German Stollen-Inspired Bread

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Christmas, German, North American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 20

Servings:

Calories: 216kcal

Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen

Traditionally prepared stollen, depending on the recipe and method, can take more than a day to prepare. This German Stollen-Inspired Bread makes use of the flavours associated with stollen but cuts back drastically on the time it usually takes. Steep the ingredients with rum or make it alcohol-free with apple juice instead.

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Ingredients

2 cups dried fruit, use a combination of raisins, currants, and cranberries
⅓ cup butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup rum combined with 1/2 cup boiling water (alternatively, bring 1 cup of apple juice to a boil and use it instead of the rum and water mixture)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large eggs, whisked
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Place the dried fruit into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, salt, baking soda, and brown sugar.
Pour the rum and water mixture over the ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a loaf pan by spraying it lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Once the dried fruit has cooled, add the vanilla extract, orange zest, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
Add the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and beaten eggs to the fruit mixture.
Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the date mixture.
Next, fold in the slivered almonds.
Transfer the batter to the loaf pan.
Bake for 35 minutes. Test to see if the loaf is baked by inserting a toothpick into the loaf. If it comes out clean, the loaf is ready. If not, bake for another 5 minutes and test with a toothpick once again.
Allow the loaf to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and sit on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Once fully cooled, dust with confectioner's sugar.

Notes

I used smaller loaf pans so that I got two loaves. If you are using a larger loaf pan, you will need to increase the baking time to 45 minutes before testing to see if the loaf is done. In any case, never fill a loaf pan more than 3/4 full.

Nutrition