For gourmets around the world, Stollen is an essential part of Christmas. There is not much information about the original recipe but the little we know helps form an idea about its development, as Stollen was not from the beginning a rich food.
Most of its history appears to be linked with Saxony, a principality in the east of modern Germany that helped elect the king since the Late Middle Ages -the procedure was described in the Golden Bull of 1356. Saxony also played a key role in the Protestant Reformation by supporting Martin Luther: the "dissident" monk was employed by the Prince Elector Frederick III at the University of Wittenberg. The earliest mention of Stollen is dated from 1329, when the bishop of Naumburg (a town in Saxony) dictated in written form that part of the fees owed by the guild of bakers should be paid in kind and, more specifically, by offering the Church "two loaves of white bread called Stollen, each made with half a bushel of wheat flour".
Because Stollen was prepared during the Advent, butter was excluded from the recipe. However, in 1450, Ernst (the Prince Elector of Saxony) begged Rome to allow its use, given the shortage of oil in Germany. Permission was granted with reluctance, obliging bakers to pay a fee every time a loaf was made with butter; only the Prince Elector and his family were excluded from this arrangement. As Innocent VIII's "butter-letter" came 40 years after the Prince Elector's request, it was the successor of Ernst who profited from the Pope's magnanimity -the very Frederick III, who supported the Protestant movement during the 1520s!
Most of its history appears to be linked with Saxony, a principality in the east of modern Germany that helped elect the king since the Late Middle Ages -the procedure was described in the Golden Bull of 1356. Saxony also played a key role in the Protestant Reformation by supporting Martin Luther: the "dissident" monk was employed by the Prince Elector Frederick III at the University of Wittenberg. The earliest mention of Stollen is dated from 1329, when the bishop of Naumburg (a town in Saxony) dictated in written form that part of the fees owed by the guild of bakers should be paid in kind and, more specifically, by offering the Church "two loaves of white bread called Stollen, each made with half a bushel of wheat flour".
Because Stollen was prepared during the Advent, butter was excluded from the recipe. However, in 1450, Ernst (the Prince Elector of Saxony) begged Rome to allow its use, given the shortage of oil in Germany. Permission was granted with reluctance, obliging bakers to pay a fee every time a loaf was made with butter; only the Prince Elector and his family were excluded from this arrangement. As Innocent VIII's "butter-letter" came 40 years after the Prince Elector's request, it was the successor of Ernst who profited from the Pope's magnanimity -the very Frederick III, who supported the Protestant movement during the 1520s!
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| The Golden Bull of 1356 raised Saxony within the Empire |
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With time, Stollen became a principal attraction in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, where the guild of bakers did all they could to impress at the Christmas market. In 1730, the Elector of Saxony (& King of Poland) Augustus II the Strong ordered the baking of a loaf that weighed 1700kg so that each of his 24,000 guests would be able to eat a slice. The dough for traditional Stollen was gradually enriched with butter, eggs, and milk -ending up in a much softer loaf that is filled with raisins, nuts and sometimes Marzipan. If you decide to bake yours at home, there are several ways to go: with or without a starter and using different types of yeast. Whichever recipe you follow, however, the loaf must be shaped like a baby (ie. Jesus) wrapped in a cloth.
STOLLEN
This version was adapted from modern recipes but hopes to imitate the frugality of the medieval Stollen -at least in part. It uses no butter, milk, or eggs so the finished loaf is suitable for consumption in the Advent.
I n g r e d i e n t s
400g strong wheat flour
2tsp dried yeast
a pinch of salt
50g unrefined sugar
50ml sunflower oil
150ml water
100g sultana raisins
50g mixed candied peel
50g almonds
for the Marzipan:
125g almonds
100g confectioner's sugar
2tsp dried yeast
a pinch of salt
50g unrefined sugar
50ml sunflower oil
150ml water
100g sultana raisins
50g mixed candied peel
50g almonds
for the Marzipan:
125g almonds
100g confectioner's sugar
water
M e t h o d
1. Sift the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Combine with the sugar. 2. Gently heat the water in a saucepan, until lukewarm. Mix with the dry ingredients, gradually adding the oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes. 3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with a towel and proof until it's doubled in bulk. (It should take 1-3 hours, depending on the room temperature). In the mean time, combine the raisins, almonds & candied peel in a bowl. 4. Knock back the dough when ready. Roll out into a 25x20cm oblong and spread with the filling. 5. To prepare the Marzipan: Grind the almonds as fine as possible. Mix with the confectioner's sugar, adding water as needed. Shape into a log and place on top of the filling. 6. Fold the dough around the Marzipan, leaving 5cm of the bottom part uncovered. 7. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and proof for an hour. In the mean time, preheat the oven to 190C. 8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Transfer the Stollen onto a wire rack and leave to cool. 9. Dust thickly with confectioner's sugar and divide into wedges.
V a r i a t i o n s
Make the dough with butter and milk. Add one egg, lightly beaten. Flavor with cinnamon and cardamom. Soak the dried fruit in rum for 30 minutes, then strain and use in the filling. Bind the Marzipan ingredients with 1/2 egg. Glaze the Stollen with a mixture of confectioner's sugar and rum.
M e t h o d
1. Sift the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Combine with the sugar. 2. Gently heat the water in a saucepan, until lukewarm. Mix with the dry ingredients, gradually adding the oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes. 3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with a towel and proof until it's doubled in bulk. (It should take 1-3 hours, depending on the room temperature). In the mean time, combine the raisins, almonds & candied peel in a bowl. 4. Knock back the dough when ready. Roll out into a 25x20cm oblong and spread with the filling. 5. To prepare the Marzipan: Grind the almonds as fine as possible. Mix with the confectioner's sugar, adding water as needed. Shape into a log and place on top of the filling. 6. Fold the dough around the Marzipan, leaving 5cm of the bottom part uncovered. 7. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and proof for an hour. In the mean time, preheat the oven to 190C. 8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Transfer the Stollen onto a wire rack and leave to cool. 9. Dust thickly with confectioner's sugar and divide into wedges.
V a r i a t i o n s
Make the dough with butter and milk. Add one egg, lightly beaten. Flavor with cinnamon and cardamom. Soak the dried fruit in rum for 30 minutes, then strain and use in the filling. Bind the Marzipan ingredients with 1/2 egg. Glaze the Stollen with a mixture of confectioner's sugar and rum.
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