STOLLEN
Makes one large stollen or can be made into four mini stollen.
150g mixed dried fruit
25g mixed peel
2 tbsp rum or brandy
Flying Sponge
100g plain flour
5g dried yeast
90g warm milk
5g salt
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
50g sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
150g plain flour
50g butter, softened
150g marzipan, golden or white
For the topping:
10g melted butter
icing sugar
The night before soak dried fruit and peel in the rum or brandy.
In a large bowl, combine 100g flour, yeast and warm milk, let sit for 30 minutes. Mix in salt, zest, sugar, egg, mixed spice and remaining flour. Combine ingredients in the bowl using your hands until a rough dough is formed. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 1-2 minutes.
Work in the butter, half at a time. The butter will not want to go in at first, but persevere and it will. Turn onto a floured surface and with floured hands, knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. If dough sticks to the surface, use a dough scraper to remove and return to the dough. Flour very sparingly, if at all. If your hands are very sticky, sprinkle with flour and rub together to remove dough, then incorporate this back in or stop and wash hands.
Form a rectangle with the dough, sprinkle over the dried fruit and fold in the corners of the rectangle. Knead gently until fruit is thoroughly combined. Return to bowl and let rise for 1 hour.
Remove from bowl and gently stretch dough to a 9in/23cm circle. Form a 9in/23cm long sausage shape with the marzipan. Fold the top of the dough down and place the marzipan where the edge of the dough meets the middle then fold the bottom up over the top.
Pinch to seal the dough together and place the stollen on a baking tray and cover with cling film. You can put a slight bend in it if you like. Let proof for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked thoroughly. Brush with melted butter and dust with icing sugar immediately. Allow to cool, then slice and serve.
For mini stollen, divide dough into four equal pieces after initial proof and proceed the same using 50g of marzipan rolled into a 3 inch sausage shape in each stollen and stretching the dough into a 3 inch circle. Bake 20 minutes or until golden and cooked thoroughly. Brush with melted butter and dust with icing sugar immediately. Allow to cool, then slice and serve.