Stollen

HISTORY:
Weinnachtstollen or Christstollen can trace its roots back to Medieval Prussia. The shape of the stollen was meant to represent the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes. The Christmas season was a time of fasting and because of this the bakers were only allowed to use oil, water, flour, and yeast. In 1490, after petitioning the church in Rome, pope Innocent the VIII granted permission to use butter in the stollen.

DOUGH 1/2 cup dried apricots 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup dried raisins dash nutmeg 1 pkg. Stevia 1/2 cups dried currants dash clove 1 egg 1/2 orange zest 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 egg yolk 1/2 vanilla bean 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 Tbsp. rum 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1 1/8 cups cake flour 3/2 cup butter 2 envelopes active dry yeast

PROCEDURE:
Warm the milk to 100^oF-110^oF. Add in the 2 packages of yeast and let it stand for ten minutes. In a stand mixer place all the dry ingredients inside the bowl and mix on a low speed to combine all the ingredients. When the yeast is ready add all of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix with the bread hook for 4 minutes on a low speed and follow by mixing on a medium speed for 2 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and let it sit for one hour. place in the refrigerator overnight to ferment. Preheat the oven to 325^oF The following day divide the dough into three equal pieces. Pound into a 6” x 9” rectangle and roll into a tube. Place all three onto a cookie sheet and loosely wrap in plastic film. Let this stand for 30 minutes in a warm area. Place into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. Once removed from the oven liberally brush with melted butter and immediately wrap each stolen with plastic film. When it is cool place in the refrigerator for future eating. When using dust with powdered sugar and slice.

Recipe by Matthew Lodes, A Taste of New York