Stollen(Jamie Oliver)

This rich German fruit bread is particularly popular in the city of Dresden, where a huge stollen is traditionally paraded through the streets at the annual Stollenfest.

StollenIngredients

  • 1.5           oz candied peel
  • 2               oz glace cherries
  • 1               orange
  • 4               oz raisins, sultanas and currants
  • 1               oz dried cranberries
  • 2               tbsp brandy or rum
  • 3-4           cardamom pods
  • 1               tsp dried active yeast*
  • 1               oz sugar
  •  1/4          cup whole milk, plus a little extra
  • 10             oz all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1/2           tsp mixed spice
  •  2              oz unsalted butter(at room temperature)
  • 1               medium egg
  • 1               tsp vanilla extract
  • 1               oz almomds
  • 8               oz marzipan
  •                  olive oil, or vegetable oil for greasing
  •                  icing sugar, for dusting

Instruction

  1. Finely chop the candied peel, and quarter the glace cherries.  Finely grate the orange zest.
  2. Place all the diced fruit into a bowl with the orange zest.  Squeeze the orange juice into a pan, add the brandy or rum and heat to just below boiling point, then pour it over the dried fruit.  Mix well, then set aside for 1 to 2 hours to allow it to plump up.
  3. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar(roughly 1/4 tsp)
  4. Spoon the yeast into a bowl of a free standing mixer, then add sugar.
  5. In a pan, heat the milk until just warm, add to the yeast and whisk to combine.  Set aside for 5 – 10 minutes, until the yeast has formed a thick foamy crust on the milk.
  6. Add the flour, spices and 1/2 tsp of sea salt.  Using a dough hook, combine the butter, egg and vanilla, then mix for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  7. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.
  8. Roughly chop the almonds and pistachio.
  9. Pour away about half the liquid from the soaked fruit, then add the fruit and remaining liquid to the dough, along with the nuts.  Mix again.
  10. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for 1 minute.  Shape the dough into an oval shape, about A4 size.
  11. Roll the marzipan into a neat log, about 4cm shorter than the length of the dough , and place in the middle of the oval.
  12. Brush one long edge with milk and fold it over, completely encasing the marzipan, and press the edge together to seal.
  13. Carefully lift the dough onto a baking sheet, cover loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.
  14. Preheat oven to 350 degrees/gas mark 4.
  15. Remove the clingfilm, then bake the stollen for 30 minutes, or until golden, risen and the underside sounds slightly hollow when tapped.
  16. Leave to cool on a wire rack before dredging with icing sugar.

*Not to be confused with fast action dried yeast, which comes in a tub.  Unlike fast-action, it needs to be activated with warm liquid and sugar before adding to the mixture.

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