Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup currants
- 2 tablespoons mixed peel, chopped
- ¼ cup glacé cherries, halved
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 7 g sachet dried yeast
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 60 g butter
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 3–3½ cups unbleached plain flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 20 g butter extra, melted
- icing sugar, for dusting
Method
1. Brush a baking tray with melted butter or oil. Combine the raisins, currants, peel and cherries in a bowl, and stir the rum through the mixture. Cover and leave a minimum of 2 hours or until rum is absorbed by the fruit.
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water; cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 5 minutes or until frothy. Heat butter, milk, sugar and rind in a small pan until mixture is just warm and the butter is melted. Sift 3 cups of the flour and salt into a large bowl; make a well in the centre. Add yeast, milk mixture and beaten egg. Mix until well combined. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Brush surface of dough with melted butter or oil; cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until well risen. Punchdown dough and knead for 1 minute. Flatten into a 25 cm square, and then scatter fruit and almonds over the top. Fold dough over fruit and knead fruit lightly into dough until evenly incorporated.
4. Roll dough to an oval shape roughly 30 × 20 cm. Place on baking tray; brush surface of dough lightly with melted butter. Press rolling pin lengthways across the dough. Fold the dough over the indentation, leaving a 2 cm edge on far side of dough. Brush surface of stollen with melted butter; cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until well risen. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust thickly with icing sugar. Serve cut into thick slices.
