Stollen

A rich German Christmas bread, buttery and studded with rum-soaked fruit and almonds, wrapped around a ribbon of marzipan and finished in a thick snow of icing sugar. A festive project worth the effort, and it keeps for weeks.

Why this works

• An enriched, slow-proved dough gives the tender, cake-like crumb that sets stollen apart from ordinary bread.
• Soaking the fruit in rum plumps it and carries flavour right through the loaf.
• Brushing the warm loaf with butter and rolling it in sugar forms the classic protective, sweet crust that helps it keep.

Ingredient notes and swaps

• Marzipan — a log through the centre is traditional; roll it evenly so every slice gets some.
• Mixed dried fruit and peel — soak overnight in rum, or orange juice, for the plumpest result.
• Strong bread flour — for structure, enriched with butter, egg and a little sugar.
• Fresh or fast-action yeast — the dough is heavy with fruit and fat, so give it time to prove.
• Icing sugar — a generous, thick coating is part of the look and the flavour.

Stollen

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Stollen is a cake-like fruit bread made with yeast and flour and although it is sweet it does not have to include a lot of sugar. The sweetness comes from the dried fruits and marzipan and the rich taste comes from the butter and nuts.

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Prep Time 29 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 24 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 750

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 500g Strong White Flour
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 10g fast action Yeast
• 10g Salt
• 150g Unsalted Butter, softened
• 250ml Whole Milk
• ½ Tsp Ground Nutmeg
• ½ Tsp Ground Cloves
• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 drops Almond Extract
• 55g Blanched Flaked Almonds
• 200g Raisins
• 100g Currants
• 125g Mixed Peel
• 25g Butter, melted
• 250g Marzipan

To Serve

• 25g Butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp Icing Sugar

Method

 

1. Put the flour and sugar in a large bowl
2. Add the yeast on one side of the bowl and the salt on the other
3. Add the softened butter and 200ml of the milk and stir together
4. Add the remaining milk and knead well on a generously floured surface for 6-7 minutes, until smooth and pliable
5. Mix together the nutmeg, cloves, vanilla and almond extracts, almonds, dried fruit and mixed peel in a bowl
6. Add the dough on top and knead from the outside into the centre
7. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour
8. Knock back the dough on a floured surface
9. Roll out to a rectangle about 30cm x 25cm
10. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape the length of the dough
11. Place the marzipan in the centre of the dough
12. Fold the dough over the marzipan and seal the edges
13. Place on a lined baking tray, cover and leave to prove for 30 minutes
14. Preheat the oven to 180C
15. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown
16. Brush with melted butter and dust with icing sugar while still warm

Nutrition

Calories: 750kcalCarbohydrates: 102gProtein: 13gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 20mgFiber: 5gSugar: 47g

Notes

Proper kneading is crucial for developing the gluten in the dough, which gives stollen its characteristic texture. Don't be tempted to short-change this step, as under-kneaded dough will result in a dense, crumbly bread. A well-kneaded dough should spring back when lightly poked.
When incorporating the fruits and nuts, ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. If they are not well-mixed, you might end up with clumps in some areas and plain dough in others, detracting from the overall flavour and texture of your finished stollen.

Tried this recipe?

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Tips for success

• Be patient with the proving — enriched, fruited doughs rise slowly.
• Knead the fruit in towards the end so it does not tear the dough or bleed colour.
• Brush with melted butter the moment it comes out of the oven, then coat thickly in icing sugar.
• Let it mature for a day or two before cutting; the flavour deepens.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Make ahead — stollen is designed to keep; make it up to two weeks before Christmas.
• Storage — wrap tightly in paper and foil; it keeps for two to three weeks.
• Freezing — freezes well for up to three months.

What to serve it with

• Sliced thin with a cup of coffee, any time over the festive fortnight.
• Gently warmed, with the butter crust just softening, it is even better.

FAQ

Why is my stollen dense? Enriched doughs need a long, warm prove. Give it time and do not rush the rise.

Can I leave out the marzipan? You can, but the marzipan ribbon is classic and much loved; leave it in if you can.

How far ahead can I make it? Up to two weeks — well wrapped, it matures and improves.

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