How to make
Oven 6.17 oz (175 degrees).
Flat tray lined with baking paper.
For convenience, I worked with a mixer, but it can also be kneaded by hand.
Pour all of the flour, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of the mixer. Mix with the mixer on low speed. 7 oz (200 g) of soft diced butter is added to the flour.
Heat the milk to 100°F (37 degrees) and add the yeast. Stir with a wire whisk until it has dissolved.
At a low speed of the mixer, the milk with the yeast is added to the flour in a thin stream. Beat it for a longer time until you run out of milk and the products are mixed well and until the dough is soft and smooth. Flour no longer needs to be added. Cover it with foil and leave it to rise for about 60 minutes, maybe a little longer.
During this time, prepare the filling. The dried apricots are finely chopped, the grated marzipan, candied lemon peel, finely crushed almonds and pistachios are added to them. Stir and knead like a dough, because marzipan is just like dough.
The risen dough is spread out into a 12x12″ (30/30 cm) square on a little flour, although the dough is buttery and will not stick. Spread the whole filling on it. As the filling is quite firm, it is torn into very small pieces by hand and spread on top of the dough.
Cover the top of the dough almost to the middle. Then cover the lower part of the square, by first folding it inwards and then cover it a little on the upper folded part of the square. So that two separate tunnels are formed from the stollen, with one tunnel covering the other. Here you can also use a rolling pin to make a better fold. The sides are pressed inwards so that the filling does not come out. Transfer it onto the tray and leave it to rise for about 30 minutes.
Bake it at 350°F (175 degrees) for about 75 minutes. Mine took about 55 minutes to bake.
During this time, the decorative part of marzipan stars is prepared. The remaining 1.7 oz (50 g) of marzipan is rolled out into a thin crust onto a little powdered sugar, or organic starch, so that it will not stick to your fingers. Shapes are cut out with a small star shape cutter and the stars are sprinkled with cocoa. They are set aside.
The well-baked stollen is dark at the top and bottom.
Melt the remaining 5 oz (150 g) of butter and brush the hot stollen thoroughly with it. Sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar on top, followed by another portion of melted butter and another generous portion with powdered sugar. This is continued until you run out of butter and you finish off with generous sprinkling of powdered sugar, so that the stollen has a nice whte outer layer. Decorate the top by placing the cocoa stars.
Cool it to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, then in fresh foil and place it in a plastic bag, or store in a box until the Christmas holidays and leave it in a cool place.
Author's remarks
The abundance of recipes for stollen is huge. This recipe for Dresden stollen is just one option for the world-famous stollen with marzipan and dried fruit filling, which are optional. I chose to use dried cranberries instead of apricots, it's a matter of choice.
In this recipe, the marzipan is grated on a grater, but it is even better if it is prepared in the form of a roll and is then placed between the two shaped doughs, with the typical shape of a stollen. I followed the recipe as shown by the source, but if I prepare another one, I will add a roll of the marzipan, because I think it will have an even better taste and will look more beautiful (it does not melt when baked).
The butter in the recipe is a lot, but it adds the unique taste that every stollen should have and is in no way replaced by another type of fat. That's it.
Marzipan is sold in stores and you need one that is specifically used for rolling out.
Marzipan is a hard mass and is usually rolled out onto powdered sugar (organic starch), but for convenience I tear off a piece of it and knead it between my fingers, it softens and it is easy to roll it out to the desired thickness.
Each stollen should be stored in a cool place for a longer time, in order for the aromas of spices to be absorbed well, although this recipe is a bit poor when it comes to them and that is why it is not too heavy, but is quite light, fragrant and easy to make.
