Christmas baking in Germany is never complete without a special fruit based bread and this German stollen is one I love making during the festive season. It is soft, buttery and packed with soaked dried fruits and warm spices. Once baked, the loaf is dusted generously with icing sugar for the beautiful snowy finish.
Stollen Recipe
Stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread, also called Christstollen or Weihachtsstollen. It is said to represent baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, which is why the loaf has become closely connected with the festive season.
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There are many versions of stollen and some made with a marzipan filling in the centre. In this recipe, I have kept things simple with soaked dried fruits along with spices.
About German Stollen Bread Recipe
You all know my love for baking at home. I really enjoy trying different recipes and seeing how each one turns out. Over the years, I have made quite a few festive recipes on my blog like Christmas fruit bread, plum cake, traditional fruit cake, caramel fruit cake, Christmas tree brownies and gingerbread cookies.
This time I wanted to try another traditional festive bread, so I made German stollen. It was such a fun bread to bake, especially with all the soaked dried fruits and warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
Stollen is a traditional German bread usually eaten during the Christmas season. Bread has dried fruits and nuts added in it usually it has marzipan used in the recipe for stollen.
The result is a soft, slightly chewy bread with a fruity taste in every bite. It tastes delicious with a hot cup of tea or coffee. You can also turn the leftover stollen bread into french toast or bread pudding.
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Ingredients
- All purpose flour : All purpose flour is used to make the stollen dough.
- Dry yeast : Dry yeast helps the dough rise and gives the stollen its light, airy texture. Make sure to use fresh yeast.
- Sugar : Sugar adds sweetness and also helps browning during baking.
- Warm milk : Warm milk activates the yeast. Use lukewarm milk so the yeast activates well.
- Salt : A small amount is enough for the dough.
- Butter : Butter makes the stollen rich, soft and tender. It also enrich the dough making it more buttery.
- Dried fruits : Dried fruits add sweetness and chewy texture throughout the loaf. Raisins or other dried fruits like cranberries, tutti fruti, cherries can be used as preferred.
- Rum : Rum is used to soak the dried fruits and gives a deeper, rich flavour.
- Spices : I used cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves for spices in my bread.
- Egg : Eggs add richness and help bind the dough together. It also helps the bread get the golden colour once baked.
- Confectioner sugar : Icing sugar is generously dusted over the stollen bread for its classic snowy finish.
Step by Step Pictures
Soaking dry fruits
1)Start soaking the fruits at least 2 days in advance. Take all the dried fruits, candied peels, candied fruits in a bowl or jar. Pour in rum and mix well.
2)Cover and let the fruits steep for 2 days.
Activate Yeast
3)Now activate the yeast. Take warm milk in a bowl, add sugar and mix well.
4)Sprinkle in yeast and set aside for 5 mins so the yeast gets foamy and activates.
5)Now add in one egg and whisk well until combined.
6)Set this aside.
Make Dough
7)Now in a large mixing bowl. Take flour, salt. Mix the salt into the flour.
8)Add the soaked dried fruits and mix well.
9)Pour the yeast egg and milk mixture into the flour.
10)add in melted butter and knead well.
11)Bring the dough together. It will be slightly sticky.
12)Once the dough comes together, Cover and let it proof for 1 hour until the dough is doubled in size.
13)Now the dough has proofed.
Shaping Bread
14)Now punch back the air out and take the dough on well floured work surface and add the spice powders.
15)Knead it once so the spices is evenly combined into the dough.,
16)Now flatten the dough like this. At this point you can stuff the dough with a log of marzipan.
17)and bring the dough from one side and fold it on itself.
19)seal it well and place it in a parchment lined baking pan.
20)Place it on a parchment lined baking pan. Cover again with tea towel and Let it rise for 30 mins.
Baking bread
21)Once the dough has risen. Now brush the top with a beaten egg.
22)Place it into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 mins.
23)Remove from oven and brush the top with melted butter.
24)Once it is cooled enough, sprinkle top with confectioners sugar.
25)Slice and serve.
26)Enjoy.
Expert Tips
Soaking Fruits – Soak the dried fruits in rum at least a day before baking. This helps them become soft and adds more flavour to the bread.
Stollen Dough – Make sure the milk is lukewarm when activating the yeast. Very hot milk can affect the yeast. Once the dough is ready, gently shape it into a loaf to keep the stollen soft and light.
Authentic touch – for authentic touch, you can stuff the center of the bread with a log of marzipan before shaping the dough and baking.
Finishing Touches – Brush the baked loaves with melted butter while they are still warm. This adds richness, and helps keep the bread moist. Once the stollen has cooled completely, dust it generously with icing sugar. This gives it the traditional snowy finish and helps prevent the loaf from drying out.
Storage – Allow the stollen to cool completely before storing it. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or keep it inside an airtight container. It keeps well for a week at room temperature. You can also refrigerate the stollen for longer storage.
Serving – Slice the stollen and serve it as it is with a generous dusting of icing sugar. It tastes especially good with a hot cup of tea, black coffee or milk. If preferred, warm the bread slightly and serve it alongside with whipped cream, buttercream or ice cream for a delightful treat.
FAQ
Q. Can I make stollen without marzipan ?
Yes, you can. Marzipan is completely optional, so you can simply leave it out if you don’t like it or can’t make it.
Q. Why should I soak the dry fruits and nuts ?
Soaking the dried fruits with rum helps soften them and adds moisture to the bread. It also helps keep the stollen soft and flavourful after baking.
Q. Why did my stollen turn out dry ?
This happens if the stollen is over baked or not stored properly. Make sure to bake it until just done and brush it with melted butter and wrap it well once it has cooled.
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Stollen Recipe (Recipe for German Stollen Bread)
Christmas baking in Germany is never complete without a special fruit based bread and this German stollen is one I love making during the festive season. It is soft, buttery and packed with soaked dried fruits and warm spices. Once baked, the loaf is dusted generously with icing sugar for the beautiful snowy finish.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Stollen Recipe (Recipe for German Stollen Bread)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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