Stollen

Now this is what I think of when you think of Christmas.  Dried fruits spices and rich marzipan nut flavours all coming together in the perfect sweet bread stolen.  Now I know that either you love or hate it but I do love it so and I think it is a grate thing to make at any time of the year but especially now.  There is some thing special about a bread that thinks it’s a cake, some thing very satisfying.  Now you can just make one big one or break this down to six small one that part is up to you all you

You will need,

175g/6oz dried mixed fruits

50g/2oz glacé cherries, chopped

50g/2oz almonds, chopped

2 lemons zest, finely grated

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp brandy

375g/13oz strong white bread flour

1 x 7g/⅛oz sachet fast-action dried yeast

50g/2oz caster sugar

1 egg, beaten

50g/2oz unsalted butter

150ml/5fl oz warm milk, plus extra for glazing

200g/7oz marzipan

icing sugar, for dusting

Take the dried fruits, cherries, almonds, lemon zest, nutmeg, vanilla extract and brandy and mix together in a bowl.  Now you want to just cover this with some cling film and set to one side as you get on with the rest.  This gives some time for the fruits to take on all the flavours of the brandy.

Now to the make the actual doughy, start by slowly meting you butter.  Put the flour, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Then beat the egg and add that and the butter then add the milk.  Mix every thing together and make dough, you might want to add another 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk if the dough is a little dry.

Now  turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and  start to knead it for about 10 minutes or so , until it becomes smooth and elastic. Now place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film.  It you do not oil the blow and cling film it has a tendency to stick.  Now just let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Then you need to turn it out once more on a  lightly floured surface. But this time sort of flat to start with and cover with the fruit mix. Now slowly  knead  the fruit in to the dough until it is evenly distributed through the dough. Now cover it with a damp tea towel and let it rest for another 20 minutes.

Now you have to take it out once more and need it light for a little and make it sort of flat and then place in to the centre the marzipan.  Once you have done that you need to brush the edges with some milk and egg, fold them in, and seal the dough around the marzipan.  Now set this on a try like a log  and cover once more for a while until it has once more doubled in size, about 30 minutes.  

Now Preheat the oven to 180c/350f and once your stole is ready glaze with some egg wash and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until it has risen and is golden brown.  The cool on wire and dust with icing sugar when fully cool.