Authentic German Stollen
Serves 2
60 mins prep
40 mins cook
100 mins total
German Stollen is a sweet German Christmas bread made of rum-soaked raisins, almonds, citrus, and marzipan nestled in an easy yeast dough.
I grew up in Germany, and had MANY Stollen in my life. They were often too dry and too dense. While this homemade version takes some time to make, it makes the BEST Stollen.
I finish my Stollen with a touch of spice to bring together the most warming flavors.
Soak Overnight
Roux (Mehlschwitze)
Sponge Dough (Vorteig)
Main Dough
Add in when shaping loaves
For immediately after baking
For after the loaves have cooled
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The night before baking
The night before baking, add the raisins, slivered almonds and rum into a small bowl, then pour boiling water into the boil until the raisin-almond mixture is just covered. Stir, cover and let rest at room temperature overnight. This helps soften the raisins and almonds and keeps the Stollen more moist.
150 grams raisins100 grams slivered almonds30 milliliters rumboiling water
Roux
The next morning, make your roux by combining the flour and milk in a pot and heat for about 3 minutes while constantly stirring. The consistency should be like a thick pudding. Put in a bowl and let it cool.
30 grams all-purpose flour150 milliliters milk
Sponge
For the sponge dough, heat the milk to luke warm, then stir together with the yeast and let it sit and activate for 5 minutes. If the mixture is not bubbly, start over. Your milk have been too hot or too cold.
Add the flour and knead together. Put in a small bowl, cover and let rest in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
100 milliliters milk15 grams active-dry yeast100 grams all-purpose flour
Main Stollen Dough
For the main dough, combine the room temperature butter, spices, sugar and salt and whip until creamy.
Drain any liquids from the raisin-almond mixture.
Scrape the vanilla bean and add to the bowl with the raisins. Zest the lemon and orange and add to the bowl with the raisins.
In a large bowl, add the flour, zest, the roux, sponge dough. Knead together until combined. Now add the raisin-almond-zest-vanilla mixture and knead until combined.
Cover the bowl and let rest in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours. The dough should have doubled in size.
250 grams butter75 grams sugar½ teaspoon cinnamon1 pinch nutmeg¼ teaspoon salt400 grams all-purpose flour1 vanilla bean1 teaspoon orange zest1 teaspoon lemon zest
Shape Loaves
Divide the dough in two and shape each dough into an oval shape. Do not knead the dough, but just gently shape it instead. Kneading will release too many air bubbles. Divide the marzipan into 2 and shape two logs the length of the loaves.
100 grams marzipanPress a ditch into the loaves, then add the marzipan logs and close the loaves back up, pressing together the seams. The seam will be on top.
Cover with a linen towel and let rise for 30 more minutes in a warm spot.
Preheat oven to 200℃ (390℉).
Bake Stollen
Place loaves on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake on the middle rack for 40 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 350 for last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake to 90℃ or 195℉ internal temperature. I love using this instant-read thermometer for baking and cooking!
After Baking
After baking, brush the loaves with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Let cool completely.
50 grams butter50 grams sugarOnce cooled, cover in powdered sugar and wrap in plastic wrap or foil.
150 grams powdered sugarNow, if you can be patient, let your Stollen rest in a cool spot (or fridge) for about one week before cutting up and serving. This will help the Stollen to develop its flavors.
However, this is not a must. We ate one loaf immediately (and it was moist, fluffy and delicious) and I have the other resting in the fridge until we're ready to eat it.
