Recipes

Christmas Stollen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (475ml) Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, softened and divided
• 1/4 cup (50g) White Fine Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs, divided
• 2 tbsp Instant Yeast
• 7 cups (840g) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
• 2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Ground Allspice
• 1 cup Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 cup (55g) Dried Currants
• 1 cup (130g) Dried Cranberries (Optional: Orange Flavoured)
• 1/2 cup (95g) Dried Apricots, diced
• 2 cups (450g) Regular Mixed Peel

Directions:

1. Place milk and 1/4 cup butter into a 4-cup microwave safe measuring cup and heat for 3 minutes or until milk is warm. Do not boil the milk. Add sugar and one egg to the milk mixture. Whisk together until fully incorporated.
2. Add yeast and let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
3. In a large bowl add flour, salt, spices, slivered almonds, dried currants, dried cranberries, and mixed peel. Give the flour a quick toss and make sure there are no clumps.
4. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead by hand. When kneading you fold the right side to the middle and push with your palms, then follow with the left side and push with your palms. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the process. Continue this for approximately 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and stretchy.
6. Place dough into a large bowl. Coat the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of softened butter. Cover with plastic wrap.
7. Let dough rise until doubled in size.
8. Once doubled, stretch the dough buy pulling the right side and pushing it into the middle, then pull the left side and push it into the middle. Rotate and pull the right side and push it to the middle. Then pull the left side and push into the middle, pinching the dough together.
9. Let rise for one hour.
10. Once the second rise is complete, cut into 4 equal pieces.
11. Take each piece and flatten to about 1/2" thick and 8" wide.
12. Roll into a log and pinch the sides closed.
13. Let rise in a warm place for another hour.
14. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
15. Once the loaves and risen, brush the top with the remained egg and place on a baking sheet.
16. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
17. Allow stollen to cool before serving.

NOTES: Stollen will keep in a paper pag in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to two months. Slice Stollen prior to freezing.