Almond Stollen Recipes

ALMOND STOLLEN

Steps:

• On the day before baking sift the flour into a bowl and keep warm.
• On baking day make a depression in the middle of the flour. Whisk the yeast with 1 Tbsp sugar in the warm milk, and pour into the depression and stir with a little of the flour mix forming a thick paste. Cover with flour and let rise.
• Stir the softened butter, and spread on the dough; do the same with the sugar and all the spices. Work all the ingredients through the risen dough very carefully and let rise 30-60 minutes, not letting it get too warm.
• Stollen can be made in different shapes, for example 'cut' and 'open.' For a cut Stollen make a long loaf and, with a sharp knife, cut lengthwise down the middle 1/2 inch deep. For an open stollen, also form a loaf, but then press a long, wide groove into the loaf using either a rolling pin or the edge of the hand pushing slightly to the side as you go along. Push the narrow side up.
• Allow the shaped stollen to rise once more for only a short time (about 15 minutes) and bake at medium heat for at least 60 minutes.
• When the stollen comes out of the oven, brush it immediately with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. To create a thick sugar crust, do this repeatedly.
• Wrap the cooled stollen in white paper or cloth, and refrigerate. It should rest for at least 1 week before being cut.

ALMOND FILLED STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the raisins and orange peel with the rum. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until most of the rum is absorbed. Transfer the fruit to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
• Combine the milk, yeast and 1 cup of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
• With the mixer running on low, add the sugar and salt. Add the butter a tablespoon at a time. Mix to incorporate completely. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and 1/2 cup of flour.
• Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining cup of flour. The dough should gather on the hook and clear the sides of the bowl. Add a little more flour if the dough is still very sticky. If working by hand, add as much of the flour as you can mix by hand then turn the dough out onto a floured surface to finish kneading in the flour.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it is smooth and silky. Add the raisin mixture to the dough. Knead in a more flour if the dough becomes sticky after the raisins are added.
• Place the dough into an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set aside to rise for 1.5 hours.
• While the dough rises, cream together the almond paste and butter until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside at room temperature. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half without kneading. Gently press one piece of dough into an 9" x 7" oval. Spread half the almond paste over the oval, leaving a 1" border around the edges. Fold the dough over the filling from the long side, leaving a 1" border along the front edge. You should end up with a 9" x 4" oval with a 1" border on the front edge. (see photos & video)
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Set the loaves on the parchment lined pan. Cover and set aside to rise for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Bake the loaves until golden brown and the center registers 190°F, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the loaves from the oven and cool 10 minutes. Generously brush the loaves on all sides with melted butter, then roll the loaves in super-fine sugar. Set aside to cool completely.
• Wrap the loaves tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and store at room temperature to develop the flavor. The stollen can be eaten right away but I find it's best after 2-3 days and up to a week. When ready to serve, unwrap the loaf, wipe away the superfine sugar coating then generously sprinkle on all sides with confectioners sugar. For longer term storage place the wrapped loaves in the freezer.

ALMOND-FILLED STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine candied fruits and 1/2 cup rum; let stand, covered, 1 hour., In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, almond extract, remaining rum, yeast mixture and 4 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Cover and let stand in a warm place, about 30 minutes., Beat in eggs. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Drain candied fruit, reserving rum for glaze. Reserve 1/2 cup candied fruit for topping. Stir almonds and remaining candied fruit into dough., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough; divide into 3 portions. On a greased baking sheet, roll each portion into a 12-in. circle. Crumble one-third of the almond paste over one-half of each circle. Fold dough partially in half, covering filling and placing top layer within 1 in. of bottom edge. Cover with kitchen towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°., In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and water; brush over loaves. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a small bowl, mix reserved rum with enough confectioners' sugar to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over stollen. Sprinkle with reserved candied fruit.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN WITH ALMONDS & MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Soak the dried fruit in 100ml of hot water. Gently warm the apple juice for a few mins in a pan, then add the yeast and leave to activate for 10-15 mins (it will start to bubble).
• Put the flour in a bowl. Stir in the yeast and apple juice mixture to form a smooth dough, then cover and leave to prove somewhere warm until roughly doubled in size, about 1-2 hrs. You can also put the dough in the fridge to rise slowly overnight.
• Drain the fruit and add to the dough along with the nuts, spices and marzipan. Squish everything together, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the fruit stays in the dough.
• Shape the dough into a sausage shape and put it on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove somewhere warm for 30 mins-1 hr until it has risen by about a quarter.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the stollen for 20 mins, then reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for 25-30 mins more until golden brown and firm to the touch.
• Remove the stollen from the oven and brush all over with the melted butter. Dust with the icing sugar and leave to cool completely before slicing. Store any remaining stollen, well wrapped, in an airtight container.

OLD-FASHIONED STOLLEN WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• For sponge:
• Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lukewarm milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons lukewarm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar in large bowl. Add yeast cake and stir until smooth. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour and remaining 1 1/3 cups lukewarm milk and mix well. Cover and let sponge rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• For dough:
• Mix 3 tablespoons flour with raisins, slivered almonds and candied fruit in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, cardamom, vanilla and salt. Beat in sponge. Stir in fruit and nuts. Mix in enough remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time to form slightly sticky dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if very sticky, about 10 minutes.
• Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat entire surface. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Grease heavy large cookie sheet. Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into 10 x 16-inch oval. Fold in half lengthwise; pat gently. Place on prepared sheet. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost double in volume, about 2 hours.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake until loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Stollen can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Wrap stollen in plastic and store at room temperature.)