Easy Christmas Stollen
So if you’re snowed in, or just fancy a nice afternoon of Christmassy cooking in the kitchen, I can think of nothing finer than stollen. Not only is it yummy, but the smell of it cooking is just the finest thang ever.
As you can see from the picture, I actually made mine when I was back at English Towers in Ireland (it was for a magazine article, so they were unseasonably made in October), but they freeze really well (if you slice them first, you can grill the individual slices which makes the marzipan all lubly and bubbly).
Anyhoo, you’ll need:
500g plain white flour, sieved
½ tsp salt
125g butter, softened
3 tsp baking powder
200g caster sugar
1 large lemon, finely zested
1 tsp ground mixed spice
50g suet
125g sultanas
125g raisins
125g raw almonds, roughly chopped
40g chopped mixed candied peel (or if, like me, you think peel is the spawn of the devil, use dried cranberries instead)
250g crème fraîche, or thick Greek-style yoghurt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp almond extract (or almond liqueur)
30ml spiced or dark rum
Pack of marzipan, (or to make your own, see below)
Homemade marzipan:
50g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
150g icing sugar
1 egg, beaten
Mix the dry ingredients and then add the egg, mixing well and pushing together with your hands. Form into a sausage shape and refrigerate, wrapped in cling film.
To finish:
25g melted butter
Icing sugar, sieved
So preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4 and generously butter a large baking sheet. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl and rub in the butter, then add in the baking powder, sugar, lemon zest, mixed spice, suet, dried fruits, almonds and peel (if using) and mix well.
Now, stir in the crème fraîche or yoghurt, eggs, almond extract and rum. Bring together to form a firm dough, adding more flour if necessary. Divide the dough into two.
Put the dough on a floured surface and roll out into a rough rectangle about 2cm thick. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape and place in the centre of the dough. Fold the dough over the marzipan, tucking under the ends. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Place on the baking sheet and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush with the melted butter and dust generously with icing sugar. This keeps really well, so if it’s wrapped in greaseproof paper and then in foil, it will probably last about two weeks. Unlikely, as it’s yummy, but just in case…
And there you have it. Christmas on a plate. Nom.
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