Yeasted stollen with marzipan

A proper yeasted stollen with marzipan, from an old German recipe book.

Ingredients

For the fruit mix

• raisins — 255 g
• candied lemon peel, finely diced — 85 g
• candied orange peel, finely diced — 85 g
• blanched almonds — 85 g
• dark rum — 80 ml

For the starter and dough

• whole milk, warm — 240 ml
• dry yeast — 3 tsp (10–12 g)
• sugar — 100 g (2 tbsp in the starter, the rest in the dough)
• wheat flour — 500–560 g
• egg — 1
• egg yolks — 2
• soft butter — 170 g
• vanilla extract or vanillin — 2 tsp
• salt — 1 tsp
• cardamom — 3/4 tsp
• nutmeg — 3/4 tsp
• cinnamon — 1/2 tsp
• marzipan — 225 g

To finish

• melted butter — 115 g
• icing sugar — generously

Method

1. Fruit. Mix the raisins and candied peel and cover them with rum. Cover and leave for at least 1–2 hours, ideally overnight.
2. Starter. Dissolve the yeast and 2 tbsp of sugar in the warm milk. Leave for 10–15 minutes until actively foaming.
3. Dough. In a bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, egg, yolks, butter, vanilla, salt and spices. Add the starter and knead for 7–8 minutes.
4. First rise. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until almost doubled.
5. Filling. Knock back the dough and work in the fruit mix, drained of excess liquid, along with the nuts.
6. Shaping. Divide the dough in two. Flatten each piece into an oval, lay a rope of marzipan down the centre and fold it over asymmetrically to form the characteristic ridge.
7. Second rise. Transfer to a baking tray, cover and leave for 40–60 minutes.
8. Baking. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes, until golden.
9. Butter and sugar. Prick the hot stollen with a skewer, brush generously with melted butter and dust immediately and generously with icing sugar.
10. Resting. Cool completely, wrap in baking paper and foil. Keep in a cool place for 1–2 weeks — it can be eaten straight away, but the flavour opens up with resting.