Dresdner Weihnachts Stollen
Christmas Stollen
6-8 cups unbleached Flour – room temperature : set aside
1½ cups Whole Milk (105 – 115° F)
2 – 2½ Tsp yeast mix in a bowl
¾ cup sugar – set aside but use 1Tsp of this sugar to add to milk and yeast mixture
Let the milk sit in a warm , non-draughty place for 10 minutes with a towel to cover the bowl
Add 1 cup from the above flour to the milk and yeast mixture and let it sit for 1 hour in a warm and NOT draughty location (oven: for example). The mixture should appear somewhat spongy
In a very large bowl mix with a mixer the following ingredients
3 sticks of butter = ¾ cup (room temperature: cut into chunks)
¼ lb of lard, crisco or butter (your choice)
the rest of the sugar from above
3 eggs
Gradually add the yeast and milk mixture, half of the additional flour plus
a pinch of salt
¼ tsp Mace
¼+ tsp freshly ground cardamon
grated lemon peel from one lemon
a shot of rum (the shot can be liberal or conservative, but not more than ¼ cup)
Kneading will eventually be required. Once the dough has a nice smooth, non-sticking, rebounding consistency (add flour as needed) ➪
Add the following ingredients that have been prepared and mixed in a large bowl ALREADY BEFORE starting all of the above:
2 cups blanched almonds – coarsely ground
¼ – ½ cup blanched bitter almonds (apricot pits) – coarsely ground
¾ – 1 lb. Currants
¾ – 1 lb. Golden raisins
2 oz finely chopped Citron
2 oz finely chopped candied orange peel
Knead the whole mixture either on a board or in the bowl if it is large enough. Add flour as needed to obtain a nice smooth, non-sticking, rebounding consistency.
Let rise for 1 hours as above: covered, in a warm, non-draughty space.
Divide the dough into whatever size Stollen you may want. I tend to do 1 large and 3-5 mdium to small Stollen. Shape them into a ball, knead to remove any fissure. Flatten into round, flat pillow. Fold over ~⅓ of the pillow to make an oval shape that resembles a baby swaddled in a blanket.
Let rise 1 hour : covered, in a warm, non-draughty space.
Then bake at 350° F for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown. Switch location in oven as needed to avoid burnt bottoms.
Generously, brush with melted unsalted butter (will need ¼ – ⅓ stick of butter) as soon as each Stollen is removed from the oven.
Dust immediately and generously, with powdered sugar sifted over the top of each stollen to soak up the butter and thickly coat the Stollen.
Let cool over night wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Store in a cool location ideally for 2 weeks or longer.
Serve on Christmas Eve at the earliest: sliced thinly (about ½ inch thick perpendicular to the swaddle fold) and serve.