Ingredients

  • 75 grams mixed raisins and sultanas
  • 50 ml liqueur, I use cherry brandy but any fruit liqueur will do.
  • 30 grams finely chopped hazelnuts
  • 30 grams ground almonds
  • 250 grams all-purpose flour (plain) flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda)
  • 50 grams candid orange or mixed peel
  • 2 tbsp candied cherries finely chopped , optional
  • 75 grams soft butter
  • 75 grams caster ( superfine ) sugar
  • 2 small or 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Orange blossom or orange extract
  • 1/4 tsp rum aroma (flavouring)
  • 135 grams best German quark if you can get it , if not any quark will do but let it drain well in any case. If you can't get quark use mascarpone or any similar soft cheese
  • 50 grams or more marzipan, I use brandy marzipan ,but any will do , optional
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted for brushing
  • 50 grams icing sugar for dusting

Method

  • Soak your raisins and sultanas in your chosen liqueur, set aside, for about 30 minutes
  • Preheat oven to 180C
  • In a smallish bowl mix your flour and baking powder well.
  • Add the chopped hazelnuts and the ground almond.
  • Add the orange peel, cherries( if using ) and soaked sultanas and raisins without the soaking liqueur, set the liquid aside .Stir the flour/fruit and nut mixture thoroughly.
  • In a larger bowl whisk the softened butter with the sugar, add the eggs whisk until light and creamy
  • Add the flavourings, vanilla,orange blossom and rum aroma.
  • Then add the quark.
  • Stir thoroughly.
  • Add the flour/fruit and nut mixture to the butter/egg mixture a spoon at a time.
  • Until almost all gone, pour in half of the soaking liquid, then add the remainder of the flour mixture ensuring it gets well combined.
  • If it is to wet add a little extra flour.Flour a table or cake board and flatten the dough into a oval shape this dough is not pliable it is more loose but you can still get hold of it in one go .
  • If you are using the marzipan, roll it about little finger width size into a sausage shape that is almost as long as the oval shape and lay it onto the dough about two thirds up .
  • Now roll the smaller top over the marzipan and fold onto the Lower part.
  • Make sure the marzipan is folded in well or it may run .The loaf should be a little thicker at one end as it is meant to resemble a sleeping baby.
  • Slightly curve the loaf .
  • Carefully move onto your flat baking tray.
  • Cover lightly with baking or parchment paper or use a thin silicone liner put into oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
  • Immediately after the Stollen comes out of the oven brush it with the 2 tablespoons of butter all over and leave to cool.
  • When cooled down dust with icing sugar .
  • This can be made up to about 6 -8 weeks ahead to achieve a so called ripening, if you do , wrap the Stollen securely into tinfoil and keep in a very cold room or space, we put it in the garage , but not the fridge, because of moist and odour from other food items
  • This Stollen is good to eat from day one of you like