Mom's Famous Christmas Stollen in the Thermomix
Helen McKinney is my mom and the creator of this gorgeous German celebration of the Festive Season. Every Christmas her friends look forward to these gifts.
Servings: 1 wreath
Ingredients
- 85 grams golden raisins
- 50 grams dried cranberries or cherries
- 100 grams mixed peel
- 60 grams or 1/4 cup dark rum
- 450 grams flour
- 5 grams salt
- 50 grams berry sugar
- pinch nutmeg (1/2 whole nutmeg)
- zest of one lemon
- 85 grams cold butter , cubed
- 10 grams active dry yeast
- 220 grams milk
- 2 eggs , divided (one beaten for glazing the loaf)
- 50 grams pistachios , peeled and chopped
- 300 grams marzipan
Ingredients for Decorating
- 100 grams icing sugar
- 45 grams or 3 tablespoons room temperature butter
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 50 grams pistachios , peeled
- 50 grams dried cherries or cranberries
Instructions
- Combine raisins, cranberries or cherries and mixed peel in bowl with dark rum; soak while preparing dough
Instructions for Making the Dough in the Thermomix:
- Weigh flour, salt, nutmeg, sugar, lemon zest and butter cubes into TMbowl; pulse for 2 seconds on Turbo 2 times (butter will appear sand-like)
- Weigh in yeast; pulse for 2 seconds on Turbo to combine
- Weigh milk into bowl on top of TM lid; add egg
- Pour egg and milk into TM bowl; combine for 5 seconds from speed 4-8 until dough clumps into a ball
- Knead for 2.5 minutes; remove to a well buttered bowl, place damp cloth on top and proof for 90 minutes or until double in size
- Prepare second egg by whisking it to brush on top before baking (and to use to seal edges before proofing)
- Lightly flour surface area; roll proofed dough to rectangle 17cm x 37cm or 7 x 14 inches
- Combine pistachios with fruit soaked in rum; divide into 3 equal portions and place ⅓ down the centre of the dough, leaving edges uncovered, but not the ends
- Fold each side into the centre to overlap slightly in the middle, sealing edges with a rolling pin
- Lightly dust surface area again, and turn dough over with seam on bottom; repeat process two more times (see notes)
- Roll to a final rectangle of 55 cm x 16 cm or 6 x 22 inches
- Roll marzipan into sausage-like cylinder to be just shorter than the length of the dough; place down centre of dough rectangle pushing into the dough a little with the marzipan
- Fold dough over marzipan from one side, just covering it, pulling up from the other side, and pinch to seal on seam, brushing with a little of the prepared egg wash to ensure a secure seal
- Tuck ends under and lift log to parchment covered baking sheet, seam side down
- Brush ends with beaten egg to seal well; cover and proof for 60-90 minutes
- when dough has proofed pre-heat oven to 375F
- Brush loaf completely with remaining egg wash, bake 25 minutes until golden
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing
Instructions for Making a Ring
- Tuck ends under and lift log to parchment covered baking sheet, seam side down forming a circle
- Join ends together to form a wreath (use a 12 cm ring or cake tin to form dough around to preserve nice middle hole)
Instructions for Icing
- Place sugar in large bowl; place butter and and extracts in centre
- Pour bowling water in slow steady stream over butter while stirring rigorously to gather in all sugar until smooth and a thin consistancy (all water will not be used); icing will become firm once cooled, so work quickly
- Drizzle over completely cooled wreath shaped dough; decorate with dried cranberries or cherries and pistachios while icing is still soft
Notes
To Proof the Dough:
Heat a large glass of water in the microwave on high for one minute to create a hot, humid environment to proof the dough; quickly remove the water and set the damp cloth covered dough into the microwave to proof
When Rolling the Dough:
When rolling dough for the first time, make it as large as possible, as each time it will become smaller and narrower; trying to preserve the width at 6-7 inches is not easy while rolling the dough with the fruit inside of it, but this is important to be able to place the marzipan log into the dough at the end, and seal it securely
Marzipan Recipe is here
Heat a large glass of water in the microwave on high for one minute to create a hot, humid environment to proof the dough; quickly remove the water and set the damp cloth covered dough into the microwave to proof
When Rolling the Dough:
When rolling dough for the first time, make it as large as possible, as each time it will become smaller and narrower; trying to preserve the width at 6-7 inches is not easy while rolling the dough with the fruit inside of it, but this is important to be able to place the marzipan log into the dough at the end, and seal it securely
Marzipan Recipe is here