The following stolen recipe was shared by Sr. M. Sacred Heart of the monastery in Alabama. As an avid cook, she has made this recipe many times. Enjoy!
Makes two large stollens. Stollen should be shaped in an oval,folded over itself. The German name signifies the swaddling cloth that Our Lady used to wrap the Infant.
Prepare:
1 cup golden raisins
1 8 oz container of candied fruit
soak these in 1/4 cup of orange juice
Begin with:
1/2 cup warm water
2 pkgs of yeast
dissolve the yeast into the warm water with a tiny bit of sugar added to it and let stand till it foams.
In saucepan heat butter until it melts
1 cup unsalted butter (yes, 1 cup! this is a very rich dough)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
While butter is melting, mix the following in a large mixing bowl
2 cups of all purpose flour,
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp ground mace
When the butter is melted, remove from heat. Add two eggs which have been lightly beatened.
Then add to flour mixture.
Add yeast mixture to this and beat together.
Stir in the fruits and 1 cup chopped blanched almonds.
Continue adding flour until you have a fairly stiff dough. Takes about 4 cups.
Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rise until doubled. Takes at least an hour because this is a very rich dough, so don't try to rush it.
When it has risen, punch the dough down, turn it out and divide it in two (you may make 4 or 3 smaller ones as you wish.)
Using a rolling pin, roll into a large oval about 1/2 inch thick.
Brush the surface with melted butter and then sprinkle with a sugar/cinnamon mixture (1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon).
Fold over the top to make a half oval shape.
Carefully transfer to a large greased cookie sheet (or one lined with parchment paper.)
Llift the two ends slightly to make the folded edge curved, like a crescent.
Press down on folded edge; this keeps it even when rising.
Repeat with other half onto a second baking sheet.
Let it rise until it has doubled is size, which will take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Bake for about a half hour at 350 degrees.
When serving, make a nice confectioner's sugar glaze and decorate with red and green cherries!
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