Stöllen
Mom tells me she got this recipe from Sue M.
Mrs. M. was my piano teacher back in the day when I was a wee lassie. I don't remember much about those lessons, except that I hated doing the damn theory book. it was an educational series, of course, and in this series, you got three books. thin books. one was practice exercises, one was actual music, and one was theory exercises. or there might have been two books, one with music and practice and one for theory. whatever. all I remember is there was a book of theory, and I hated doing those theory exercises.
nowadays, I wish I knew more music theory.
anyhow, Stöllen
Ingredients
1 c milk
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast [or equivalent]
1/4 c warm water
2 eggs
4-5 c flour
3/4 c mixed candied fruit/fruitcake mix
8 cherries and almonds
Directions
Combine yeast and warm water. Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan and heat slightly [about as warm as a baby bottle]. Add yeast and eggs, then beat in two cups flour. Add mixed fruit. Stir and knead in remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Let rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size. Punch down, then make 2 small [divide dough in half] or 1 large stöllen. Flatten out dough in oblong shape and cut each half into 3 strips for each small or a total of 5 strips for one large. Make simple braids for small, or braid together three, twist two, and put twisted dough on top of braid for one large. Tuck in ends and brush with melted butter [which I've never done]. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
I should note that I don't usually do the recipe exactly as written. I heat the butter, milk, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan, add beaten eggs to the saucepan, but I put the two cups of flour and proofed yeast into a mixing bowl and transfer to there to use the dough hook for everything after that. And I've never done the braid-and-twist thing for one large; just made a very large simple three-strip braid.
Also, the recipe says while the stöllen is baking, to make an icing from melted butter, powdered sugar, and milk, then drizzle the cooled stöllen and decorate with cherries and almonds. I talked to Mom this year about icing, and she tells me the reason my icing never really sets well is because of the butter. She never uses butter or margarine in her icing; she uses vanilla for flavor instead. So I tried that this year, and I didn't like the results. I'm going to see if I can find some good quality butter flavored syrup/extract or something from the kitchen store at the mall, and try that instead, just out of curiosity.
Mrs. M. was my piano teacher back in the day when I was a wee lassie. I don't remember much about those lessons, except that I hated doing the damn theory book. it was an educational series, of course, and in this series, you got three books. thin books. one was practice exercises, one was actual music, and one was theory exercises. or there might have been two books, one with music and practice and one for theory. whatever. all I remember is there was a book of theory, and I hated doing those theory exercises.
nowadays, I wish I knew more music theory.
anyhow, Stöllen
Ingredients
1 c milk
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast [or equivalent]
1/4 c warm water
2 eggs
4-5 c flour
3/4 c mixed candied fruit/fruitcake mix
8 cherries and almonds
Directions
Combine yeast and warm water. Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan and heat slightly [about as warm as a baby bottle]. Add yeast and eggs, then beat in two cups flour. Add mixed fruit. Stir and knead in remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Let rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size. Punch down, then make 2 small [divide dough in half] or 1 large stöllen. Flatten out dough in oblong shape and cut each half into 3 strips for each small or a total of 5 strips for one large. Make simple braids for small, or braid together three, twist two, and put twisted dough on top of braid for one large. Tuck in ends and brush with melted butter [which I've never done]. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
I should note that I don't usually do the recipe exactly as written. I heat the butter, milk, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan, add beaten eggs to the saucepan, but I put the two cups of flour and proofed yeast into a mixing bowl and transfer to there to use the dough hook for everything after that. And I've never done the braid-and-twist thing for one large; just made a very large simple three-strip braid.
Also, the recipe says while the stöllen is baking, to make an icing from melted butter, powdered sugar, and milk, then drizzle the cooled stöllen and decorate with cherries and almonds. I talked to Mom this year about icing, and she tells me the reason my icing never really sets well is because of the butter. She never uses butter or margarine in her icing; she uses vanilla for flavor instead. So I tried that this year, and I didn't like the results. I'm going to see if I can find some good quality butter flavored syrup/extract or something from the kitchen store at the mall, and try that instead, just out of curiosity.