Christstollen (Stollen)

The stollen is a famous Viennese Christmas pastry with a long tradition. Already in the 14th century, it was made of flour, yeast and water. The shape of the stollen was meant to remind of the wrapped Christ Child. Today often refined with dried fruit, this sweet Viennese delicacy must not be missed during Christmastime.

Serves: Makes two Stollen

Ingredients:

40g (1/8 cup) dried yeast
250ml (0,3 pt) milk
280g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour (for the starter)
50g (3/8 cup) powdered (icing) sugar
50g (3/8 cup) glucose syrup
1 packet Stollen spice mix (or a small amount of cardamom)
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
2cl rum
Zest of half an unwaxed lemon
380g (3 3/8 cups) plain flour (for the dough)
300g (1 1/3 cups) clarified butter (softened)
Pinch of salt
Melted butter to cover the whole Stollen
Powdered (icing) sugar to coat the Stollen
Frosting made with powdered (icing) sugar and vegetable shortening to coat the Stollen, if desired

For the fruit mixture:

300g (0,7 lb) raisins, soaked in rum
100g (0,3 lb) marzipan, grated
150g (0,4 lb) candied orange peel, in small cubes
150g (0,4 lb) candied lemon peel, in small cubes
40g (0,1 lb) blanched almonds, freshly roasted and chopped
1 tbsp grated root ginger

Preparation:

To make the starter, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk, and mix thoroughly with 280g of flour. Leave the mixture to rise at room temperature, covered, until it has significantly grown in size. Mix the powdered sugar with the egg yolks, vanilla sugar, rum, glucose syrup, lemon zest and Stollen spice mix (or cardamom), until fluffy. Work the starter and the rest of the flour together with your hands, adding enough clarified butter so that the dough binds easily. Continue to knead the dough, and little by little add the salt and the rest of the clarified butter.

Combine all of the fruit mixture ingredients, add to the dough, and continue to knead (ideally using an electric mixer). Pull the dough apart and work at it firmly with the heels of your hands.
Roll out the dough, push it back together and form a typical Stollen shape (the upper side should be narrower and shorter).

Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, and leave to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then bake in an oven preheated to 160°C for about 50 minutes.

Leave to cool for a short while, cover in melted butter, and place on a cooling rack to dry off. Coat the Stollen in icing sugar, allow to cool thoroughly, then add a second coating of powdered sugar (or frosting).

Cooking time: approx. 50 minutes

Oven temperature: 160°C