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Christmas Stollen

Stollen is a fruit bread of nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar and often containing marzipan. It is a traditional German Christmas bread. During the Christmas season the cake-like loaves are called Weihnachtsstollen (after "Weihnachten", the German word for Christmas) or Christstollen (after Christ). A ring-shaped Stollen made in a Bundt cake or Gugelhupf pan is called a Stollenkranz (Stollen wreath).
This recipe was given to Linda Baur (Maston) Higgs by Annie and Karl Baur, who operated Karl’s Pastry Shop in Swampscott, MA, during the 40s and for many years thereafter.
Because of its origin in a pastry shop, it makes a large number of Stollen.
Linda, both of whose parents were immigrants from Germany, has made Christmas Stollen all of her adult life. She donates a number of loaves to UUCM's Holiday Fair Bake Shop, and the rest to family members.
Total Time2 days
Servings: 13 to 15 loaves
Author: Adelinda B. Higgs

Equipment

  • Bread Bucket Mixer

Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 pound salted butter
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 6 eggs beaten
  • ½ tsp ground mace
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • zest and juice of one lemon
  • 3 packages dry yeast (make sure it’s fresh)
  • 12 to 14 cups flour (King Arthur All Purpose)
  • 1 lb golden raisins (sultanas)
  • 1 lb dark raisins
  • 1 lb Holiday Fruit (fruits and peels mix)
  • apple cider or sherry to soak the fruits/peel mix
  • a bag of powdered sugar sifted to remove any lumps
  • some milk

Instructions

  • Soak the fruit/peel mix in the cider or sherry overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Cover with at least enough liquid to cover the fruit.
  • Drain the fruit just before you begin to assemble the dough.
  • Heat the milk to almost scalding, but not enough to burn the bottom.
  • Melt the butter in the microwave.
  • Pour the hot milk and the melted butter into the bread mixer (see photo). Let it cool for 10 or so minutes.
  • When it’s cool enough that it won’t “kill” the yeast, sprinkle the yeast over the top. Stir it in gently. Let it sit for a while until the yeast begins to work.
  • Add the sugar and beaten eggs. Mix well.
  • Add the mace, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest and juice. Mix in.
  • Begin to add flour, a cup or so at a time. At this stage you can use a hand mixer. Keep adding flour and mixing it in. When the dough is too thick for the mixer, install the crank top and use that as you continue adding flour, still a cup or so at a time. Just before you install the crank, add in the drained fruit/peel mix. After about 12 cups of flour, add in smaller amounts of flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Then begin to crank for about ten minutes. Gradually the dough comes away from the side of the bucket. If you are familiar with bread dough, you’ll know when it’s reached the right stage. I liken it to the feel of a baby’s bottom!
  • Let it rise overnight, or for at least 8 hours. I cover it with a couple of bath size towels to keep in the warmth. The dough should reach the top of the bucket, as seen in the photo.
  • After the rising, pour the dough out onto a floured surface. It will deflate during this process. Flour your hands and knead it a few times to complete the deflation. It’ll be somewhat sticky.
  • Cut off chunks of dough. The size of each chunk will depend on the size you want for the baked Stollen. Use a kitchen scale for consistency of size. A smaller loaf will be 10 oz.
  • Press the measured dough into an oval.  Flip on one long side to make the typical Stollen shape. 
  • Line the baking sheets with parchment paper (not seen in this older photo) and arrange the loaves on them, leaving some space between them. Cover the filled baking sheets with towels and let them rise for an hour or two.
  • They will not rise a great deal, just plump up as seen in this photo.
  • Bake them, in shifts, at 350℉ for about 30 minutes until golden brown on top.
  • Cool them on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully move them to cooling racks.
  • Prepare the glaze when the Stollen are completely cool. For each Stollen you’ll need 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 3 to 4 tsps milk, whisked together. It should be quite thick, so it will not all drip off the loaf.  It’s better to make it too thick and then adjust it by adding drops of milk.  Make enough glaze for four Stollen at a time.
  • Spoon the glaze over the top, letting it drip slightly.
  • And finally...