Best Christmas Stollen Recipes

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Soak raisins and fruit in orange juice; set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, orange and lemon zest, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add raisin mixture 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; let rest for 10 minutes. Divide in half; roll each half into a 10-in. x 7-in. oval. Fold one of the long sides over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN WITH ALMONDS & MARZIPAN

Steps:

• Soak the dried fruit in 100ml of hot water. Gently warm the apple juice for a few mins in a pan, then add the yeast and leave to activate for 10-15 mins (it will start to bubble).
• Put the flour in a bowl. Stir in the yeast and apple juice mixture to form a smooth dough, then cover and leave to prove somewhere warm until roughly doubled in size, about 1-2 hrs. You can also put the dough in the fridge to rise slowly overnight.
• Drain the fruit and add to the dough along with the nuts, spices and marzipan. Squish everything together, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the fruit stays in the dough.
• Shape the dough into a sausage shape and put it on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove somewhere warm for 30 mins-1 hr until it has risen by about a quarter.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the stollen for 20 mins, then reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for 25-30 mins more until golden brown and firm to the touch.
• Remove the stollen from the oven and brush all over with the melted butter. Dust with the icing sugar and leave to cool completely before slicing. Store any remaining stollen, well wrapped, in an airtight container.

CHRISTMAS MORNING STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine currants, raisins, and rum. Let soak for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Drain fruit, reserving liquid. Fruit and reserved liquid may be stored separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Spread almonds in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
• In the jar of a blender, combine ricotta, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid; blend until smooth. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, mace, and salt. Add chilled butter; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine fruit, almonds, and lemon peel; stir in ricotta mixture until combined. Add flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth. Divide dough in half; cover half the dough with a clean kitchen towel.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 9-by-8-inch oval. Place rolling pin just off center lengthwise, and press gently to form a slight indentation. Brush top surface of dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Carefully fold dough lengthwise along indentation, leaving 1 inch of the bottom edge exposed. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; repeat with remaining dough. Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted in the center of each comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack; let cool completely.
• Wrap cooled breads in parchment paper-lined heavy aluminum foil. Let stand at room temperature for 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To serve, bake wrapped breads until heated through, about 15 minutes. Brush each loaf with 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle generously with vanilla sugar, if using. Serve with whipped cream cheese, if desired.

NANA'S CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Scald milk. Add sugar, butter, and salt, and cool to lukewarm. Add 2 whole eggs, and 2 yolks. Mix.
• Add to 3 cups flour and yeast in food processor. Process and let rise until double.
• Add cardamom, raisins, citron, and cherries, and rest of flour. Process and put on floured board and knead. Let rise in greased bowl.
• When risen, cut into 3-4 pieces. Roll each into an oval, butter, and fold in half lengthwise. Put on greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise until double.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 minutes.
• Remove to rack. When cool, frost with white butter frosting and decorate with candied cherry halves and sprinkle with colored sugar.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN SUGAR BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk.
• Let stand until creamy (about 10 minutes).
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter and 2 cups bread flour; beat well.
• Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
• When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, mixed peel and the ginger and spices.
• Knead until smooth (about 8 minutes).
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, and turn to coat with oil.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (about 1 hour).
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the centre of the dough.
• Fold the dough over to cover it.
• Pinch the seams together to seal.
• Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 Degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and bake for a further 30- 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack.
• Dust the cooled loaf with the icing sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon.

DRESDNER CHRISTMAS STOLLEN (FORMER GDR)

Steps:

• All ingredients need to be at room temperature.
• Sift flour into a very large bowl, make a well in the middle, keep 1 c flour.
• Mix 2/3 of the handwarm milk with the yeast and add a bit of sugar.
• Pour into the flour well.
• Cover with a damp towel and let rise at a warm, draft-free location for 20 minutes or the yeast foams up.
• In the meantime, mix remaining ingredients (except the last 3).
• Knead the yeast and flour into a dough.
• Add the yeast dough to the fruit-date mix and knead, until the dough doesn't stick to the hands any more (you might need extra flour, but not too much).
• Let rest at a warm location for a minimum of 2 hours, but not too warm, for the fat not to "sweat out".
• Divide dough into 2 equal parts, knead again and form into oval shapes.
• Press down a wooden stick lengthwise the shape, marking the oval into a 2/3 wide part and a 1/3 wide part (don't separate the 2 parts!).
• Flip 1/3 part over the depression onto the 2/3 wide part, so it looks like a long turnover, with the rims not meeting, but the top rim being some way over the middle.
• Preheat oven to about 375°F.
• Let Stollen rest on baking sheet and rise for 30 minutes.
• Bake for about 1 hour at 370°F.
• Tap the top and if it sounds hollow, take the Stollen out immediately.
• Brush with butter and powder very generously with sugar mix.
• After cooling completely, wrap tightly with Saran wrap and let sit in a cool, dark place for 1 week.
• Powder with sugar a second time before serving.
• To serve, cut in 1/2-inch slices.
• Do not add too much sugar, as it will spread the Stollen too flat.
• This is a very work-intensive recipe and not suitable for an unexperienced baker.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN II

