Stollen Recipe

Ingredients :

50g currants

75g raisins

40g chopped mixed peel

40g glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered

30ml rum

50g butter

175ml milk

25g caster sugar

375g strong white bread flour

1.5ml salt

2.5ml ground nutmeg

2.5ml ground cinnamon

seeds from 3 cardamom pods, crushed

1 sachet easy-blend dried yeast

grated rind of 1 lemon

1 egg, beaten

40g flaked almonds

175g ready made marzipan

melted butter, for brushing

icing sugar, to dusting

1. Soak the dried and candied fruit it the rum.
2. Heat the butter, milk and caster sugar in a pan until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.
3. Cool until hand hot.
4. Sift the flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon into a bowl and add the cardamom and yeast.
5. Make a well and stir in the milk mixture, lemon rind and egg.
6. Beat to form a soft dough.
7. Turn on to a floured surface.
8. With floured hands, knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
9. Knead in the soaked fruit and almonds.
10. Return the dough to the clean, oiled bowl, cover with clear film and leave in a warm place for up to 3 hours until doubled in bulk.
11. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes on a floured surface, then roll out to a 25cm square.
12. Roll the marzipan to a slightly shorter sausage shape and place in the center.
13. Fold over both sides of the dough to cover the marzipan.
14. Seal the ends.
15. Place the roll, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet.
16. Cover with oiled clear firm and leave in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
17. Preheat the oven to 375F, Gas 5.
18. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped underneath.
19. Brush the hot stollen with melted butter and dredge with icing sugar.

An Austrian spiced fruit bread with a marzipan filling served at Christmas.

Makes 18

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