Christmas Stollen

A dense and generous brioche, dotted with rum-soaked fruits. The crust is powdered white, hiding a tight and melting crumb that exhales butter and holiday spices.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 50 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 807
• Protein: 13 g
• Carbs: 106 g
• Fat: 34 g

Ingredients

• 250 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 100 ml Whole milk ( lukewarm )
• 20 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 100 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 50 g White sugar
• 0.5 piece Egg
• 75 g Raisin
• 50 g Candied orange peel ( finely diced )
• 25 ml Rum
• 50 g Almond with skin ( crushed )
• 0.5 tsp Cinnamon ground
• 0.5 pinch Fleur de sel
• 100 g Marzipan ( for the center )
• 25 g Icing sugar

Instructions

1. Soaking the fruits

   In a bowl, mix the raisins and candied orange peels with the rum. Let the fruits soak for at least 30 minutes so they swell and absorb the flavor.

2. Preparing the starter

   Warm the milk (no more than 35°C). Crumble the fresh yeast into it with a pinch of sugar and 100g of flour. Mix and let it bubble for 15 minutes in a warm spot.

3. Kneading the dough

   Add the rest of the flour, white sugar, egg, cinnamon, and sea salt to the starter. Incorporate the softened butter. Knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

4. Incorporation and first rise

   Roughly crush the almonds. Incorporate them into the dough along with the soaked fruits. Form a ball, cover with a cloth, and let it double in size in a warm, draft-free room.

5. Shaping and marzipan center

   Roll out the dough into a thick rectangle. Form a log with the marzipan and place it in the center. Fold the dough over to give it the characteristic Stollen shape. Let rise for another 30 minutes.

6. Baking and finishing

   Bake at 180°C. The crust should be golden brown and firm to the touch. Upon removal from the oven, immediately brush with melted butter and generously sprinkle with icing sugar to create a white crust.

Chef's tips

• Stollen is better after 2 or 3 days of rest, as the fruit and spice flavors have time to migrate into the crumb.
• Do not skip the butter brushing after baking; it seals in moisture and preserves the cake.

Storage

Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or a clean cloth. It keeps for 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dry place.