Dresdner Stollen

Stollen is a rich, sweet cake filled with fruits and nuts, and Stollen from Dresden are particularly well-known. A masterpiece of baking, treasured around the world. The product's long shelf life also makes it a perfect gift for any food lover. A very special Christmas treat.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups (600 g) raisins
4 tablespoons rum
8 cups (1 kg) flour
1-2 cups (250-500 ml) milk
2 packages dry yeast
(or 2 cubes of fresh yeast, if available)
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground mace (or nutmeg)
1 lb. (453.6 g) unsalted butter
3.5 oz (100 g) almonds, ground or finely chopped
4 oz (113 g) candied lemon peel, finely chopped
4 oz (113 g) candied orange peel, finely chopped
Unsalted butter for coating
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preparation:

Soak raisins in rum overnight.

Combine flour, milk, yeast, sugar, salt and butter to form a smooth yeast dough. Incorporate almonds, candied lemon and orange peel, mace and raisins, one after another always kneading the dough thoroughly. Let rest for 1 hour. Knead the dough once more, divide into two and shape two Stollen loaves.

Bake for about 1 hour in preheated oven at 350° F

After baking the Stollen, brush them with melted butter and dust generously with confectioner's sugar.

Stollen has a long shelf life and can be made weeks ahead of Christmas.