German Stallen Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Place flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and crumble fresh yeast into it. Sprinkle in sugar and add 1 tablespoon milk. Cover and let rise at a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted.
• Pour milk-butter mixture over yeast mixture and add 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Knead until a soft dough forms. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix almonds, raisins, candied lemon peel, and candied orange peel together and fold into the dough. Shape dough into a loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rest until the loaf has risen again slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush hot stollen immediately with 2 tablespoons melted butter and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Prepare Fruit: Combine the mixed fruit, raisins, and rum. Cover and set aside. Shake or stir the mixture every so often to coat the fruit with the rum.
• Prepare Sponge: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast in the water to soften. Heat the milk to 110 degrees F and add it to the yeast along with the honey and 1 cup flour. Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and let rise until light and full of bubbles, about 30 minutes.
• By Hand: Add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• By Mixer: In the mixer bowl, add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, mace, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge. Using the paddle, beat the mixture on medium low speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Change to the dough hook. Continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Knead 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low.
• First rise: Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Shape and Fill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. For 1 large loaf, roll the dough into a 9 by 13-inch oval. For 2 loaves, divided the dough in half and roll each half into a 7 by 9-inch oval. Brush the melted butter over the top of the oval(s). Combine the cinnamon and granulated sugar and sprinkle over one lengthwise half of the oval(s). Fold the dough in half lengthwise and carefully lift the bread(s) onto a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet. Press lightly on the folded side to help the loaf keep its shape during rising and baking.
• Second rise: Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven: About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake and cool: Bake for 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees F. Immediately remove from the baking sheet and place on a rack to cool.
• To serve: Sprinkle heavily with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• Variation: Between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, roll 3 ounces almond paste or marzipan into the lengthwise shape of half the oval. Omit the butter and cinnamon-sugar filling. Place the marzipan on half of the oval and fold the dough in half. Let rise and bake as directed.
• Notes: One cup coarsely chopped mixed dried fruits may be substituted for the candied fruit. Cover the dried fruit with boiling water and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and use as you would candied fruit. You can also make your own candied fruit and peel. This bread freezes nicely for up to 6 months. If freezing it, do not sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. To serve, first thaw the bread, then bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, mace, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in milk and melted butter. Add dissolved yeast and the eggs. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth.
• Drain raisins and currants. Add raisins, currants, almonds, citron, orange peel, apricots, and lemon zest to dough, and continue kneading until incorporated, about 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down dough, divide into 6 even pieces, and roll each piece into a 15-inch-long log. Braid 3 logs together, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 logs. Cover with plastic, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours more.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake stollen until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Beat together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle stollen with icing just before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, soak raisins, fruit and currants in apple juice for 1 hour; drain and set aside. , In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add the eggs, zest and extract; beat until smooth. Stir in the almond, fruit mixture and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12x8-in. oval. Fold one long side over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar or combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over loaves.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water, and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Stir in milk and 1 1/4 cups melted butter. Add dissolved yeast and eggs. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until fairly smooth.
• In two separate bowls, soak currants in cognac, and raisins in orange juice. Let each stand for 10 minutes.
• In a medium-size bowl, mix together currants and raisins with their soaking liquids, the orange peel, lemon zest, citron, apricots, and almonds. Work mixture into dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes. If dough is sticky, knead in more flour, but be careful not to overwork.
• Place dough in a large buttered bowl. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel, and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, and cut in quarters. Roll each piece into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter, then fold one long side to the center. Fold other long side over first side, overlapping it by 1 inch. Turn dough over, taper the ends, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for remaining 3 loaves, using a second parchment-lined baking sheet for the third and fourth loaves. Cover loaves with plastic wrap; let rise again in a warm place, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees, with two racks centered. Bake stollen until golden brown, about 35 minutes, rotating the sheets between the racks halfway through baking. Cool on wire rack; dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE DOUGH, combine the candied fruits, raisins, currants, candied cherries, citron, and rum in a bowl, and mix to coat all the fruits with rum.
• Marinate at least 1 hour.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the yeast with 3 cups of the flour, the sugar, and salt.
• In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk to boiling over medium-high heat.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add butter and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture has cooled to very warm (130 F.).
• Add the milk mixture and eggs to the flour mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth, satiny, and has an elastic quality to it.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining flour a cup at a time and mix until the dough is stiff.
• If using a mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough for 5 minutes at low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl.
• Or turn out onto a floured board and knead, adding flour as necessary to make a light and springy dough.
• Knead or mix in the fruit-rum mixture.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper.
• To fill and finish the stollen, punch down the dough and divide into 2 parts.
• On a lightly oiled surface, pat each half into an oval about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide at its widest point.
• Brush each oval with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.
• Make a crease down the length of each oval.
• Fold each loaf in half lengthwise along the crease to enclose the sugared surface.
• Place the loaves on a baking sheet spaced well apart.
• Cover and let rise until puffy, but not doubled, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Brush each loaf with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and dry.
• If the stollen begins to brown excessively, cover lightly with foil to finish baking.
• While the loaves are still hot, brush each loaf with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar.
• Drizzle each loaf with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons brandy or rum.
• Remove from the sheet and cool on a wire rack.
• Brush with the remaining butter.
• Wrap the loaves in plastic, then in foil and store in a cool place for 2 to 3 days until ready to serve or freeze up to 3 months.
• Makes 2 loaves.
• NOTE; Citron is a semitropical citrus fruit that looks like a large, lumpy, yellow-green lemon.
• It grows six to nine inches long, is very sour, and has a thick peel that is candied and used in baking.
• It is available in the baking section in supermarkets and specialty foods stores during the Christmas season.

Steps:

• Proof the yeast in warm water about 105-115 degrees for about 10 minutes.
• Melt butter in hot milk; add sugar, salt, and cardamom.
• Cool to luke warm; stir in 2 cups flour. Add eggs; beat well.
• Stir in yeast, fruit peels, and nuts.
• Add remaining flour to make soft dough.
• Turn out on lightly floured surface; cover and let rise 10 minutes.
• Knead 5 minutes until smooth and satiny. Place in lightly greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down; divide in 3 equal parts. Cover and let rise about 30 mins more. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
• Combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the bread.