Thursday, December 31, 2015

Holiday Blog post

                                    MIDDLEBURGER STOLLEN  

 

THIS TRIUMPH OF FAMILY NOSTALGIA, THE NEED FOR SOMETHING GOOD ON CHRISMAS MORNING, AND THE PAUCITY OF DECENT GERMAN PASTRIES IN THIS PART OF VIRGINIA WAS FIRST MADE ON 23 DECEMBER 2015.  IT IS A DRESDENER STYLE STOLLEN, BORROWED IN PART FROM THE GERMAN COOKBOOK (SHERATON), PARTLY FROM A RECIPE FOR OLD-FASHIONED DRIED FRUITCAKE IN IN THE SWEET KITCHEN (DALEY), AND BAKING MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER AND MY OLDEST SISTER.   IT’S AN INVENTION THAT I THINK WILL ACCOMMODATE MANY VARIATIONS.  ONE CAUTION: WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T USE THE CANDIED FRUITS LIKE CITRON AND LEMON YOU FIND IN THE STORES AT CHRISTMASTIME.  REGULAR DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS OR FRUIT YOUCANDY YOURSELF ARE BEST.

 

I recommend making your own candied orange peel for use in this stollen.    This recipe will make plenty of extra for fillings, compotes, sauces, garnishes, desserts, and other baked goods.   Take 3 large (4 small) oranges, juice them, cut in quarters and scrape out the innards down to the white rind.  Cut into quarter-inch wide strips, blanche as follows.  Bring 1 ½ qts water to a boil, add the peel and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain. Repeat two more times with fresh water.  After the third blanche, combine 2 ¼ cups sugar with 1 ½ cups water. Slowly heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peel.  Gently boil,  then simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, creating a thick syrup.  Save half the oranges and the syrup in a jar for other uses.  For the stolen, drain the remaining peel, dredge each piece in sugar and let dry on a rack or waxed paper at least overnight.  You will ultimately chop them coarsely for inclusion in the stollen.

 

Combine 1 ½ cups golden raisins (my wife dislikes the dark ones), the chopped candied orange peel (about 1 ½  cups), ¾ cup dried currants, ¾ cup chopped dried apricots (a great but unconventional addition), and ½ cup candied ginger (store bought). Soak all fruit in good rum for at least an hour, longer if you like. Do this well ahead of time.  Save the juice if you like.

 

Dissolve two envelopes of dried yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water. Scald (don’t boil) 2 cups milk, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp salt, and 1 ½ cups butter. When the butter is melted, add the grated rind of one lemon (more is okay), 2 tbl rum and 1 tsp almond extract.  Let cool to lukewarm, add the yeast mixture and two cups of all-purpose flour.   Mix well and let set in a warm draft-free place for 20 or 30 minutes until th mixture blisters.  Now, stir in 4 beaten eggs and gradually add from 5 to 7 additional cups of flour.  The amount of flour may vary. You want the dough to be light and elastic but not sticky.  More flour means a stollen loaf that will be dense and stand up like bread; less means it will “spread” while baking and result in biscotti shaped slices. 

 

The fruit should now be removed from the rum, dried on a towel, and dredged lightly in flour.  Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead, gradually incorporating all the fruit.

Nuts can also be added if desired. I recommend 1 1/2 cups of chopped and blanched slivered almonds but pine nuts or chopped pistachios would be interesting.   When dough is smooth, place in a floured bowl, brush with butter, and return it (covered with a towel) to a warm draft free place for one hour. It should double in size.

 

Punch the dough down, turn out onto a board and cut into 3 equal pieces. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Let it rest 15 minutes.  Roll or flatten each piece to create an elongated oval 1 inch thick, then fold in half once lengthwise so the top fold is slightly shorter than the bottom. Pinch the seams closed.  Place each loaf on a buttered  baking sheet.  Some may prefer to bake stollen in a bread pan and that’s often the way it is sold commercially but this is more traditional.  However, it requires the dough to be stiffer or it will ‘pancake’ while baking.  Butter and sugar the loaves again and once again place in a warm place to rise for another hour.

 

Bake the stollens (they may need to be baked separately) in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, then at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  While warm, brush with butter and sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar.  Another possibility is to brush on any  rum and fruit juice left over from macerating the fruit.  My sister’s stollen was iced with a light confection and dotted with candied cherries, for a festive presentation.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

 

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