Classic German Stollen with Dried Fruits, Almonds, and Marzipan Recipe
Classic German Stollen bread with a rich blend of dried fruits, almonds, and a sweet marzipan center, baked to golden perfection and dusted with powdered sugar for a festive treat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Fillings
- 1 cup mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, candied citrus peel)
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 7 oz marzipan
Topping
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in the warm milk and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add fruits and nuts: Fold in the mixed dried fruits and chopped almonds evenly throughout the dough.
- First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the bread: Punch down the dough and roll it out into a rectangle. Roll the marzipan into a log shape and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the marzipan and shape it into a loaf.
- Second rise: Place the shaped loaf on the prepared baking sheet, cover it, and let it rise again for 30 minutes.
- Bake the stollen: Bake the loaf for 40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and dust: Allow the stollen to cool completely on a wire rack, then dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Ensure your milk is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- Kneading the dough well develops gluten for a better texture.
- You can soak the dried fruits in rum or orange juice overnight for extra flavor.
- Marzipan log can be adjusted in size depending on your preference for sweetness.
- Store stollen wrapped tightly in foil or plastic wrap to keep it fresh for several days.
