Buttery Marzipan Stollen Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Who makes the best stollen? ›

Dresden Stollen (originally Striezel), a moist, heavy bread filled with fruit, was first mentioned in an official document in 1474, and Dresdner Stollen remains notable and available – amongst other places – at the Dresden Christmas market, the Striezelmarkt.

Place one stollen (using the parchment it is sitting on to move it) in the middle of each piece and wrap them up well. Then, wrap them tightly in aluminium foil. Store in a cool dry place for 4-6 weeks before eating.

Expensive ingredients like almonds, nuts, raisins, orange peel, essence of rose and rum were imported. Because the coronation occurred during the Christmas season, the bakers shaped the loaves to resemble a baby in swaddling clothes in respect for the Christ Child. Ask any baker: Stollen is a labor of love.

Like you'd expect, you eat a Stollen in slices, often with your coffee or Christmas punch. Some people put butter and jam on it. As with just about every baked product in this part of the world, you find different varieties in Vienna.

Germans love stollen. I love it too, for its dense texture, chewy candied citrus zest, and snowy powdered sugar top. It's even better if there's a layer of soft almond marzipan tucked into the middle. Stollen, or Christollen, dates back to the Middle Ages and originates from Dresden, Germany.

noun. , German Cooking. a sweetened bread made from raised dough, usually containing nuts, raisins, and citron.

Stollen can often be dry and tasteless. The key in my recipe is to soak the fruit at least 24 hours before you want to make it. I would advocate even longer; 5-7 days if you can because the longer the better.

Stollen is sometimes referred to as ChristStollen, Weihnachtsstollen or Winterbrot. Why ChristStollen? Because the loaf is said to symbolize the swaddled Christ Child. This sweet raisin bread was first recorded in 1330 at a monastery near Leipzig in Naumburg (near Leipzig).

Regarding the soaking liquor, you can also use brandy or Grand Marnier – some people like to use rum – but for me it seems odd to put something with a distinct Caribbean association into a traditional European recipe… so I don't typically choose rum. You can customize your filling ingredients if you like.

Should you toast stollen? ›

My new favorite way to enjoy Stollen is to slice it fairly thinly and then toast it under the broiler. I especially like Stollen with Marzipan and toasting this kind of Stollen softens the almond paste so it's creamy and warm. The toasting also brings out the nutty flavor and punches up the dried fruits.

No, generally you do not need to refrigerate or freeze your stollen. If you will not be eating the bread for a few months, you may want to store it in the freezer. Otherwise, storing your stollen at room temperature in a bread box or drawer will allow it to last for months.

Serve sliced with good coffee, spreading on butter if it seems too dry. It can't be toasted, but a very light microwaving, so it is just warmed, can be very rewarding because the spices are energised to share their fragrances.

Traditionally stollen is sliced and served as is with breakfast, although some people prefer to warm individual slices in a toaster or a microwave. Over time, the topping on the stollen may become discolored.

The first and most famous variety of stollen is the Dresdner Christstollen.

This stollen is imported (but not stolen) from Germany.

Stollen is traditionally eaten and exchanged during the holidays in Germany. We carry on this tradition by offering our stollen during this time of the year only.