Keydel Stollen Recipe

Description

Stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread filled with nuts and candied fruit. This recipe was given to my wife and me by my great-aunt Jane Keydel. Family lore is that this recipe came from my great-great-great grandparents Karl Friedrick and Emilie-Bertha Keydel when they emmigrated from Leipzig, Germany in 1880. This recipe takes a while to make, and the first couple steps should be done the night-before baking. It also makes a lot, so there is plenty to give out as gifts.

Makes 13 loaves.

Ingredients

• 1 lb seeded raisins
• 1 lb golden raisins
• 1 lb currants
• ¾ lb chopped citron
• ¼ lb chopped candied green and red cherries
• 2.5 lbs slivered almonds
• 12 c bread flour
• 3.5 c sugar
• 10 - 12 packages yeast
• 1 qt milk
• 3 lbs butter
• 6 eggs
• ½ c brandy
• 1½ tbs salt
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp mace
• 1 lemon rind
• confectioner's sugar frosting
• red and green colored sugar

Directions

1. The night before baking, mix together: raisins (seeded and golden), currants, chopped citron, candied cherries, and 3 c bread flour, mix so fruit won't stick together.
2. Coarsly chop 1.5 lbs slivered almonds in a food processor. Mix all almonds into fruit mixture.
3. In the morning, in a large bowl, mix together: 5 c bread flour, 1.5 c sugar, and 10-12 packages yeast.
4. Warm 1 qt milk and 1 c water to 130º F, stir together and place in a warm place for sponge to rise - approximately ½ hour
5. After rising add: 2¼ lb butter (somewhat softened), 6 eggs, 1½ tbs salt, ½ c brandy, 2 c sugar, 1 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp mace and the grated rind of 1 lemon. Mix together with beater till smooth.
6. Add about 4 c bread flour, mixing with beater.
7. Mix in fruit/nut/flour mixture with spoon until fairly well blended.
8. Pour some bread flour (~3 c) on table and knead lightly into about 13 parts and work each one only till it holds together. Each part should weigh about 1½ lbs.
9. Place in containers in a warm place to rise (till about double).
10. Butter pans for loaves
11. When risen, knead each loaf till it's very pliable (can combine two parts for kneading and the divide to make sure the fruit is evenly divided). A lot of flour is incorporated here, but the loaves should not be heavy and dense, it should still be light to handle.
12. Roll each loaf into a rounded shape and fold double.
13. Place in baking pans (or baking sheets) to rise until double.
14. Place loaves in a cool oven and heat the oven to 300º - 350º F
15. Check after 15 min, it will take longer. (Usually it takes around 30 minutes).
16. Brush loaves with ½ lb melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven
17. Spread with confectioner's sugar frosting and sprinkle with colored (red and green) sugar.