Stollen
Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine,
Yet lets be merry; we’ll have tea and toast;
Custards for supper, and an endless host
Of syllabubs and jellies and mince pies,
And other such ladylike luxuries.
— Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Complete Poeams
I was a teenager when I tried my first cheap Stollen. Yet, it was something so different that no matter the quality, I fell in love. I discovered its story years later, but never the quality. Many heritage books and experiments led me to my Stollen, and this is the one. At first, it is moist, not too sweet, yet full of that fantastic taste of Christmas. A month after it's been baked, it gets denser and more flavourful. Do make it now and leave for a week or two to rest and the flavours to meld, although it tastes beautiful the day after baking.
500 g all-purpose wheat flour
50 g fresh yeast
100 g golden caster sugar
190 ml lukewarm milk
100 g melted butter
pinch of a sea salt
1 organic orange zest, finely grated
1 organic lemon zest, finely grated
1/2 vanilla pod, seeds
100 g candied orange peel
250 g raisins
100 g chopped almonds
200 g marzipan
100 g butter for the top
4 tbsp powder sugar
Place yeast, 1 tbsp sugar, and 2 tbsp milk into a large bowl mix and leave to bubble for at least 20 minutes (maybe 30, depending on warm it is).
When bubbly, add flour, remaining milk, butter, sugar, salt, zest, vanilla, raisins, almonds, and orange peel. Knead until it holds its shape. It will seem dry, but it has to stay together. Sometimes, depending on the flour, I need to add more milk (20-30 ml). Leave to rest in a bowl covered with a tea towel until doubled.
Place the dough on a surface, roll into a 20 x 30 cm shape, making it more oval than square. Roll the marzipan into a 25 cm sausage shape, and place it into the middle. Fold the one side over the other, but not quite in half, pressing it gently to seal.
Place onto a baking pan lined with baking paper and leave to proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hot it is at home. Heat the oven 175°, place the pan into the oven (one level below the centre) and bake for 70 minutes. When almost ready, melt the butter. Take out the pan and brush the bread with butter, slowly letting it melt in.
