Stollen Wreath
This impressive German dessert is a festive alternative to traditional Christmas cake. A rich, yeasted dough is filled with rum-soaked dried fruits, chopped pistachios and a marzipan centre, then shaped into a decorative wreath. After baking until golden, it is finished with a drizzle of icing and festive decorations. The recipe yields 20 to 22 slices.
Ingredients
- 85g raisin
- 50g dried cranberry plus extra to decorate
- 100g carton mixed peel
- 4 tbsp dark rum
- 550g strong white bread flour
- 2 x 7g sachets easy-bake yeast
- 50g golden caster sugar
- pinch nutmeg
- zest 1 lemon
- 85g butter cut into pieces
- 250ml milk
- 1 egg beaten, plus extra beaten egg to glaze
- 50g pistachio peeled and chopped, plus extra, sliced, to decorate
- 300g marzipan (bought or homemade)
- 100g fondant icing sugar
- holly sprig, to decorate
Method
- Combine the raisins, cranberries and mixed peel in a bowl, add the rum and set aside to soak. Place the flour in a large bowl and mix in ½ tsp salt, the yeast, sugar, nutmeg and lemon zest. Rub in the butter pieces until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Warm the milk until hand-hot and blend it with the beaten egg. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a knife to form a soft dough, adding a little extra milk if required to incorporate any dry bits. Form the dough into a ball and knead on a floured surface for 3-4 mins. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 45 mins-1 hr.
- Give the dough a brief knead of 2 or 3 times, then roll it to a 37cm x 17cm rectangle. Mix the chopped pistachios into the soaked fruit. Spread one-third of this fruit mixture along the centre of the dough, keeping the edges clear. Fold each side into the middle so they overlap slightly. Seal the edges by pressing with a rolling pin, turn the dough, then repeat the rolling and fruit spreading process two more times. Finally, roll the dough to a 55cm x 16cm rectangle. Shape the marzipan into a sausage slightly shorter than the dough. Lay it along the centre. Roll the dough over the marzipan, then flip it so the seam is underneath. Place on a buttered baking sheet and curl it around a buttered 12cm cake tin, sealing the ends with beaten egg.
- Cover the shaped dough and leave it to prove for 30-45 mins until puffy and doubled. Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5. Once risen, brush the dough with beaten egg and bake for about 25 mins until golden. Let it cool briefly on the sheet before moving to a wire rack.
- Prepare the icing by mixing 2-3 tsp water into the fondant icing sugar. Once the stollen is cool, drizzle the icing over the top. Finish by scattering over the extra cranberries and pistachios and adding a holly sprig for decoration.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories292 kcal
Fat9 g
Saturates3 g
Carbs49 g
Sugars28 g
Protein6 g
Sodium112 mg
Recipe details
Skill levelMore effort
CategoryDessert
Cuisinegerman
DietVegetarian
