The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration. You can find all the details and the recipe here.
When Mom heard about the challenge she enthusiastically started reminiscing about her great-grandmother making it on rainy days during her childhood. I was less excited as Stollen's comparison to fruitcake concerned me, but I followed the provided recipe using homemade candied orange peel, dates and cranberries for the fruit and substituting orange for all the lemon. Also! I skipped the rum as we have underage family members. I have to tell you the end result was a pleasant surprise. It looked and tasted great - very moist and tender with a fruity flavor.
This recipe is worth the time and numerous dirty dishes! I will be making it again in loaves. Thank you for a great challenge, Penny.
The yeast was out of control! I had to get a bowl for the overflow.
I love candied citrus peel, so it was shame to have this all go into the bread. Candied
grapefruit and lime peel and ginger will be next and they will be eaten on their own.
This was 24" x 17" i.e. HUGE.
Clearly, I am delighted to be cutting the finished product.
You can see the swirled layers and yet it doesn't fall apart when you eat it.
I have fond memories of stollen from when I lived in Germany! I gave some of my family stollen for Christmas this year, although it was store bought. Yours looks incredibly professional! If you make it again, I would recommend having some glühwein to go with it!
ReplyDeleteHehehe I have had gluhwein! My Uncle Dave buys it for me at the PX every year. :) Thank you, Elliot.
ReplyDeleteYour stollen looks super yummy! I too really enjoyed this challenge. Not sure how you or anyone else for that matter endures those NY winters! My brother who lives in Brooklyn sent me a pic yesterday and the cars were covered up to the windows with snow. I live in south Florida so you can imagine how much cold I can endure! LOL
ReplyDeleteIt was super yummy! I will have to check yours out too.
ReplyDeleteNY winters are pretty awful but my sleeping bag coat is effective though ugly and the rest of the time in NYC is amazing enough that you can forget the winter (sort of).
Looks beautiful! (I also love your dress)
ReplyDeleteI loved this challenge and it seems like quite a few other people did too
Congratulations on a recipe well done.
ReplyDeleteStephanie - Thank you! The dress is really comfortable -- a little bit like a sleeping bag. It really was a good challenge.
ReplyDeleteSarah - Thank you.