Stollen
Although this is made from the same dough as the panettone, the final proofing time is very different: none! Stollen’s origins are attributed to Dresden, Germany, but it is made in many forms and variations throughout Europe. The name refers to baby Jesus’ blanket and it is filled with fruit to signify the gifts of the Magi. It can be folded and formed into a crescent shape or simply rolled up into a log. It is usually finished with a brushing of melted butter and heavily dusted with either confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar. My German friends like to age their stollen for weeks before eating it, but I like it best as soon as it cools—it never lasts more than a day, let alone weeks. Almond paste is a sweet confection made with sugar and ground bitter almonds; when flavored with rose water or treated with other flavorings and food colors it is also known as marzipan. I find it amazingly delicious. It can easily be rolled into a cigar-shaped bead and used as a center core for stollen; the amount is up to you but about 4 ounces (113 g) per small loaf is probably enough.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 large loaf or 2 or more small loaves
Ingredients
Preparation
Make the dough
Step 1
Make the panettone dough as directed on page 163.
Finishing the dough and shaping
Step 2
Add the optional dried fruit to the dough, then mix on the lowest speed with the hook, or by hand, for 1 or 2 minutes to evenly distribute it. If the fruit was soaked overnight, drain off any excess liquid and fold the fruit in by hand. In this case, you may need to add about 3 1/2 tablespoons (1 oz / 28.5 g) or more of bread flour to compensate for the moisture in the fruit.
Step 3
Use a wet bowl scraper or spatula to transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a rolling pin or your hands to roll out or pat the dough into a 9 by 6-inch rectangle, or divide the dough into two equal portions and roll them into 7 by 5-inch rectangles for smaller loaves. Sprinkle the almonds over the top or place the cigar-shaped bead of almond paste at the end closest to you, then roll the dough up and shape it into a loaf, sealing the crease by pinching the dough with the edge of your hand.
Baking
Step 4
Place the stollen on a parchment-lined sheet pan and put the pan in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 350°F (177°C), or 300°F (149°C) for a convection oven.
Step 5
Bake for 25 minutes (as the oven comes to full temperature), then rotate the pan and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes. The total baking time will depend on the size of the loaf. The stollen is done when it is firm to the touch, sounds hollow when thumped, and is a rich golden brown. It should register 185°F (85°C) in the center. As soon as the stollen comes out of the oven, brush the entire loaf with melted butter, then dust it heavily with confectioners’ sugar or roll it in fine granulated sugar to coat.
Step 6
Cool thoroughly before serving. Many bakers insist that stollens need at least 8 to 14 hours of cooling, but 3 hours should be sufficient.