Steps:

• Place the fruit in a bowl with the rum, and soak for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons flour into the fruit, together with the almonds. Stir until the flour is completely absorbed.
• In a small bowl, stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into the water. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Warm the milk until it is lukewarm, and stir in the remaining sugar until it has dissolved. Stir in the almond extract and lemon rind.
• Place all but 1/4 cup of the flour in a large bowl with the salt, and make a well in the center. Pour in the yeast mixture, and stir in a little of the flour from the edge of the well. Add egg and the milk and sugar mixture. Beat in softened butter. Mix together to form a dough.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface. Knead, using the rest of the flour, for 15 minutes, or until no longer sticky. Knead in fruit and almonds. Clean and dry the bowl, and brush the inside with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Brush the top of the dough with another 2 teaspoons melted butter or margarine, and place it in the bowl. Cover the dough with a clean cloth. Let rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Roll it out into a 8 x 12 inch rectangle. Brush with remaining melted butter or margarine. Bring one long side across it, overlapping it in place with seam by about 1 inch. Press the edge gently to keep it in place. With floured hands, taper the ends of the loaf slightly and push the sides gently together to mound it in the center. The finished loaf should be about 3 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long. Place the loaf on a floured baking sheet, and brush it with any remaining melted butter or margarine. Leave it in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving the stollen, sift the confectioners' sugar over the top.

DRESDNER STOLLEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE)

Steps:

• Soak the raisins, black currants, almonds, candied citron, and orange peel in the rum. Set aside.
• Get a large bowl, the largest bowl you have. Measure and sift the flour into the bowl.
• Dissolve the yeast in 400ml warm milk.
• Make a well in the center of the flour. Add a pinch of salt to the yeast mixture, stir, then pour the yeast into the well.
• Form into a very dry dough and allow it to rise for 10-15 minutes.
• Cut the vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the vanilla seeds. Add the sugar to the seeds, then add the zested lemon peel, salt, and eggs. Beat together and (once the 15 minute rise is done) knead into the dough.
• Allow the dough to rise another 15 minutes.
• While the dough is rising, knead the remaining 200g of flour into the butter.
• Once the rise is finished, knead the butter into the dough. Allow to rise another 15 minutes.
• Once the rise is finished, preheat the oven to 390°F.
• Quickly work the rum-soaked fruit and nuts into the dough until they are evenly distributed.
• Form the dough into two 30cm (about 1 foot) long loaves. Traditionally, the middle is thicker than the sides. Place the dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 20 minutes).
• Bake the loaves for about an hour (you may need to rotate the loaves halfway through). The bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
• Coat the bread with the melted butter, then, using a sieve, dust with powdered sugar.
• Allow to cool, then slice.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. Put the stollen cubes into an ovenproof serving dish. Mix the cream, milk and eggs together and pour over the stollen. Sprinkle over the amaretti biscuits. Bake for 45 mins until golden and slightly risen. Serve dusted with icing sugar, if you like.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN WITH ICING

Steps:

• Sponge
• Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lukewarm milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons lukewarm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar in large bowl. Add yeast and stir until smooth. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add 2 2/3 cups flour and remaining lukewarm milk and mix well. Cover and let sponge rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Dough
• Mix 3 tablespoons flour with raisins, slivered almonds and candied fruit in medium bowl. Using a stand mixer with the mixing paddle, beat 1 cup unsalted butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, 1 teaspoon vanilla and salt. Beat in sponge. Stir in fruit and nuts. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should be slightly sticky. Replace the mixer paddle with the dough hook. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat entire surface. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 1/2 hours. Place a Silpat mat or parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into 10" x 16" oval. Fold in half lengthwise to form a 5" x 16" loaf. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost double in volume, about 2 hours. Position racks in lower and upper thirds of oven and preheat to 325°F. Switch the positions of the loaves after 30 minutes. Bake for 1 hour, until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Transfer to a baking rack and cool slightly.
• Icing
• In a small saucepan over low heat, warm 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 4 tablespoons water, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the liquid is gently simmering. Remove the pan from the heat. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the pan and mix with a rubber spatula until the icing is thick and creamy. Mix in the remaining teaspoon vanilla. Drizzle the icing over each stollen and spread to cover each loaf. Let the icing set for about 10 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN RING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, milk and water to 120°-130° Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Stir in the raisins, candied fruit, walnuts, and lemon and orange zest. Cover and refrigerate overnight. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into an 18x12-in. rectangle; spread butter to within 1/2 in. of edges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. , Place, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. With a scissors, cut from outside edge two-thirds of the way toward center of the ring at 1-in. intervals. Separate strips lightly; twist to allow filling to show, slightly overlapping with the previous piece. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. , For glaze, combine the sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over warm stollen. Decorate with candied cherries.

