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Stollen Bread on the table

Easy Stollen Bread Recipe

This easy Stollen recipe doesn’t require any yeast, instead we’re going to use farmer’s cheese, which helps make a moist holiday bread.
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 100 g candied orange peel
  • 100 g dried cranberries
  • 50 g golden raisins
  • 50 g black raisins
  • 50 g chopped almonds
  • 50 g chopped walnuts
  • 100 ml orange juice

Ingredients for the dough:

  • 500 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 200 g softened butter
  • 150 g sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 250 g farmer’s cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

Ingredients for the topping:

  • 50 g melted butter
  • 100 g powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Start by placing the orange peel, dried cranberries and both types of raisins in a mixing bowl. Then cover them with orange juice and mix well.
    You can do it a night before making the dough or you can place the bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, mix it again and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. The fruits will absorb the juice and soften. Then place the soaked dry fruits in the sieve and drain the remaining liquid.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the softened butter and sugar with orange and lemon zest. Using a hand mixer, whisk the ingredients together for about one minute. Scribe the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla extract and whisk again.
  • Next, add the farmer’s cheese and whisk again. Next, add the salt, baking powder and half of the flour. Using a spatula or a spoon, mix the ingredients together. Add the dry fruits and the nuts and mix again.
  • Place a good amount of flour onto your work surface and place the dough in the middle. Cover it with more flour and start kneading the dough, adding the rest of the flour as needed. The dough should turn out soft and slightly sticky.
  • Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces. Slightly dust the work surface with the flour, place one of the pieces on top and with your hands make a rectangle shape about an inch thick. Then using the edge of your palm, press down lightly to create an indentation about a third of the way over, creating two sections. Then fold one-third of the dough over to the middle, slightly pressing on top.
  • Transfer the formed stollen into a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a Teflon sheet and bake at 350°F degrees (180°C) for 50-60 minutes, depends on the size of your loaves.
    In the meantime, melt the butter and prepare the powdered sugar to finish our Stollen bread. When the loaves are baked, generously brush them with the melted butter while they are still hot. Then, immediately sprinkle them with a good amount of powdered sugar and let the stollen breads cool completely.

Notes

Tips for Making Stollen Bread without Yeast
  • You can substitute the dry fruits and nuts in this recipe for the same amount of whatever type you like.
  • Use store-bought or homemade Candied Orange Peel.
  • Soak the dried fruits overnight or place the bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and let them sit for 15-20 minutes.
  • For the alcohol version, use brandy or rum.
  • Use store-bought or Homemade Farmer’s Cheese.
  • This recipe gives you the freedom to make two large Christmas bread loaves, or like me, you can make three smaller stollen’s ready to give away to your guests as they come and go over the holidays.
How to Store Stollen Bread without Yeast
  • You can make the Stollen a couple of weeks in advance, wrap the bread tightly with parchment paper and foil and keep it in a cool place.
  • Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.