Yeast-Risen Christmas Cake from Dresden

Name: Yeast-Risen Christmas Cake from Dresden (Dresdner Stollen)
Yield: Two 12-inch-long loaves, about 40 slices
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 4 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off); 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup milk; ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed; Confectioners’ sugar for dusting; ½ cup candied orange peel, cut into ¼-inch dice; ½ cup whole almonds, blanched or unblanched, coarsely chopped; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ¼ cup sugar; 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off); ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons dark rum; ½ cup raisins

Dresdner Stollen

Preparation info

Two
12 inch

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

A Baker's Tour

By Nick Malgieri

Published 2005

About

Stollen is a popular Christmas treat throughout the German-speaking world. Though many fancy and filled versions have appeared recently, this is a recipe for the classic version. Getting the stollen’s characteristic folds just right when shaping requires some care and attention, but the illustration will guide you.

Ingredients

Sponge

1 cup milk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup

Europe
Germany
Italy
Dessert
Cake
Vegetarian
Mediterranean

Method

For the sponge, warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it is just lukewarm, about 110 degrees. Pour the milk into a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Stir in the flour with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the sponge rise until it is very puffy, about 30 minutes.
For the dough, beat the butter with the sugar and salt i