Stollen is a yeasted dough, it can be made in advance, frozen and then iced when you are ready to eat it.
Ingredients for one large or two small stollen
100g raisins
100g sultanas
100g currants
100g mixed peel
100g ground almonds
3 tablespoons rum
450g strong bread flour
50g caster sugar
2 x sachets fast action yeast
175ml warm milk
2 eggs, beaten
25g melted butter
pinch of salt
grated zest of 1 orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
225g marzipan
icing sugar and egg to glaze
- Place the dried fruit, ground almonds and rum in a basin, stir and set to one side
- Place the flour, sugar, yeast, milk, eggs and butter into a large bowl along with the orange and lemon zest and a pinch of salt and stir to make a smooth dough.
- Turn out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, around 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth or oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, approx 1-2 hours.
- Knock the dough back and add in the soaked fruit, knead this in evenly, split the dough into two if you wish to make smaller stolen, roll into an oblong. Split the marzipan into two, roll into a sausage shape and lay along the middle of each oblong, roll the dough over the marzipan leaving the seam underneath, repeat with the other piece of dough.
- Place on a greased baking tray, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to double in size, approx 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to gas 6/200c, brush the stollens with egg and bake for 40-45 minutes or if using an AGA; in the roasting oven for around 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool then pour over glace icing and serve.