Well, I finally made my stollen for Christmas breakfast for 2025. I wanted to finalize my baking powder stollen so here it is. It is a cross between an Irish Soda Bread and a recipe from MiniOven for a unique baking powder/cream cheese stollen she posted years ago. I will let you know how it tastes and the crumb texture but I have to tell you that right out of the oven it smelled HEAVENLY. I will cool, powder sugar it and wrap tightly until Christmas am. I might still frost it (butter/powdered sugar) before serving or I might not. Sorry, it is done in volume measures as I just didn't have the time/inclination to convert it as it was originally written in cups/volume. I never know if it will turn out and I was also still editing the whole recipe.
BAKING POWDER STOLLEN 2025
(Based on a cross between Irish Soda Bread and BP Stollen from MiniOven)
400F FOR 10 MIN, 350 FOR 20-30 MIN on parchment 2 (OR 1) NICE SIZED LOAF
DRY INGREDIENTS: (for 1 loaf use the amounts in parenthesis)
4 cups (2 cups) AP FLOUR
1 tsp (1/2 tsp) psyllium fine ground powder (OPTIONAL_ADDED BENDABILITY)
1 tsp (1/2 tsp) BAKING SODA
3 tsp (1 ½ tsp) BAKING POWDER (regular)
½ tsp (1/4 tsp) SALT
½ cup (1/4-1/3 cup) SUGAR (sugar can be variable-more if you want a really sweet loaf. Less if frosting planned)
1 tsp (1/2 tsp) CARDAMOM
2 tsp (1 tsp) ground CORIANDER
(Some recipes call for cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
WET INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4c -1 1/2 cups (1/2-3/4 cup) BUTTERMILK/SOURED MILK **enough to make a soft,sticky dough.
To make soured milk: 1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar to 1 cup milk
1 (1/2egg) BEATEN EGG
4 tbsp (2tbsp) HONEY
4 tbsp (2tbsp) SOFT BUTTER
¼ cup (1/8 cup) OIL
1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) ALMOND FLAVOR
2 cups (1 cup) MIX OF DRIED FRUIT: lemon peel, orange peel, dried cherries, golden raisin, craisins. Soak in rum, wine or tea, then drain well & toss fruit in flour before mixing fruit into dough.
2/3 cup (1/3 cup) NUTS/SEEDS of your choice. OPTIONAL. Toasted nuts taste better.
Brush shaped stolen with beaten egg or milk, sprinkle with sugar.
Mix dry and wet ingredients together well. Turn out onto well-floured board and knead until smooth-just a few minutes. Press into large square and evenly distribute floured fruit over. Fold over. Knead until fruit evenly distributed. Flatten into 12 inch oval and fold top end ¾ over bottom for traditional stolen shape.
Bake on parchment in 400F oven for 10 min then 350F for 20-30 til done.Do not overbrown.
Cool-cover with powdered sugar heavily and wrap tightly. Store until needed. Can be brushed with rum or frosted, if desired.
NOTES:
Dried fruit can be a variety: Candied lemon, candied orange, dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins.
Very sticky dough-needs generous bench flour but don’t over-do!
Do not brown too much as it dries out the crumb.
Tastes best if made a few days or weeks ahead of time, wrapped after cooled.
Can be buttered before cooling and dusted with powdered sugar before being wrapped and then frosted before serving.
NOTE: Stollen recipe-can be up to 25% sugar (1 cup to 4 c flour)