This traditional Christmas Stollen gets an upgrade from the addition of sourdough! Take it slow and enjoy the baking process from start to finish.
I'm a firm believer in making as much food as I can from scratch. It just makes our tummies feel so much better and really connects us to our food. I went so far as to start with marzipan from scratch here! Yes, it makes this bread take "a couple days" start to finish, but it's lots of hands-off time to enjoy the family and season in the meantime.
For a simpler take, make a loaf of Cranberry Sourdough Bread. Perfect for toasting up with butter. If you aren't one for marzipan and lots of steps, my Sourdough Christmas Bread has the same almond and fruit profile, but skips a little bit of effort.
Key Ingredients
Levain - This is a great technique for sourdough starter, where you get the sourdough going nice and happy for a day before using.
Marzipan - Soak some almonds and blend with sugar. You'll be amazed at how simple this is!
Fruit - Make a selection of your favourite dried fruits or add some new ones.
Sugar - This bread is traditionally absolutely covered in powdered sugar like snow.
How to Make Stollen Bread
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Soak raw almonds in water.
Step 2: Drain, peel, and add to a food processor.
Step 3: Add powdered sugar.
Step 4: Process until a smooth paste forms.
Step 5: Chop up your dried fruit.
Step 6: Soak in apple juice.
Step 7: Add egg and milk to a bowl...
Step 8: ...and whisk well.
Step 9: Add in your levain.
Step 10: Stir until everything is homogenous.
Step 11: Add dry ingredients to bowl.
Step 12: Use a dough whisk until your dough comes together.
Step 13: After a rest, we are going to knead in softened butter.
Step 14: Next up, knead in the drained fruit.
Step 15: Split the dough in half and press out into rectangles.
Step 16: Add a log of marzipan to one end.
Step 17: Sprinkle on your warming spices!
Step 18: Roll it up over the marzipan, tucking in the edges.
Step 19: Let proof in a warm spot.
Step 20: Bake until golden and hollow-sounding.
FAQs
Go wild here! You can absolutely soak your fruit in brandy or any other liquor of your choice. Any fruit juice works well, or even just water if you're in a pinch. You just want to make sure and rehydrate your dried fruit so it doesn't pull moisture out of the dough.
This traditional German Christmas bread is said to represent Jesus in swaddling clothes by the shape. That's also why we totally cover it in powdered sugar, like cloth. You might also find it with chopped nuts in addition to the marzipan. It actually isn't overly sweet before the powdered sugar and is said to store quite well when wrapped up.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Sourdough Recipes
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Sourdough Stollen
Ingredients
Marzipan:
- 125 grams raw almonds
- 100 grams powdered sugar
- Filtered water to cover
Sourdough Levain:
- 120 grams bread or all-purpose flour
- 25 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams sourdough starter
- 60 grams water
Dried Fruit:
- 40 grams apple juice
- 50 grams raisins
- 30 grams dried blueberries
- 30 grams dried mango slices chopped
- 75 grams dried apricots diced
- 30 grams dried cranberries
Stollen Dough:
- 1 large egg
- 75 grams milk
- 75 grams buttermilk
- 25 grams sugar
- Levain from above
- 360 grams bread or all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 100 grams butter at room temperature
- Soaked fruit from above
- Marzipan from above or 250 grams store-bought
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Finishing:
- 25 grams butter melted
- 250 powdered sugar
Instructions
At least 24 hours before baking:
Marzipan:
- For the marzipan, soak raw almonds in filtered water for 12-24 hours. After that time is up, strain almonds thoroughly and peel the skins off and discard.
- Put peeled almonds and powdered sugar in a food processor and blend until smooth. Use spatula to get any sticking to the side and blend again. Add a1 teaspoon of water at a time if necessary until made into a smooth paste. Cover and place in fridge until needed.
Levain:
- In a jar, add sourdough starter, water, flour, and sugar; mix thoroughly and set aside to rise for 12-24 hours, until doubled and bubbly.
Day of Baking:
Dried Fruit:
- Place dry fruits in a bowl, add apple juice, and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap.
Stollen Dough:
- Add egg, sugar, milk, and buttermilk to a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Add the levain to the mix, and break up and whisk until levain dissolves into liquid.
- Once levain is mixed in, add flour and salt and stir well until a stiff dough is made. Cover with a wet towel and set aside for an hour.
- Scoop dough onto a cutting board and add some little pats of butter to the dough. Fold over, knead slightly, and repeat adding of butter, folding and kneading until butter is incorporated into the dough. Cover and let set for 15 minutes.
- Flatten out dough with hands, into a rough rectangle and take the fruit (strain any excess juice) and press it into dough. The dough will get a bit slippery but keep pressing into the dough, working it in as best as you can. Knead it until fruit is well incorporated into dough.
- Place back into bowl, and cover. Place in a warm spot to rise 50% or cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight if you want to slow ferment your stollen further.
- When dough is ready (let warm for about an hour if you refrigerated overnight), divide into two on a cutting board and flatten each dough into rough rectangles with hands.
- Get your marzipan and divide into two. Roll into 2 long pieces and place one each onto the right edge of the dough.
- Sprinkle your cinnamon and nutmeg spices over each of the doughs.
- Grab the edge of the dough and carefully fold over the marzipan, rolling it until you have a rolled up loaf. Do the same for the other dough. Transfer onto cooking sheet keeping the seam sides down.
- Cover with plastic wrap or wet tea towel and let proof in a warm spot until 50% risen again.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven at 350°F and place in oven for approximately 35-40 minutes, until loaves are a nice golden colour.
- Remove from oven when stollen is done and allow to cool for a bit.
- Melt butter in pot/pan and brush each loaf thoroughly with melted butter.
- Allow to cool for an hour or so, then get a sifter and powder loaves with powdered sugar on all sides.
- You could slice it up at this point, or cover and let loaves set for another day.
Notes
- I went all-in and made marzipan because it's super easy, but if you need to push an easy button and buy it, please do!!
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