Christmas Stollen /German Christmas Fruit Bread/Cake

 
Ingredients :

For Soaking the Fruits :
Mixed candied Fruits : 1/2 cup 

Candied Citrus Peel : 1 cup
Raisins : 1 cup
Dark rum or Orange juice : 1/4 cup /2oz /50 ml

For the Sponge :
Active Dry Yeast : 2 (1/4-ounce) package
Honey : 1 tsp or Sugar : 1 tsp
Luke Warm Water : 1/2 cup
Milk : 1 cup
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour : 1 cup

For the Dough :

Unbleached All Purpose Flour : 4 cups
Unsalted Butter : 1 cup ( 2 sticks) softened
Honey : 1/3 cup
Egg : 1 (large, beaten)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Salt : 1 tsp
Grounded Cardamom : 1/4 tsp
Grounded Nutmeg 1/4 tsp
Almonds : 1/4 cup (blanched, peeled and chopped) 

For the Topping:

Butter
Confectioners' sugar : 1/2 cup

Method of Preparation for Soaking and Sponge : 

1. Soak the candied peels, raisins, in rum/orange juice for 1-2 hr or overnight at room temperature and drain and set it aside. (Note : Do shake the jar once in a while to coat the fruit with the rum).

2. In a large bowl, mix the yeast with lukewarm water and set aside for 10 minutes to proof the yeast. Add honey along with 1 cup of the flour and 1/2 cup of the warm milk and stir together until smooth.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. This is your sponge.

Method of Preparation for forming a dough , By using hands : 

1. Stir the sponge to deflate it. Add the 2 cups flour, butter, honey, 1/2 cup milk, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, grounded cardamom, grounded nutmeg and salt.

2. Mix together with a wooden spoon vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.

3. Turn the dough out on to a floured work surface and knead until smooth. The dough will be fairly soft and a little sticky. Add more flour if the dough is too wet.

4. Punch the dough down with your fist. Toss the raisins and citrus peel with some flour to coat and shake off the extra.

5. Add the mixed fruit and the almonds to the dough and fold the dough over to cover. Remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead to work the fruit and nuts into the dough.

6. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl. Lightly grease the top of the dough and

cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled, from 1 to 2 hours.

By using electric mixer : 

1. In the mixer bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour,egg, butter, honey, grounded cardamom, grounded nutmeg, lemon zest and salt to the yest mixture

2. Using the paddle, beat the mixture on medium low speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.

3. Change to the dough hook. Continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Add the raisins, candied peels, mixed candied fruit and chopped almonds and knead 4-5 minutes on medium-low, so that fruit mix get distributed evenly.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl. Lightly grease the top of the dough and cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled, from 1 to 2 hours.

Method of Preparation for Shaping Stollen and Baking :

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick in the middle with top and bottom edges thicker than the center.
2. Fold the top of each loaf 3/4 of the way down toward the bottom and square the loaves with your hands. 3. Place the loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour
4. While it is rising, About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from the loaves and place the baking sheet in the oven.
5. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and a toothpick stuck in a loaf comes out clean. (Note : Cover with foil if it begins to brown too much).
6. Immediately brush each loaf all over with the melted butter, continuing until all the butter is used up. Add the powdered sugar to a sieve and shake over each of the loaves to cover them thickly. Set the loaves aside to cool completely.
7. Wrap each loaf tightly in aluminum foil and store in a cool place for at least 2 weeks before serving.
Variation : Marzipanstollen : When shaping the stollen, on the step 1, roll 1 cup of marzipan out into a log and cut it into two. After rolling out the dough, lay a log of marzipan across the center of each and fold the dough down to encase the marzipan. Set aside for second rise and bake as directed.

Tips : 
1. Dust the drained raisins with a little flour before you add them to the dough. This prevents that the raisins sink to the bottom of the stollen during the baking process.
2. A variety of candied or dried fruit can be used. candied cherries, candied angelica and golden raisins  are common.
3.Wrap the uneaten stollen in a linen cloth or in foil and place in a dark, cool place to keep it fresh. Do not refrigerate. A cool room is sufficient.
4. Cut the stollen from the center outwards to the ends; push the uneaten ends together before storing.

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