I once had Stollen given to me as a gift by a work colleague. When I received this, I took it home and just stored it in my cupboard – can you believe I didn’t touch it until the new year! It just seemed so boring and lacked excitement, that’s what I assumed back then anyway. When all of my Christmas chocolates ran out and I was dessert-free, I had a meander through my cupboards and came across this simple fruit loaf. I unwrapped the loaf, re-lived Christmas as the fragrance wafted out then sliced away. After that first bite I couldn’t put it down – finished the stollen in 2 days!
Looking back, it seems crazy and almost a shame that I didn’t eat it as soon as I received it, but it worked out for the best since I had no other dessert and stollen came to my rescue! I was determined to make it ever since but just kept putting it off since there are so many amazing ones I can buy, but this year I got down to it.
Actually, if I’m being honest, my main incentive (well, as well as eating it) was to impress my German fiance’s mother who follows my blog and social media platforms – hope it worked! Maybe she’ll ask me to make one for her next Christmas!
On another note, if you’re not a fruit desserts kind of person, I’ve got a whole range of Christmas Desserts that are also free of any fruit like my Vegan Chocolate Log so go check that out if you can’t face the raisins!
Questions about Stollen
How to make Stollen
To make stollen, add raisins and candied peel in a bowl and cover with rum. Give a stir and leave aside (preferably overnight). Add yeast to warm milk and leave for 10 minutes. Add melted vegan butter to the yeast and set aside. In a large bowl, add flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ground allspice, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of flour and spices. Mix with until dough comes together. Transfer dough to a surface dusted with flour and knead for 7 minutes. Place back into the bowl, brush with a little oil and cover with clingfilm. Keep in a warm place for at least 1 hour.
Remove dough and place back on a floured surface. Add the fruit to the dough and knead into the dough until well incorporated. Roll into a rectangle with a thickness of around 1cm and then a third of the dough over. Fold over the remaining part of the dough from the other side so that ends of both sides meet. Press down slightly then transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.Cover in clingfilm loosely then leave in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Remove clingfilm and bake stollen for 35 minutes. When stollen is cooked, remove and rest for 5 minutes. Poke holes using toothpick in the dough and brush the refined coconut oil over the surface. Rub the powdered sugar over the top and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Stollen history
Th original stollen originated from Dresden in German in the early 1300s. This dense fruit bread infused with spices was able to be stored for long periods of time to ensure that there was enough for later in the year.
Stollen shelf life
Stollen should be stored in an airtight container in a cool dry places for 2 weeks. Stollen can also be frozen for 2-3 months in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in clingfilm and stored in a ziplock bag.
Stollen Substitutions
- Marzipan can be added to the stollen if preferred – the dough can be wrapped around a rolled length of marzipan
- Various dried fruits can be added
This Stollen is…
- Spiced
- Bread
- German
- Festive
- Simple
- Christmas dessert
- Vegan
- Plant-based
More Recipes to Try…
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If you don’t have time to make Stollen now, click on any image on this page to add it to your Pinterest list. Fancy more inspo? Come see me on Pinterest for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert ideas.
Stollen
Ingredients
- 3 tsp active dry yeast
- 250 ml plant milk warmed
- 350 g vegan butter melted
- 300 g raisins or sultanas
- 100 g candied peel
- 100 ml rum
- 60 g coconut sugar
- 600 g plain flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 125 ml refined coconut oil
- 125 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the raisins and candied peel in a bowl and cover with rum. Give a stir and leave aside (preferably overnight).
- Add yeast to the warm milk and leave for 10 minutes until frothy.
- Add the melted vegan butter to the yeast and leave to one side.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ground allspice, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
- Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of flour and spices.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
- Transfer the dough to a surface dusted with flour and knead for 7 minutes.
- Place back into the bowl, brush with a little oil and cover with clingfilm.
- Keep in a warm place for at least 1 hour.
- Remove dough and place back on a floured surface.
- Add all of the dried fruit to the dough and knead into the dough until well incorporated.
- Roll into a rectangle with a thickness of around 1cm and then a third of the dough over.
- Fold over the remaining part of the dough from the other side so that ends of both sides meet.
- Press down slightly then transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
- Cover in clingfilm loosely then leave in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
- Remove clingfilm and bake stollen for 35 minutes.
- When stollen is cooked, remove and rest for 5 minutes.
- Poke holes using toothpick in the dough and brush the refined coconut oil over the surface.
- Rub the powdered sugar over the top and allow to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Marzipan can be added to the stollen if preferred – the dough can be wrapped around a rolled length of marzipan
- Various dried fruits can be added
Nutrition
Made this Recipe?
If you had a go at this Stollen, be sure to give me a shout on Instagram at @food_flaneur so I don’t miss out on your creations and give your post some love!
My mom used to enjoy making stolen because she loved baking yeast breads. I haven’t made her recipe in many years, sort of forgot about it, but you’re right, one bite and you can’t help going back for more!
oh wow, you must Dorothy! I never had stollen until last year when my fiances parents brought me some from Germany and I fell in love! Hope you had a great Christmas my lovely and new year xxx
Thank you! And the best of this new year of hope to you and yours!