Stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread characterized by its unique shape and rich, fruity flavor. It is believed to have originated in the 14th century in the city of Dresden, Germany, and has since become a beloved holiday treat enjoyed by people around the world. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide to creating an authentic stollen, complete with detailed instructions, tips, and tricks to ensure a perfect bake. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting, this guide will help you create a delicious and festive stollen that will be the centerpiece of your holiday table.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
TRADITIONAL STOLLEN
This recipe came from my grandmother and was originally written in German. It is one of my favorite treat at the holidays.-Jessie Barnes, Atchison, Kansas
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 55m
Yield 2 loaves.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, salt and 3 cups flour. Add the raisins, candied fruit and almonds. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. , Punch dough down and divide in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll or press each half into a 12x7-in. oval. Fold a long side over to within 1 in. of opposite side; press edge lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets; curve ends slightly. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Combine confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; spread over stollen.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 244 calories, Fat 8g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 35mg cholesterol, Sodium 75mg sodium, Carbohydrate 40g carbohydrate (18g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.
BEST AUTHENTIC STOLLEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD)
German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries. Your search for the best recipe has ended: Flaky, moist, and divinely flavorful, these homemade German Christmas Stollen are INCREDIBLE!
Provided by Kimberly Killebrew
Categories Dessert
Time 3h40m
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Place the raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it. Stir to combine. Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.
- Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.
- Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast/milk mixture. Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together. Knead the dough on the bread setting for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour (likely closer to 2 hours depending on the temperature of the environment).
- Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough). Using the dough hook, knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined. If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves. Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness. Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval. Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough. Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics). In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen. Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan. Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics). Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet. Cover the stollen loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy. At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).
- Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden. You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm. Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides. Let the stollen cool completely. You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.
- The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in plastic wrap then foil) and left to "ripen" in a cool place for 2 weeks. The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture. Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.
- Makes 2 large or 3 medium Stollen.For eating, I like to warm the slices up for a few seconds in the microwave, it makes the crumb nice and soft.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 slice, Calories 324 kcal, Carbohydrate 41 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 120 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 14 g
STOLLEN
Long before the Romans occupied parts of Germany, special breads were prepared for the winter solstice that were rich in dried or preserved fruit. Historians have traced Christollen, Christ's stollen, back to about the year 1400 in Dresden, Germany. The first stollen consisted of only flour, oats and water, as required by church doctrine, but without butter and milk, it was quite tasteless. Ernst of Saxony and his brother Albrecht requested of the Pope that the ban on butter and milk during the Advent season be lifted. His Eminence replied in what is known as the famous "butter letter," that milk and butter could be used to bake stollen with a clear conscience and God's blessing for a small fee. Originally stollen was called Striezel or Struzel, which referred to a braided shape -- a large oval folded in half with tapered ends -- said to represent the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothing. Around 1560 it became custom that the bakers of Dresden give their king, the ruler of Saxony, two 36-pound stollens as a Christmas gift. It took eight master bakers and eight journeymen to carry the bread to the palace safely. This custom was continued for almost 200 years. In 1730 Augustus the Strong, the electoral prince of Saxony and the King of Poland, asked the Baker's Guild of Dresden to bake a giant stollen for the farewell dinner of the Zeithain "campement." The 1.8-ton stollen was a true showpiece and fed over 24,000 guests. To commemorate this event, a Stollenfest is held each December in Dresden. The bread for the present-day Stollenfest weighs 2 tons and measures approximately 4 yards long. Each year the stollen is paraded through the market square, then sliced and sold to the public, with the proceeds supporting local charities. Although there is a basic recipe for making the original Dresden Christollen, each master baker, each village and each home has its own secret recipe passed down from one generation to the next. There are probably as many recipes for stollen as there are home bakers. The commercial production of Dresden stollen is carefully licensed and regulated to ensure quality and authenticity. Authentic German stollen is usually sprinkled heavily with confectioners' sugar prior to serving. I personally have never liked this topping and choose to drizzle the tops of my loaves lightly with a simple icing (confectioners' sugar mixed with enough heavy cream to reach the consistency of honey).
