Weihnachststollen mit Marzipan

MUST BE MADE SEVERAL DAYS AHEAD (about a week) !!!
Fruit filling must be made 1 day ahead of making the bread.
makes 2 loafs of about 1.7 kg (about 3¾ pounds) each.

Ingredients for the fruit mix:

• 100 grams slivered almonds, toasted
• 250 grams currants (raisins de Corinthe, Korinthen, krenten)
• 250 raisins
• 250 grams moist candied fruit mix (macédoine de fruits confits, 150 grams Orangeat + 100 grams Zitronat), diced
• 2 teaspoons almond extract (not artificial!) (Bittermandelaroma; arôme amande amère)
• 120 ml dark rum
• seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean; keep the scraped-out bean
• zest of ½ untreated large orange
• zest of ½ untreated large lemon

Ingredients for the dough:

• 150 ml milk
• 90 grams yeast (block of yeast, absolutely no bakers yeast "powder")
• 100 grams of honey
• 520 grams flour (Type 405 (D: Kuchenmehl), Type 45 (F: patisserie); cake/pastry flour
• (US) )); do not use self-rising flour. European flour is categorized by its ash content percentage. US flour by its usage; white flour is typically bleached in the US.
• 300 grams flour (Type 550 (D: helles Brötchdenmehl), Type 55 (F: brioche, pain, tarte); all-purpose & bread flour (US)); do not use self-rising flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 400 gram butter, soft, at room temperature (absolutely no margarine or other substitutes!!!)
• 2 teaspoons of salt

Ingredients for the almond paste filling:

• 300 grams almond paste (only ingredients: ground almonds, rose water, and no more than 35% sugar; absolutely do not use cheap, colored marzipan)
• 30 grams powdered sugar

Additional ingredients:

• 250 grams clarified butter (Butterschmalz; beurre clarifié); warm enough to be liquid. See instructions all the way at the end for how to make your own. Not difficult.
• 300 grams vanilla sugar
• powdered sugar
• soft butter and flour for the baking pan.

Traditionally "stollen" are baked in a "Stollenform" pan with a lid, of about 35-40 cm length (14-16
inch) and 15 cm wide (6 inch).

Alternatively, one can use an adjustable baking "fence" of similar size on several layers of oven paper
on baking or cookie sheet, or simply "freestyle" on twice-folded ( = 3 layers) oven paper on a baking
sheet.

Instructions for the fruit mix - must be made ½-1 day ahead of making the bread:

• put all the fruit mix ingredients (including the scraped out bean) in a bowl, and fold over several times to mix well and coat with rum
• cover the bowl with plastic kitchen foil
• let sit overnight at room temperature

Instructions for the pre-dough:

• make sure the milk is lukewarm/tepid and put in a large bowl (e.g., the bowl of your kitchen machine)
• with your fingers, break up the block of yeast and add to the milk
• stir to fully dissolve the yeast
• add the honey and the 200 grams of the 520 grams of flour
• knead in a kitchen machine until smooth and elastic (it will be a "solid" dough)
• cover and let rise for about 15 minutes at a warm spot (e.g., in the oven at 40-50 °C (105-120 ° F))

Instructions for the dough:

• to the pre-dough, add the rest of the flour (320 grams + 300 grams), the eggs, the egg yolks, and 100 grams of the 400 grams of the (diced) butter
• thoroughly knead with the dough hook (speed 1 or 2)
• continue kneading, and bit by bit, add the rest of the butter
• knead until the dough is smooth
• dust the dough with flour and cover the bowl with plastic kitchen foil
• let rise at room temperature for one hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume
• fold over the fruit mix one more time, remove the vanilla bean, and add the mix to the dough
• add salt
• briefly knead until the fruit mix is well incorporated

Instructions for the almond paste filling:

• crumble the almond paste into a bowl, add the powdered sugar,
• if the almond paste is dry, add a beaten egg yolk and a tablespoon of heavy cream
• mix thoroughly and knead well
• shape into a ball and cut in half
• roll each half into a round bar of about 30 cm (12 inch) long

Instructions for making & baking the bread:

• pre-heat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F)
• cut the dough ball in half and dust each half with flour
• roll out each half into an oval shape, about 1-1½ cm thick (½ inch), 35 cm wide, 45 cm long
• place an almond paste bar on each dough slab, across the narrow part, slightly off-center. Make sure that the almond bar does not extend all the way to the edge of the dough
• fold the dough over the almond bar and lightly pad against it
• likewise, fold the opposite end of the dough over the (now covered) almond bar
• pinch the tips of the resulting loaf, such that the almond bar is not visible.

 

• if you use "Stollenform" baking pans:

• grease them with butter and dust with flour
• put each loaf in a pan, seam-side up
• close the lid of the pan
• let the dough rise for another 15 minutes before putting in the oven

• if baking "freestyle":

• cover the baking sheet (large enough for two stollen) with twice-folded (i.e., 3 layers) of oven paper
• put both loafs on the paper, seam-side up
• make sure that they don't touch, as the loafs will sag and spread somewhat
• let the dough rise for another 15 minutes before putting in the oven
• put the baking pans or the baking sheet with the loafs at about half height in the oven
• reduce the oven thermostat setting to 175 °C (350 °F) - fan oven

• bake for 50-60 minutes (inserted metal skewer must come out clean)
• if you use "Stollenform" baking pans: remove the loafs from the pan
• let the loaf briefly cool (just a couple of minutes)
• while the loafs are still wam, generously brush them on all sides with the clarified butter
• cover the loafs on all sides with the vanilla sugar
• then very generously dust the loafs on all sides with powdered sugar
• let the loafs cool completely
• wrap each loaf in aluminum kitchen foil, making sure to fold-over and crimp the seams (it
• needs to be airtight; e.g. in a gallon-size ziplock freezer bag, with the air sucked out )
• keep in fridge for 1 week (!!), to let the dough soften a bit, and the flavors fully develop (it
• will be OK to eat several hours after baking, but the dough will be on the dry side).

 

 Instructions for making 250 grams of clarified butter (Butterschmalz; Ghee):

• the purpose is to remove water and milk solids from the butter, and end up with only the tasty butter fat. This is done at low temperature, as the butter should not turn brown at all!
• cut 350 grams of unsalted butter into pieces
• melt the butter at lowest heat in a heavy duty pan, while stirring occasionally
• when all the butter is completely melted, slightly increase the heat
• small bubbles will begin to form (and the water in the butter will begin to evaporate); white foam will float to the surface and white protein parts will form on the bottom of the pan
• when all the water is evaporated, the temperature of the butter will go up by itself
• stir regularly
• the white milk solids will slowly caramelize (only the milk solids, not the clear yellow butter!!)
• when all the white flakes have disappeared (some white froth will remain on top) and have turned into brownish granules on the bottom, turn off the heat and let rest for a couple of minutes
• scoop off the white foam with a spoon
• carefully pour off the clarified butter, making sure to leave the brown granules in the pan.
• can be kept in fridge for several months (will be white and solid when cold).

 

 [Alfons Schuhbeck's recipe]