Stollen is a yeast cake—or perhaps a sweet bread. It is very popular in Germany and Austria, and its tradition goes way back, all the way to the 16th century. History before our eyes.
What makes it special is the fact that it will still be wonderful even a few days after baking. In fact, many times, it will be even better two days after you make it, and it will keep for up to two weeks in a cool, dry place.
You are welcome to add or omit dried fruits and flavors and play around with the alcohol (cognac or any kind of liqueur will go great here, as well as various wines), all according to your taste. This is also how it’s done in the cake’s country of origin—based on personal preference and the wishes of the household.
Ingredients:
100 ml rum or another preferred alcohol (wine is also an option)
1. In a medium bowl, combine the rum, raisins, ground almonds, candied orange peel, and grated lemon zest. Mix and let sit at room temperature until ready to use, anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Strain before adding to the dough.
2. Pour the milk into a small bowl, add the sugar and yeast, mix, and set aside for about 5 minutes until bubbles begin to appear.
3. Transfer the milk mixture to a mixing bowl with a dough hook. Add the flour, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, and spices, and knead for 2 minutes. Add the rum and fruit mixture and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough should be uniform and very elastic. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes to an hour and a half, until the dough doubles in volume.
4. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) on a convection setting. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
5. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, knead slightly, and shape it into an elongated loaf about 28 cm long and 12 cm wide. Place the loaf on the tray with the folded seam facing up, cover, and let rise for about 40 minutes until the dough nearly doubles in volume.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. If the loaf browns too much during baking, cover it with aluminum foil. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
7. Brush the cake with melted butter and sprinkle a very thick layer of powdered sugar over it. Wrap the cake in aluminum foil and plastic wrap and store in a cool place at room temperature until serving.
