Christmas Wreath Stollen Recipes

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Soak raisins and fruit in orange juice; set aside. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, orange and lemon zest, salt and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add raisin mixture and almonds. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch dough down; let rest for 10 minutes. Divide in half; roll each half into a 10-in. x 7-in. oval. Fold one of the long sides over to within 1 in. of the opposite side; press edges lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

STOLLEN WREATH

Steps:

• Combine raisins, currants, citrus peel, angelica, and cherries in a bowl. Add the rum, tossing to coat fruits evenly. Soak at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Pour water into a small bowl; sprinkle with yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes; stir to dissolve yeast completely. Set aside until mixture almost doubles in bulk, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, drain fruit, reserving rum; carefully pat fruit dry with a paper towel. Return fruit to bowl; add almonds. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Toss; coat evenly. Set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and salt. Heat until warm (110 to 115 degrees), stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer liquid to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add reserved rum, almond extract, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Stir in yeast mixture and eggs. Gradually add 5 cups flour, 1 cup at a time; beat until combined. Beat in softened butter until well incorporated. Turn dough out onto a surface floured with remaining 1/2 cup flour. Knead dough until all the flour is incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Flour hands if dough gets sticky. Knead in one-third of the dried-fruit mixture until incorporated. Brush a large bowl with 1 teaspoon melted butter; drop in dough. Brush top of dough with 2 teaspoons melted butter; drape a kitchen towel over bowl. Set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Punch dough down; roll into a rectangle about 16 by 24 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle remaining fruit over pastry. Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder. Carefully transfer dough to baking sheet; join ends together, pinching with fingers if necessary to make it stick, forming a large circle.
• Using sharp kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch intervals, cutting two-thirds of the way through the dough. Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape with all segments overlapping. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• Cover pastry with a clean kitchen towel; set aside to rise for 30 minutes. Dough will rise only a little bit. Bake until golden brown and crusty, about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool before icing.
• Whisk confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons milk to combine. Drizzle over cooled stollen.

STOLLEN WREATH BREAD WITH MRS. KOSTYRA

Steps:

• In two separate bowls, soak currants in cognac and golden raisins in orange juice; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, mace, and nutmeg; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup milk and 10 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes.
• Pour 1/4 cup warm water into a small bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely. Add the dissolved yeast, warm milk mixture, and eggs to the flour mixture. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and knead until fairly smooth. Transfer dough to a large bowl.
• Add currants and raisins in their liquid, orange zest, lemon zest, citron, apricots, and almonds, and then work them into the dough with your hands. Transfer dough to work surface, and knead for about 10 minutes. If the dough is sticky, knead in more flour, but be careful not to overwork.
• Butter a large bowl with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 16 by 24 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder. Carefully transfer dough to a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet; join ends together, pinching with fingers if necessary to make it stick, forming a large circle.
• Using sharp kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough. Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape with all the segments overlapping.
• Cover dough with a clean kitchen towel; set aside to rise for 30 minutes. Dough will rise only a little bit. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Bake until golden brown and crusty, about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

ST. LOUIS CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Begin filling: Combine citron, currants, and orange juice in a lidded jar. Add enough water to cover fruit. Seal and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Prepare dough: Combine milk, sugar, and cubed butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Heat until butter melts and mixture is warmed to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add yeast; let proof for 13 minutes.
• Stir eggs into the milk-yeast mixture. Gradually add flour and salt and knead with the dough hook until well combined. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and flip to coat all sides. Cover lightly and allow to rise at room temperature until 1 1/2 times its size, about 3 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Place on a floured work surface and divide into 3 equal portions. Shape into balls and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finish filling: Remove citron-currant mixture from the refrigerator. Drain liquid. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Roll marzipan on a floured silicone pad into three 9x11-inch sheets, using a floured plastic fondant roller.
• Roll one portion of dough on a floured surface into a 10x12-inch rectangle. Cover the whole surface with 1/3 of the melted butter. Turn dough so the long end is facing you. Layer with 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, leaving 1/2 inch at the sides and 1 inch at the top uncovered. Sprinkle 1/3 of the citron-currant mixture over the cinnamon-sugar, then 1/3 of the finely chopped pecans. Top with a sheet of marzipan.
• Start at the bottom edge and roll the dough carefully away from you and around the filling; be sure to keep the edges clean. When you reach the last 1 1/2 inches, fold the top down and pinch to seal the roll. Fold in the sides and pinch to seal.
• Flip the roll so the seam is facing down. Use a rolling pin to roll out a 6 1/2x14-inch rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 40 minutes.
• Repeat Steps 8 to 10 with remaining dough, filling ingredients, and marzipan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Make icing: combine water, meringue powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix on high speed until meringue becomes sloppy and bubbly. Add 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth and well combined. Mix in remaining sugar gradually until consistency is like thick honey.
• Spread just enough icing on each cooled loaf to act as a glue. Top with pecans and then candied fruit.

