Stollen Bites Recipe 445

STOLLEN BITES RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Sponge: Mix ingredients together and set aside for 1 hour, or for up to 4 hours. Fruit: Mix ingredients together and set aside to allow the fruit to absorb the liquor. Dough: Combine the sponge and the dough ingredients (except for the almonds), and mix and knead to make a soft, shiny, elastic dough. Towards the end, knead in the soaked fruits (along with any liquid) and almonds. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into 40 pieces, rolling each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1-inch between them. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes, until the balls are puffy. Bake the stollen bites in a preheated 350°F oven for about 18 minutes, until they're light brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Toss stollen in the melted butter, then the confectioners' sugar. Allow to cool completely before wrapping and storing. Stollen bites keep well for a week at room temperature; freeze for longer storage. Toss with confectioners' sugar again just before serving, if desired. Note: Because of stollen's high sugar content, we find you'll make a better loaf by beginning with an overnight sponge. This bubbly mixture of yeast, flour and water is a good base upon which the sugar, milk, and butter-rich stollen can successfully grow.

STOLLEN BITES

Steps:

• Starter:.
• Mix flour and yeast in a medium bowl. Add water and mix, let sit for 1/2 hour to an hour.
• Fruit:.
• Mix together and set aside to allow fruit to absorb the liquor.
• Dough:.
• Combine starter and dough ingredients, except almonds. Mix and knead to make a soft, shiny, elastic dough. towards the end, knead in the fruits (along with any liquid) and almonds. Allow to rise covered for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Turn dough onto surface and divide into 40 pieces, roll each into ball. Place on parchment-lined sheets. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes. Toss with melted butter and then confectioner's sugar. Cool completely before wrapping and storing. Keep well for a week at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.
• Note: I added some almond paste and put pieces in the middle of the balls before putting to rise the second time. Also, I used the green candied cherries for good color.