CHRISTMAS WREATH STOLLEN

Steps:

• 1. In two separate bowls, soak currants in rum or rum extract and golden raisins in orange juice; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt,sugar, and nutmeg; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup milk and 10 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup warm water into a small bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand 2 to 3 minutes; stir to dissolve yeast completely. Add the dissolved yeast, warm milk mixture, and eggs to the flour mixture. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead until fairly smooth. Transfer dough to a large bowl. Add currants and raisins in their liquid, orange zest, lemon zest, citron, apricots, and chopped pecans, and then work them into the dough with your hands. Transfer dough to work surface, and knead for about 10 minutes. If the dough is sticky, knead in more flour, but be careful not to overwork. Butter a large bowl with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Cover dough with a clean kitchen towel; set aside to rise for 30 minutes. Dough will rise only a little bit. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 30 inches long. With a sharp knife, cut into 3 30 inch strips. Carefully braid the three strips together. Carefully transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet; join ends together, pinching with fingers if necessary to make it stick, forming a large circle. Bake until golden brown and crusty, about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through Remove to a large wire rack to cool.
• 2. Drizzle the milted icing over the top and decorate with candied cherries and pecan halves. You can pipe on a bow with red icing or you can buy a plastic bow to cover the area pinched together.

AMIS'S CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Stollen:.
• Combine the yeast with warm water (110 F). Note: If you're using compressed yeast, the water needs to be at 85°F.
• Combine the milk, butter, sugar, salt and cardamom; cool to lukewarm.
• Stir in 2 c of flour; beat well. Add the softened yeast and egg; beat well.
• Stir in the fruits, peels and nuts.
• Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Turn out on a slightly floured surface. Knead for about 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the entire surface of the the dough.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until double.
• Punch down; turn out on a lightly floured surface.
• Divide into 3 equal parts.
• Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll each of the 3 sections into a 10 x 16 inch rectangle.
• Without stretching, fold the long side over to within 1 inch of the opposite side; seal the edge (you can pinch it together, or brush with a bit of beaten egg or warm milk if you wish).
• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until almost double again.
• Preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let cool slightly and place onto large pieces of wax paper, plastic wrap, platters, etc, each loaf on it's own separate surface.
• You don't want to get the glaze everywhere.
• Glaze:.
• Note: You can easily half the glaze. My family doubled it because of our huge sweet tooth. (It's really pretty too. It has a daisy on it. :D).
• Combine the sugar, water and the butter. Brush or pour over the stollen.
• It will be runny at first so you may have to spoon any that gooped onto your platter or counter back up onto the loaf.
• You can leave it as it is or decorate it however you wish.
• I always make pretty flowers out of bits of fruit and cherries or sliced almonds. Such as a flower made with slices of almonds for the petals, bits of candied cherries for the center and citron or green candied cherries for the leaves and stems. Very pretty.
• Let the loaves sit until the glaze has set (it will still be slightly squishy to the touch) and then wrap in plastic wrap to keep them fresh until it's time to serve them.
• That's another reason we add so much glaze since it helps keep the bread moist.
• Place the loaves in a cool dark place or they even freeze well.
• I put the serving size at 24, which would be 8 generous slices per loaf but you will probably get more out of it.
• Note: Yeast equivalents are One package = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1/4 ounce = 1 compressed cake.

ICED CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, butter, eggs, lemon zest, cardamom, salt, mace and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). Stir in the cherries, almonds, raisins, pineapple and citron., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 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. Turn onto a floured surface. Divide into four portions. Shape each into a 12x7-in. oval. Fold long side over to within 1/2-in. of opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place 5 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake at 350° for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool., For icing, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and salt. Drizzle over stollens.

STOLLEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD)

Steps:

• Scald milk and cool to lukewarm.
• Dissolve yeast in water for 10 minutes; add to milk.
• Add 6 cups flour sifted with salt to make a soft batter.
• Let raise until double in bulk.
• Add 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon rind and brandy; mix thoroughly.
• Add 4 cups flour slowly, working in until the mixture loosens from the bowl.
• Now knead in the fruits and nuts, working in well.
• Divide mixture in five parts.
• Shape into loaves and place in greased pans.
• Make two rows of slashes across top of loaves.
• Let rise to double length in size.
• Bake 1 hour in 350 degree oven.
• After removing bread from oven and it has partially cooled, spoon over 1 cup melted butter, let it soak into the bread.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Put in cool storage for 2 or 3 days to mellow.

OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS STOLLEN RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Scald milk. Add sugar, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. 2. Mix yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar until liquid. Add to lukewarm milk. Stir. 3. Add whole eggs and egg yolks. Beat. 4. Add 3 cups flour. Bear well. Cover. 5. Let rise in warm place about 1 1/2 hour or until doubled. 6. Add cardamon, raisins, citron, cherries and enough flour until dough pulls from side of bowl and is no longer sticky to the touch. 7. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and satiny. 8. Place in lightly greased bowl. Cover. Let rise about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. 9. Divide dough into thirds. Use 1/3 for each stollen. 10. Roll on floured canvas into and 8x10 inch oval. Spread with melted butter. Press down center, fold over lengthwise. 11. Place in shallow greased baking pans or on greased cooky sheets. Brush with melted butter. 12. Let rise about 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. 13. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. 14. Frost with Powdered Sugar Icing. Decorate with cherries citron and blanched almonds.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• Soak raisins, ginger and almonds in orange liqueur in a medium bowl for at least 30 minutes (up to 8 hours) and set aside. Warm milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just about to boil. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter and salt. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm, then transfer to a large bowl or mixer. In a small bowl, mix together yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar until liquid and add to the warm milk mixture. Stir well. Add eggs one at a time to mixture, then vanilla extract, and beat well. Mix in orange zest, cardamom and nutmeg, then add 2 cups flour and mix until dough begins to come together. Continue adding flour until dough ball forms. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel and place in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size. Punch down dough and add raisin nut mixture. Knead until completely incorporated and smooth. Lightly grease a baking tray and shape dough into desired amount of loaves. Cover again with a clean towel, transfer to a warm, draft-free place and let rise for 1 hour. Press loaves down in center and fold over lengthwise. Place in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (for smaller loaves) to 50 to 55 minutes (large loaves). Remove from oven, melt remaining 3/4 cup butter and brush it onto loaves, and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Optional: wrap loaves tightly in plastic wrap and let sit for 1 day before serving to maximize flavor.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In small bowl, soak raisins and candied fruits in orange juice.
• Set aside 1 cup flour.
• In large bowl, mix remaining flour, almonds, sugar, orange peel, lemon peel, salt and yeast.
• In small sauce pan, heat milk, butter and water till hot to the touch (about 125°-130°F).
• Stir hot liquids into dry mixture.
• Stir in fruit/orange juice mixture and eggs.
• Mix in only enough reserved flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).
• Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces, roll each piece into a 10 x 7 inch oval.
• Fold long side of oval over to within 1/2 inch of the opposite side, seal seam.
• Place loaves on a greased baking sheets.
• Cover and let rise in a warm draft free place until doubled in size (about 50-60 minutes).
• Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until done.
• Remove loaves from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
• When cool, dust with confectioner's sugar.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN, MARIA'S WAY

Steps:

• Place all candied fruit (except halved cherries) in colander, wash off all sticky coating. Drain until as dry as possible.
• Have raisins and nuts ready, but do not add to fruit at this time.
• Heat water,milk, and margarine until 115-125°F Margarine does not need to melt completely.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and all other dry ingredients.
• Pour liquid with margarine into bowl with dry ingredients, and beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup flour and eggs, beat on high for 2 minutes.
• Stir in remaining flour until desired consistency occurs.
• Knead until satiny and elastic.
• Place dough in buttered bowl and turn dough so that buttered side is up.
• Cover with damp towel and let rise in warm place until dough doubles in size (1-2 hours).
• Sprinkle a little flour over drained fruit and toss to coat.
• Punch down dough and spread on floured surface.
• Add all fruit, raisins and nuts, and knead until all are incorporated into dough.
• It may be necessary to add a little flour, since the fruit may make the dough sticky.
• Divide dough in 1/2 and roll into 2 ovals, each 9x15 inches.
• Brush one oval with melted butter, leaving 1 inch around edge unbuttered.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
• Fold over and seal edges securely to form crescent.
• Repeat with second oval.
• Let rise about 1- 1/2 hours until double in size.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes.
• While hot, spread with white sugar frosting and decorate with halved maraschino cherries and pecan halves.
• Preparation time does not include rising time.