Christmas Stollen with Almonds and Marzipan

• mixed dried fruits↗100g g

  with skins

• apple juice↗180ml ml
• dry yeast↗7g g
• plain flour↗250g g

  plus a little extra for dusting

• blanched whole almonds30g g
• ground cinnamon↗generous pinch of
• ground anise↗generous pinch of

  or star anise

• ground clovessmall pinch of
• cold marzipan75g g

  cut into small pieces

• butter↗10g g

  melted

• powdered sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Soak the dried fruits in 100 ml hot water. Gently heat the apple juice for a few minutes in a saucepan, then add the yeast and let it activate for 10–15 minutes (it will start to bubble).

2. 2

   Place the flour in a bowl. Add the yeast and apple juice mixture and knead a smooth dough, then cover and let it rise in a warm place until the volume almost doubles, about 1–2 hours. The dough can also be placed in the refrigerator to rise slowly overnight.

3. 3

   Drain the fruits and add them to the dough together with the nuts, spices and marzipan. Mix well, then turn the dough onto a lightly flour‑dusted work surface and knead until the fruits are evenly distributed in the dough.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a sausage shape and place it on a parchment‑lined baking tray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it has risen about a quarter.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C with convection/gas 4. Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 150 °C/130 °C with convection/gas 2 and bake for another 25–30 minutes until golden‑brown and firm to the touch.

6. 6

   Remove the stollen from the oven and brush it with melted butter. Dust with powdered sugar and let it cool completely before slicing. Store leftover stollen, well wrapped, in an airtight container.