WHOLE WHEAT CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• Start 8-12 hours in advance and soak the whole wheat flour in the coconut milk in ordet to nutralize the Phytic acid.
• Measure out the currants and raisins and soak in warm water.
• Mix all of the dry ingredients and all of the luquid ingredients, setting aside a little of the Bread Flour for kneading by hand.
• Knead for five minutes, then spread the dough out flat and add the fruit and peel on top and fold inches.
• Knead another 5 minutes or so until the gluten is fully developed and it is smooth.
• Set aside in an oiled bowl for 1-2 hours until about doubled in size.
• Push down and fold a couple of times, Let rest for 15 minutes.
• Roll out the almond paste into a 12 inch long rope.
• Push out the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches long.
• Put the almond paste in the center of the dough and fold tightly together to form the loaf, seal up the seam and fold over the top to form a lip. (this is to complete the look of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.).
• Let rise for one hour and then brush with an egg wash consisting of half an egg with 1/2 cup coconut milk.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 350 and then reduce the temperature to 300 and bake for another 30-40 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack and then dust with powered sugar if you desire.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In small bowl, soak raisins and candied fruits in orange juice.
• Set aside 1 cup flour.
• In large bowl, mix remaining flour, almonds, sugar, orange peel, lemon peel, salt and yeast.
• In small sauce pan, heat milk, butter and water till hot to the touch (about 125°-130°F).
• Stir hot liquids into dry mixture.
• Stir in fruit/orange juice mixture and eggs.
• Mix in only enough reserved flour to make a soft dough.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).
• Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces, roll each piece into a 10 x 7 inch oval.
• Fold long side of oval over to within 1/2 inch of the opposite side, seal seam.
• Place loaves on a greased baking sheets.
• Cover and let rise in a warm draft free place until doubled in size (about 50-60 minutes).
• Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until done.
• Remove loaves from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
• When cool, dust with confectioner's sugar.

STOLLEN WREATH

Steps:

• Mix the raisins, cranberries and mixed peel in a bowl, pour over the rum, then leave to soak while you make the dough. Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in ½ tsp salt, the yeast, sugar, nutmeg and lemon zest. Rub the butter in until the mix is like fine crumbs. Warm the milk to hand-hot, then mix into the egg. Pour the milk into the flour mix, then stir with a round-bladed knife to make a soft dough, adding a drop more milk if needed to mop up any dry crumbs in the bottom of the bowl. Gather the dough into a ball, then knead for 3-4 mins on a lightly floured surface. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave until the dough has risen to double the size (about 45 mins-1 hr).
• Knead the dough 2 or 3 times, then roll out to a rectangle about 37cm x 17cm. Stir the chopped pistachios into the soaked fruits, then spread one-third of the fruit mix down the centre of the dough, leaving all the edges uncovered. Fold each side into the centre to overlap slightly. Press the edges with the rolling pin to seal, turn the dough, then repeat the rolling out and spreading of the fruit twice more. Roll out to a final rectangle that is 55cm x 16cm. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape, so it's slightly shorter than the length of the dough. Place it down the centre. Roll the dough over the marzipan, then turn the dough over so the join is underneath. Lift onto a buttered baking sheet, then curl the dough round a buttered 12cm round cake tin (see tip, below), brushing the ends with a little beaten egg and pinching them well together to seal.
• Cover and leave to rise for 30-45 mins or until puffy and doubled in size. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5. When the dough has doubled, brush with beaten egg and bake for about 25 mins until golden. Cool on the baking sheet briefly, then transfer to a wire rack.
• Make up the icing. Stir 2-3 tsp water into the fondant icing sugar and, when the stollen has cooled, drizzle the icing over. Scatter over the extra cranberries and pistachios and decorate with holly.