Difficulty Medium Prep 20m Cooking 210m Serves 8 Cost € 25

Stollen is a wonderful treat to have around Christmas time that the whole family can enjoy.

While Stollen is a delicious, Christmassy treat, bread can be an intimidating bake for many. However, using the Kenwood Cooking Chef, it's super simple. Read on to find out how to bake the perfect Stollen!

Time needed: 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Method

  1. Make the yeast starter.

    Place the whisk attachment on the Cooking Chef. Add the milk to the Cooking Chef bowl and using manual cooking mode, adjust the temperature to 36°C, set timer to 8 mins, the stir delay setting to 0 and turn on. Once the timer has finished, the milk is now lukewarm. Pour the milk into a jug and stir through the sugar and yeast.  Leave the milk to one side for about 10 – 20 mins to rest and froth grow.
     

  2. To make the marzipan, combine ground almonds and sugars.

    In a clean Cooking Chef bowl with the k-Beater attached, combine the ground almonds and sugars on a low speed.

  3. Add the egg and mix until a ball forms.

    Slowly add the egg and mix on speed 2 until it forms a ball.

  4. Knead the marzipan gently and roll into a sausage shape.

    Turn out the paste on to the work surface, adding a little dusted icing sugar to prevent sticking. Knead gently by hand to bring the mixture together. Use your hands to roll into a sausage shape about 20cm long and put to one side.

  5. To make the bread dough, set your Cooking Chef to the Doughs programme.

    With a clean bowl fitted, set the Cooking Chef to the Sweet programme, then to the Doughs programme followed by Enriched Doughs programme.

  6. Follow the instructions on screen.

    Add the following ingredients as the correct phase when prompted by the display screen:
    Phase 1: Yeast starter mixture, flour, spices, salt, sugar and egg.
    Phase 3: Butter.

  7. Proof and knead the dough.

    Follow the programme instructions for proofing and kneading.

  8. Add the candied peel, cherries and almonds to the dough.

    You will find the dough is still quite soft. Turn out onto a heavily floured surface. Add the candied peel, cherries and almonds by hand, ensuring they are well incorporated. Press out with your hands to form an oblong 20 x 25 cm.

  9. Fold in the marzipan.

    Place the marzipan sausage down the centre of the dough, fold the dough over and gently seal the edge creating a seam.

  10. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap.

    Place the loaf seam-side down onto a lined baking tray. Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic cling wrap.

  11. Proof for 90 minutes.

    Leave on the kitchen worktop to proof for up to 90 minutes and preheat the oven to 180°C.

  12. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

    Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the underside.

  13. Add the glaze.

    If glazing immediately, the glaze should be made before taking the stollen out of the oven. Glaze immediately after it comes out of the oven by brushing the melted butter and dredging heavily with sifted icing sugar. Cool on a wire rack.