STOLLEN

 I've always wanted to bake Stollen, a cake tradiationally baked during Christmas time in Germany. Years ago my German friend gave me her recipe but I never attempted to make it. She used to bake this for her family every Christmas. Remembering the old days, I decided to give it a try last Saturday evening.  I didn't realize that it was going to be too involved. The dough had more rest  then I did. I was exhausted at the end. I followed her recipe with a little variation,  I've added few ingredients of my own.  The preparation process is very long, but its worth it at the end.  My hubby tasted it and declared that it was the Gutt!!!

Ingredients:

4 to 4 1/2cups all purpose flour

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon Cardamom

1 1/4 cups milk (lukewarm)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Cup raisins

1/4 cup candied orange peel

1/4 cup candied citrus peel

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Rum

                                                                                                         

To be used later:

1 cup  powdered sugar

1 package of sweetened vanilla powder

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon hot water

Combine raisins & candied fruits with rum. Soak for 1 hour.. Combine yeast, milk, sugar & cardamom in a large bowl & place in a warm place for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the yeast mixture and kneed into a dough. Drain liquid from fruit mixture and kneed it into the dough. Transfer dough into a large and clean bowl and cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for one (1) hour.

 Place dough onto floured surface gently flatten and divide into thirds.

Flatten each half into oval about 10x6 and 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold one long side  of the oval within the dough 1/2 inch to the other side. Do this for all pieces.

Transfer dough on parchment lined baking sheets and allow to rise again 30 minutes (in the mean time preheat the oven to 350 degrees).

Place dough in the middle of the oven and bake for 1 hour or until golden color. Remove from oven. 

Sift together the powdered sugar and vanilla powder. Add hot water to make a thick paste. Brush butter over hot Stollen once butter is absorbed,  brush the sugar mixture on all sides.

Wrap and store in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.