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Time 3h40m
Yield 1 large loaf or 2 medium-sized loaves
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Prepare Fruit: Combine the mixed fruit, raisins, and rum. Cover and set aside. Shake or stir the mixture every so often to coat the fruit with the rum.
- Prepare Sponge: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the water to soften. Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and add it to the yeast along with the honey and 1 cup flour. Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and let rise until light and full of bubbles, about 30 minutes.
- By Hand: Add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Beat 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. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- By Mixer: In the mixer bowl, add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. 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. Change to the dough hook. Continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Knead 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low.
- First rise: Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Shape and Fill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. For 1 large loaf, roll the dough into a 9 by 13-inch oval. For 2 loaves, divided the dough in half and roll each half into a 7 by 9-inch oval. Brush the melted butter over the top of the oval(s). Combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and sprinkle over one lengthwise half of the oval(s). Fold the dough in half lengthwise and carefully lift the bread(s) onto a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet. Press lightly on the folded side to help the loaf keep its shape during rising and baking.
- Second rise: Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven: About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees F. Immediately remove from the baking sheet and place on a rack to cool.
- To serve: Sprinkle heavily with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
- Variation: Between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll 3 ounces almond paste or marzipan into the lengthwise shape of half the oval. Omit the butter and cinnamon-sugar filling. Place the marzipan on half of the oval and fold the dough in half. Let rise and bake as directed.
- Notes: One cup coarsely chopped mixed dried fruits may be substituted for the candied fruit. Cover the dried fruit with boiling water and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and use as you would candied fruit. You can also make your own candied fruit and peel. This bread freezes nicely for up to 6 months. If freezing it, do not sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. To serve, first thaw the bread, then bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
STOLLEN
German stollen is dense bread that is traditionally oblong, like a swaddled baby. In this version, from Martha's mother, the dough is braided, letting icing pool in the loaf's crevices.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes
Yield Makes 2 braided loaves
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, mace, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in milk and melted butter. Add dissolved yeast and the eggs. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth.
- Drain raisins and currants. Add raisins, currants, almonds, citron, orange peel, apricots, and lemon zest to dough, and continue kneading until incorporated, about 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down dough, divide into 6 even pieces, and roll each piece into a 15-inch-long log. Braid 3 logs together, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 logs. Cover with plastic, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours more.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake stollen until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Beat together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle stollen with icing just before serving.
GERMAN STOLLEN
A very traditional stollen that I make every Christmas. This stollen is loaded with dried fruit, candied citrus and orange peel, and almonds.
Provided by Marianne
Categories Bread Yeast Bread Recipes
Time 3h
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and crumble fresh yeast into it. Sprinkle in sugar and add 1 tablespoon milk. Cover and let rise at a warm place for 15 minutes.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
- Pour milk-butter mixture over yeast mixture and add 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Knead until a soft dough forms. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix almonds, raisins, candied lemon peel, and candied orange peel together and fold into the dough. Shape dough into a loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rest until the loaf has risen again slightly, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bake in the preheated oven until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush hot stollen immediately with 2 tablespoons melted butter and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 395.5 calories, Carbohydrate 56.8 g, Cholesterol 43.8 mg, Fat 16.1 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 8 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 72.5 mg, Sugar 17.7 g
GERMAN STOLLEN
My family and friends agree that the holidays just wouldn't be the same without this traditional stollen. -Valeria Mauik, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h55m
Yield 2 loaves (14 slices each).
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- In a large bowl, soak raisins, fruit and currants in apple juice for 1 hour; drain and set aside. , In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add the eggs, zest and extract; beat until smooth. Stir in the almond, fruit mixture and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12x8-in. oval. Fold one long side over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar or combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over loaves.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 214 calories, Fat 6g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 30mg cholesterol, Sodium 155mg sodium, Carbohydrate 36g carbohydrate (16g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.
