Farmer Boy Christmas Recipes - Weihnachtsstollen

"Weihnachtsstollen" is a special loaf cake that is made for Christmas or Christmas giving.  It is something that you'll have to start about a month ahead, according to tradition.  It origianlly was baked to resemble the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes.  As time passed, German miners re-named it "Stollen", meaning "entrance to a mine".  They said it reminded them of the opening of the mine shaft.  But I prefer to remember Jesus at Christmas time, not a mine!  :)

This recipe is one of the older ones I have from the family collection.  The paper it was written down on was so brittle that it didn't make it - even being taped and re-taped several times!  So, I'm happy to be printing this up here, for posterity, if for no other reason.

This recipe uses a sourdough starter, rather than yeast or any other leavening agent.  This was typically what was used; since they didn't have cakes of yeast available over a hundred years ago, when this recipe was first made.  So, in order to make this, you'll need to have some starter on hand.  If you don't, you can go back to my posting showing you how to make sourdough starter and make what you need for this recipe.  And you'd better have stamina and strong arms, if you don't have a strong electric mixer with a kneading hook.  :) (I have the electric mixer with the kneading hook, but I still like to do it by hand!)

Farmer Boy Weihnachtsstollen

(This recipe makes 2 loaves)



Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup of milk
• 1/4 Cup of butter
• 1/2 Cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Cups of sourdough starter *
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 1 teaspoon of lemon peel (grated)
• 5 Cups of all-purpose flour (divided - 2 Cups with the starter & 3 with the dough)
• 1/3 Cup of candied orange peel
• 1/2 Cup of golden raisins
• 12 Cup of seedless raisins
• 1/2 Cup of currents
• 1/2 Cup of slivered almonds
• 1 egg white with 1 Tablespoon of water
• 1/4 Cup of melted butter
• 1/3 Cup of powdered sugar

Directions: The night before: take 2 cups of starter out of the refrigerator.  Mix this with 2 cups of water, 2 cups of flour and 1 Tablespoon of sugar.  Cover and let stand on the counter overnight.  Add the raisins to 3 Tablespoons of dark Rum or rum flavoring.  Cover and let sit overnight also. Next morning: put 2 cups of starter back into the refrigerator and use the rest in the making of the recipe. (Hey, don't ask me, it's what the recipe says to do!)

In a small pan: combine the milk, butter and sugar.  Scald over medium heat, and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Set this aside to cool.  Beat the eggs into the cooled mixture.  Add this to the 2 cups of sourdough starter.  Beat till well blended.  Add the salt, almond extract, lemon peel, and 3 cups of flour.  Mix till well blended.  Stir in the orange peel, rasins, currents, and almonds.  Add enough flour to knead.  Knead till smooth and elastic. (about 10 minutes)  Turn the dough out into a greased bowl.  Cover and let it rise in a warming oven (or any warm place) till it has doubled in size.  Punch it down and divide it in half.

One at a time: Roll and shape the dough into a 7 x 9 inch oval, about an inch thick, on a greased sheet pan.  Brush with some of the egg white mixture.  Then, fold 1/3 of the dough onto itself lengthwise.  Overlap the next fold.   Turn the dough over and brush the top with the egg white mixture.  Turn it back over and brush the seamed side.  Cover and let rise to double its size.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, at 375 degrees F. for 40 minutes, or till golden braun.  Remove from the oven, but don't turn the oven off!  Brush each top with melted butter and sift powdered sugar on the top.  Put them back into the oven for about 3 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Once you have completed this and they've cooled completely - wrap each one in wax paper and place in the freezer till Christmas.  (or until you are ready to send them off as gifts) You should sift more powdered sugar on top before slicing and serving.

It just wouldn't be Christmas in our family without this Stollen.  I hope you'll give this a try.  It seems that the resting in the freezer and thawing out does something to it - makes it richer and almost like it was stale, but not really stale - it's hard to explain!  Anyway, it is good!

If you don't really care for that dense, ultra-rich Fruit Cake of Christmas, this is for you!

Let us all know how it turns out for you, by leaving a comment here.  Thanks.  And if it turns out good and you want to - you could send me one!  :)  Frohe Weinachten!  (Merry Christmas!) The Old Man in the Bib Overalls