Hi,

I'm starting to plan for my frenzy of holiday baking and gift-giving and need some recipe advice.

Last year, I made my father-in-laws favorite very traditional (i.e., pre-war english bookbook) English Christmas Cake for everyone.  This is highly sought-after in South Africa, where we spent the previous 11 Christmases, and extremely delicious (being filled with real dried and candied fruit as opposed to glaceed cherries in unnatural hues) so I gave nary a thought to it being confused with what is called fruit cake here.  

Unfortunately, there were two major hurdles for most recipients before they could even test if they liked it or not.  If they managed to get through the hard Royal Icing shell (and without being pricked by the holly) and past the stereotypical aversion to anything called "fruitcake", they probably tasted it and loved it.  Certainly the generous lashings of brandy applied over the month before shipping would have had a mellowing effect.  However, overall we seemed to have a 50-70% hit rate and in some circles I became known as the weird old auntie who sends fruitcakes in the mail.  

This year, I'm looking to do something more universally acceptable, and will save my Christmas cakes for those "in the know" and those with English backgrounds.   DH suggested stollen would be a better alternative for the fruitcake-resistant.  

Which FINALLY brings me to the point of writing to this forum.....

Do any of you have a stollen recipe you recommend highly?  The more traditional the better IMO.    Or another Christmas-related treat that would ship well across the USA?  If all else fails, I may turn to my second option - candies.

Thanks!

MommaT

I should begin this post by saying that today was one of those perfect baking days where everything just came together: my "three T's," Timing, Technique, and Taste.  Ususally one of them gives me trouble especially when I attempt a new recipe, but I think that because I had all day free with no commitments I could relax and really focus on each task as it came along.

Ever since I made a batch of candied orange peel awhile back using a recipe from a link provided by xaipete (http://leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/candied_orange_peel.html), I have been dying to make stollen.  So yesterday I finally committed to the idea and began last night by making a batch of creme de amande ahead of time.  I got the recipe, which can be completed in a day, from Bertinet's Crust.

Having never eaten or made stollen before I welcome any suggestions.  There wasn't a very good picture in Crust so I googled it and there were so many variations that I'm not sure exactly what it was supposed to come out like.

Candied Peel ready to be chopped.

Filling mixture.

Filling to be folded into dough.

The messiest part is about to begin!

Ahhh, safely in the bowl.

Creme de amande and marzipan ready to be folded in.

Beginning final proof.

Proofed stollens go into the ovens.

Ready to top.

Glazed with butter and powdered sugar.

A little taste of Christmas!

Summer

A late entry. For Christmas I made stollen with a recipe that looked like it would produce something close to what I know from The Netherlands.

Dutch Regale's Almond/Rum Stollen

Well, I have picked up where I left off and am having a great time.

I tried to make stollen. It was my first attempt, and I think it was ok, but I know what I will change for next year.

Toast the almonds, omit the mixed peel, add more Marzipan perhaps and change some of the fruit I put in. I used apple brandy to soak the fruit which was lovely but could have used more fruit.

As I promised, here's a picture of the one stollen that has survived the initial onslaught. This one, unlike its predecessor, remained mostly intact while it baked.

Since everyone here has so much experience and expertise, they might possibly be willing to share their thoughts on stollen.  Any and all thoughts appreciated.

Such as:

This is the first of this season's batch - the marzipan is shop bought and rather yellow!

Stollen, Tried and True sainsbury’s

12 ozs white bread flour, I use regular all purpose.
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon yeast, (easy blend)
1/4 pint milk so this is 5 fluid ozs UK, and 4 fluid ozs U S.
3 ozs softened butter
2 ozs sugar
1 egg
2 ozs currants
2 ozs raisins
4 ozs sultanas (white raisins)

This stollen recipe is excellent. Wonderful. I baked it three times last Christmas season and have already baked a batch this year.

But is it authentic?

I have no idea.