Making Stollen Today

[Soma]

My aunt's recipe says to let it rise for 1 hour, then punch down and add the fruit. It's ready to punch now, so I'm about to do it....but I forgot to add cardamom, which I love, so am sprinkling it all over the fruit and mixing it in that way. I do't usually add dried fruit AFTER the first rising....

Then, this the recipe says to make two loaves free-form, on a cookie sheet.

I did it....but not too happy with the way the fruit barely got into the dough. This pic makes them look brown already, but it's just the stove lighting....they're raw, will let rise until double, maybe 2 hours......

more pics later, when baked.

 

[Soma]

One and a half hours later, I had to separate these two bad boys. They were cuddling up so hard, I'm sure there would have been only one giant loaf to bake later on.

so here they are now, each on their own tray, about to go into oven. The one on the left lost some oomph when I touched it down; the other one is still nice and puffy. More later, when baked.

Sad thing is: I must leave now, and hubby has promised to take them out. Wish him luck! (he is a non-cook, even though he does try the odd day, when there's nothing to eat).

 

[Soma]

and baked: (I didn't butter the tops, may ice these):

 

[Soma]

and cut:

It's delicious, but.....
Lessons learned:
(1) Do not add fruit after the first rising...it stays on one layer, and shows like a rollup. Next time, I'll add it into the softer dough, before all flour is mixed in.
(2) Bake longer than 30 minutes.....the dough is a tad wet (but eats ok if we toast it).
(3) I think I'd like more fruit next time. This was 1.5 cups.

 

[justplainbill]

Cannot see your pics.

 

[Soma]

Can't see them? Yikes....they are right in the post, with my words, on my screen. Anybody else?

here's one slice, toasted:

Can you see it now? where else could I put the pics if not in the post?

 

[justplainbill]

Thanks I can see them now. Looks pretty good. Pretty nice rise. Care to share the recipe?

 

[Soma]

The very nice rise is due to such a lot of yeast (2 tbsps). I'd like to try them again with half that amount.

but here is the recipe, given to me by an elderly neighbour, 30 years ago. Her name was Daphne, so I named it after her.

Daphne's Xmas Stollen Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tsps. sugar
2 envelopes or 2 Tbsps dry yeast (this is a LOT – next time I will halve this amount)
3/4 cup milk, scalded
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
3 eggs beaten
6 and 1/2 cups flour (or more)
1/2 to 1 cup candied cherries, cut small
1/2 to 1 cup raisins
1/2 to 1 cup candied orange and/or lemon peel (I dislike citron).

Dissolve sugar in water, sprinkle yeast on top; let sit 5 minutes
Warm milk in pot; when just about scalded (little bubbles forming on circumference), add sugar, salt, butter; stir until well dissolved. Let cool.

When cool(ish), stir milk mixture into yeast mixture.
Add 3 cups flour, and eggs. Beat with wooden spoon or electric mixer, about 2 minutes. (I used my Braun mixer with dough hook for most of the mixing).

Add the fruit in here and mix the way you like, to incorporate it into the batter. I used 1 and 1/2 cups fruit total, but next time will double this.

Gradually add remaining flour. When it gets too dry to spin in my Braun mixer, I turn it out onto a floured board, and knead until it looks smooth (watch for dough tearing – this means you've mixed it just beyond enough). I knead about 5 minutes, after 10 mins or so in the mixer..

Place into slightly greased bowl, turn once. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for 1 hour to 90 minutes.

Divide dough in half.

Shape each half into an oval about 10 by 6 inches. This you will bake free-form on a cookie sheet.

If you like, brush each oval with some butter or milk. I didn't do this, cuz I don't like greasy tops and the loaves look dry, but are soft and nice anyway.

You can then fold each oval in half lengthwise to crease, then curve into a crescent shape (not necessary, and I didn't, but maybe next time..)

Cover with towels and let rise again, maximum 2 hours.
Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes (30 wasn't quite enough, but I wasn't home and DH took them out when the timer went off).

Can brush these again with butter , or cool them and ice with your fav icing.

 

[quelle4]

This bread looks delicious, perfect for the holidays!

 

[ChefJune]

Looks good! I'm making some this weekend. My candied fruit has been marinating in rum for a month now... My recipe calls for all the ingredients to be used cold. Got the recipe from a good friend of my mom's years ago.

 

[Soma]

for the holidays???.....Ooops, too late; it has been almost entirely eaten now. Will have to make more....it was DELICIOUS! only next time, I'll add more fruit, and put it in early, not after the first rising, as instructions on another site said...

 

[Littlechef]

Wow, looks great.

 

[Claire]

Yumm. I'll never attempt it, not enough people I know will like it if I tried, and I'm no baker. But reminds me of the few years I lived in Germany as a kid.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Good stollen Soma