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Braided Stollen
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Folded Stollen
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Grandma's Stollen was one of her very special
productions. The dough was always beaten, at great length, using her bare
hand and beating in only one direction. She was sure that this procedure
made the dough strong and very light. The Christmas Stollen
had candied fruit added to the dough, but Stollen
was also made without fruit, and just decorated with almonds. The following
recipe has been adapted for use with a KitchenAid
Mixer.
INGREDIENTS:
7 Cups flour
1 Cup sugar
½ lb. butter, softened
2 pkg. dry yeast
6 eggs (grade AA large. Should be 1 1/3 Cups eggs)
½ Tsp. Mace
2 Tsp. salt
Grated rind of one lemon
1 ½ Cups milk, lukewarm
Optional: 3/4 - 1½ Cups finely chopped candied fruit, mixed with
"golden"' raisins
1 beaten egg for glaze
1 Cup blanched almonds to decorate outside.
Directions
:
1.In the large KitchenAid bowl, starting with
mixing paddle: dissolve yeast in milk, add 2 Cups flour and ¼ Cup
sugar to make a sponge. Mix and let stand while assembling other
ingredients. (About 15 min.)
2. Add eggs, butter, lemon
rind, 1 Cup flour, 3/4 Cup sugar, salt and Mace; mix till smooth.
3. Add fruit.
4. Add remaining flour, 1
Cup at a time, changing to dough hook when the mixture becomes too stiff
for the paddle.
5. Knead for about 15 min., or until dough is smooth and shiny, scraping sides
of bowl when necessary. If it is sticky because of the moisture in the
fruit, add a little more flour. Dough will be soft, so don't add too much
more flour. (If moisture in fruit makes dough sticky, add a little more
flour.
6. Put into large greased bowl to rise in warm place, about 2 hours, or
till doubled.
7. Turn out on floured
board, cut into 4 pieces. (Knead a little flour into each if dough is too
soft.
Click here for Folded Stollen
Proceed here for Braided Stollen
8. Cut each piece into 3,
roll each section into a short rope about 1 ½ -2 inches in diameter
and about 9 inches long.
Oven: 335-350 degrees
9. Lay these 3 side by
side, pinch together at one end, and gently braid,
loosely, just a few crossings.
10. Transfer to cookie-sheet (either greased or non-stick.)
11. Repeat with the other 3 pieces, putting each finished
braid on a separate cookie sheet.
12. Allow to rise till nearly double. (Additional
rising will take place in oven.)
13. Brush with beaten egg, decorate with halves of
blanched almonds.
TO BLANCH ALMONDS: Put 1 Cup shelled almonds into pan,
cover with hot water, bring to boil. Turn off heat, allow to stand for 5-10 minutes. Drain hot water
off and cover almonds with cold water, letting them stand for a few more
minutes. Skins will readily slip off when pinched. Split each almond in
half; otherwise they are too bulky, do not cling to the dough as well, and
are too hard to cut through after Stollen is
baked.
Bake at 335-350o for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with
powdered sugar if desired.
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