No doubt I love Panettone and if you love Panettone you cannot not love Stollen. The Stollen is the German Season’s tradition par excellence. In Germany you can find many variations on the same theme, and all worthy to be tried. I propose the option with marzipan: the marzipan heart is so good! Everybody will eat the Stollen around to keep the bite of marzipan as the last treat! You will see.

500 grams bread flour + 1 extra tbs (+ extra to dust raisins and the candied orange peels)

150 gr caster sugar + 1 extr tbs

200 ml milk (+ extra half glass)

150 grams unsalted butter

7 gr active dry yeast

1 tsp honey

2 eggs

a pinch of salt

60 grams of blanched almonds

200 grams raisins

150 grams candied orange peel diced

the tip of a tsp ground cardamom

the tip of a tsp ground cinnamon

a pinch of ground nutmeg

a pinch of ground cloves

50 ml rhum

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vannilla extract

250 grams of marzipan

to finish: 50 grams of butter (melted) and 100 grams icing sugar

In a container mix well the tbs of flour, the tbs of sugar, the honey , half glass fo warm milkand the dry yeast. Set aside for 40 minutes (it will grow).

Meanwhile put the raisins in warm water and mix the candied orange peel with the rhum. Set both aside.

Put flour, sugar, butter (melted), the eggs. Vanilla, lemon zest, spices, salt and the yeast mixture in a mixer and start kneading. Knead for 10/12 minutes.

Drain the raisins and squeeze them to get rid of exceeding water, dust them with flour and add them to the dough. Drain the candied peels from the rhum and add the rhum onto the dough. Dust the candied peels and add them as well.

Last add the almond (cut in smaller chunks).

The dough should be very soft (yet not liquid – in case add some extra flour). Put in a container and set aside for 2 hours, to allow first proofing (until the size has doubled).

Meanwhile shape the marzipan into a roll 30 cm long (2 cm in diameter) and set aside.

After the proofing, put the dough on a surface dusted with flour, punch it down and roll it out with a rolling pin to a rectangle 30×50 cm circa.

Put the marzipan roll into the top half of the dough and close the top half of the dough once to cover the marzipan. Then turn it again to close the roll – you should leave a 3 cm strip in the below part. Shape it gently with your hands to give it a regular shape and put on a dripping pan covered with baking paper.

Set aside for further 40 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 180° C. Bake it for 60 minutes (if it gets too dark, cover it with aluminium foil).

Out of oven and still hot, brush it with the melted butter and dust evenly with the icing sugar. Cool down on a rack and preserve in plastic bag.

The stollen is better after 2 days.