; never place it in a hot oven to hurry it along.