TRADITIONAL STOLLEN
Stollen's richness is similar to that of brioche, but dried fruit makes it sweeter and gives it a more interesting texture. Serve this rich holiday treat in thin slices as breakfast bread or with afternoon tea. Like fruitcake, stollen improves with age and can be made up to three weeks in advance.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
Yield Makes 4 large loaves
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water, and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Stir in milk and 1 1/4 cups melted butter. Add dissolved yeast and eggs. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until fairly smooth.
- In two separate bowls, soak currants in cognac, and raisins in orange juice. Let each stand for 10 minutes.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix together currants and raisins with their soaking liquids, the orange peel, lemon zest, citron, apricots, and almonds. Work mixture into dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour, but be careful not to overwork.
- Place dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel, and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
- Punch down the dough, and cut in quarters. Roll each piece into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter, then fold one long side to the center. Fold other long side over first side, overlapping it by 1 inch. Turn dough over, taper the ends, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for remaining 3 loaves, using a second parchment-lined baking sheet for the third and fourth loaves. Cover loaves with plastic wrap; let rise again in a warm place, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees, with two racks centered. Bake stollen until golden brown, about 35 minutes, rotating the sheets between the racks halfway through baking. Cool on wire rack; dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve.
OLD-FASHIONED STOLLEN
Stollen is a Christmas tradition in Germany. The fruit-filled yeast bread is topped with icing, candied fruit and almonds. Its shape resembles a giant Parker House roll. -Linda Hinners, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 55m
Yield 3 loaves (12 slices each).
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, cardamom, eggs, egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in the raisins, citron, cherries and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. , Punch down; divide into thirds. Roll each piece on a floured surface into a 10x6-in. oval. Brush with melted butter. Fold 1 long side over to within 1 in. of the opposite side. Press edges to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. For icing, combine confectioners' sugar and milk; spread over cooled bread. Decorate with almonds and fruit.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 172 calories, Fat 5g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 35mg cholesterol, Sodium 156mg sodium, Carbohydrate 29g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.
OLD FASHIONED STOLLEN
My great-grandmother's recipe for stollen, a German Holiday Bread. Most people put frosting on top, but I don't.
Provided by SASSYCASSYSMOMMY
Categories Bread Yeast Bread Recipes
Time 4h20m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a small saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling; mix in 1/2 cup sugar, salt, lemon zest, and butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. In a small bowl, mix together yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 cup water; stir into milk. Beat in 2 eggs and egg yolks. Mix in 3 cups flour. Cover, and let rise in a warm place.
- Mix in the raisins and nuts. Gradually mix in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover, and set aside to rise.
- Divide dough into 3 balls. Roll each ball out into a thick log, braid, and tuck the ends under. Place on a large cookie sheet, and set aside to rise one more time.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush beaten egg over the dough. It gives a shine to it.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 233.9 calories, Carbohydrate 33.6 g, Cholesterol 56.8 mg, Fat 9 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 4.4 g, Sodium 203.4 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients, especially for the butter, flour, and yeast. This will ensure that your stollen turns out flavorful and light.
- Make sure your butter and milk are cold before you start mixing the dough. This will help to create a flaky crust.
- Don't overmix the dough. Mix it just until it comes together, then knead it briefly on a lightly floured surface.
- Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This will take about 1-2 hours.
- When shaping the stollen, be sure to seal the edges well. This will prevent the filling from leaking out.
- Brush the stollen with melted butter before baking. This will help to give it a golden brown crust.
- Allow the stollen to cool completely before slicing and serving. This will help to prevent it from crumbling.
Conclusion:
Stollen is a delicious and festive bread that is perfect for the holiday season. It is a bit time-consuming to make, but it is well worth the effort. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a stollen that will impress your family and friends.
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