Extra moist stollen

[Dan Lepard]

Extra moist stollen

Before eating it's best stored at least a few days once buttered and sugared so the crumb becomes slightly firmer.

350g strong white flour
75g castor sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each ground cardamom, mace and clove
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp easy-blend yeast
75g each of raisins, currants and mixed peel
150ml milk
25g rye or wholemeal flour
125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
2 tbsp dark rum
Finely grated zest of a lemon
250g marzipan, rolled to a 20cm stick
Extra melted butter and icing sugar

Combine the white flour, sugar, salt, spices, yeast and fruit in a large mixing bowl. Whisk and boil the milk and rye flour. Spoon the paste into another bowl, Return the pan to the hob, melt the butter then beat this into the milk mixture with the eggs, rum and zest. Stir this into the flour and mix well. Leave for 10 minutes then lightly knead it, return to the bowl and leave for 1 1/2 hrs. Knead the dough once more then roll out into an oval measuring 25cm x 20cm. Lay the marzipan in the middle, fold the dough over and press through the dough around the bump of the marzipan to seal it. Lay the dough on a tray, cover with a cloth, leave until doubled then bake at 180C (160C fan) for 35 minutes. When cold cover completely with a thin layer melted butter, then a thick layer of icing sugar, and wrap snugly in wax paper to store.

[Sue-L]

Thanks for this Dan, it looks delicious (your column in the magazine is my first port of call with the paper).

One question before I get round to baking - would it make any difference to the baking time, or the quality of the final loaf, if I rolled the marzipan into a rectangle and shaped the dough into a slightly larger one, and rolled the two together, Swiss roll fashion?

Actually, two questions - could I add a few chopped nuts in addition to the fruit, or would it be better to substitute some of the weight of fruit? I wouldn't usually want to tinker with a recipe before trying the original but I've got a vision of a seasonally colourful stollen with dried cranberries or cherries and pistachio nuts, as well as raisins and peel. As I'm only likely to bake this once this year, I'd like it to be perfect

[Nils]

Sounds great. Have not made one this year, so I better be off to get the ingredients for this one!

Just read a story about Stollen production in the former GDR about bakers making Stollen every August for Cuba. Two bakers from the "brother country" Cuba were sent to Germany to teach the bakers there how to make Cuban stollen (lots of mixed peel and rum). The loaves were packed in tins and then shipped to Cuba over the Pacific, where they arrived in October.

Regards,
Nils

Edit: Just finished making it. Smelled great and looks quite moist. Will give it an overnight rest. Probably won't wait a couple of days until the first slice.

Edit2 - one day later: Looks and tastes lovely. Maybe I was a bit liberal with the spices which tainted the dough a little. Already ate two slices with a hot cup of tea. Thanks.

[Dan Lepard]

Hi Sue and Nils,

Sue, my only thought about the marzipan rolled through is that it might insulate the dough from the heat of the oven and might not cook as well. But worth a shot.

Over at joepastry.com, Joe has a great idea that I really like where he chopped the pieces of marzipan up so you get a much more even distribution of those gooey sweet nuggets through the dough.

Nils, your baking is a lovely as it always is!

Dan

[svenrufus]

I use the marzipan as a flattened sheet, not rolled in to the dough, but a thin veneer running not quite from side to side, so that every mouthful has some in it - works fine that way. I think I prefer that to the chopped bits idea as it still has the 'look' when you slice into it.

The rolled up effect would look great if it works - I wouldn't have thought of Dan's idea that it might insulate. Let us know how the 'swiss roll' works if you do it.

[Sue-L]

Thanks for your help, both of you. The marzipan acting as an insulation for the middle of the dough was the sort of thing I was worried about, but it still might be worth a try.

Sven's idea of a layer across the loaf would be good too, as it has the effect of spreading the marzipan further, but still leaving it in one piece for visual effect.

If I leave it for a project for New Year, then it won't matter too much if it's not entirely successful!

[Dan Lepard]

If I leave it for a project for New Year, then it won't matter too much if it's not entirely successful!

Sounds good. I like a bit of stollen all-year round, better that than months of hot cross buns or mince pies from September onwards.

[Jacqueline]

I love stollen but quite intensely dislike marzipan (and, by extension, things generally heavy on the almond meal, like friands and such). Can I make a 'marzipan' by replacing the almond meal with hazelnut meal?

Cheers,

Jacqueline

[JennyR]

Is this recipe moist and good enough to compete with the 'Lidl' stollen my girls are asking for. Their Nana has a lot to answer for!!! I want to make this, they say no they want Lidl's. If we end up doing a blind tasting will this win and shut them up?

[JennyR]

I love stollen but quite intensely dislike marzipan (and, by extension, things generally heavy on the almond meal, like friands and such). Can I make a 'marzipan' by replacing the almond meal with hazelnut meal?

Cheers,

Jacqueline

If Squire's can do it, don't see why you can't - http://www.squires-shop.com/ibf/index.p ... 0&parent=0