Germany · Europe

Stollen

A slow, cold ferment turns fruit-studded dough into Christmas stollen.

Intermediate#23 most lovedUses: Incubation
German Christmas stollenfruit and marzipan bread

The Chemistry in This Bake

A long, slow fermentation of an enriched, fruit-studded dough at controlled temperature.

Learn the full technique →

Ingredients

  • Bread flour
  • Butter
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Dried fruit and candied peel
  • Marzipan
  • Yeast
  • Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Method

  1. Soak dried fruit overnight in rum or juice.

  2. Make a rich yeasted dough with butter, milk, and eggs.

  3. Knead in the soaked fruit and candied peel.

  4. Ferment slowly at cool room temperature for several hours (or overnight).

  5. Shape flat loaves with a marzipan log folded inside, leaving the classic ridge.

  6. Bake at 175 °C for 40-50 minutes and brush heavily with butter and powdered sugar while hot.