For individuals who didn’t develop up with it, stollen is a candy vacation bread that originated in Dresden, Germany, studded with rum-soaked raisins and citrus, and fully coated with sugar. It’s normally served sliced at Christmas with espresso or Christmas punch, generally with butter or jam. Usually, a thick marzipan tube traces the within, an additional ‘treasure’ hidden inside. In Germany, it’s fashionable to go away the Stollen wrapped up in a cool, darkish place for months till Easter — which known as “Osterstollen”. The fruit imparts a wealthy taste over the lengthy interval, whereas the thick sugar coating helps maintain it shielded from micro organism.
For Ooni’s first ever stollen recipe, we turned to considered one of our favourite German sourdough lovers, Hendrik Kleinwaechter. Trendy stollen recipes generally use baking powder to hurry up the method, so Hendrik’s is a little bit of a throwback, counting on a pure sourdough levain. Due to this, it does require extra time (4 to 5 days, ideally) however the ensuing taste and texture make all of it worthwhile. Whereas Hendrik notes the advantages leading to persistence, he confides that even speeding just a few steps will end in a product far superior to any grocery store different (even in Germany). The recipe makes two loaves, which can match comfortably in any Ooni oven.
Notes: This recipe does require an energetic sourdough starter. Take a look at this guide in case you’re ranging from scratch. From begin to end, this recipe takes 3 days minimal, so put together nicely prematurely. You probably have further time, feed the stiff starter 3 to 4 days prematurely for optimum taste. This step will not be obligatory nevertheless. This recipe makes 2 stollen loaves, in case you choose to make one, simply half the portions. When you don’t plan on baking each the identical day, you may retailer the second loaf within the fridge for as much as two days earlier than baking.
Time
3 to five days complete time, 2.5 hours energetic time
Yield
Makes 2 stollen loaves
Gear
Electrical mixer (non-compulsory)
Ooni Dual Platform Digital Scale
Ooni Pizza Dough Scraper
Ooni Pizza Oven
Ooni Infrared Thermometer
Baking parchment
Spray bottle
Kitchen thermometer
Pastry brush
Components
For the drunken fruit combination
150 grams darkish rum
350 grams raisins
100 grams candied lemon peel
100 grams candied orange peel
100 grams almonds
1 gram lemon zest
For the stiff sourdough starter
20 grams sourdough starter
120 grams white flour
60 grams water
For the stollen loaf
200 grams stiff sourdough starter (from components above)
1,000 grams bread flour
200 grams milk
250 grams melted butter
2 eggs
100 grams sugar
2 grams vanilla extract
10 grams effective sea salt
2 grams cinnamon
1 gram cardamon
1 gram nutmeg
For the glaze
100 grams butter
100 grams icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
Methodology
Put together your stiff sourdough starter no less than 12 hours prematurely of creating the dough. When you can, begin 2 to three days prematurely and feed the starter as soon as every day. This helps to change your starter from bacterial to extra yeast based mostly fermentation.
Combine 20 grams of your present starter with 120 grams of flour and 60 grams of water in a medium jar or sealed container. Stir nicely to mix, then make sure the lid/seal is closed. The stiffer starter helps create a extra energetic yeast, and could have much less bitter notes, which is good for the stollen.
About 12 hours earlier than you’re able to bake, put together the drunken fruit combination, add the rum, raisins, candied peels, almonds, and zest to a big bowl, combine nicely, and let it soak.
As soon as the stiff starter is prepared, place it in your stand mixer bowl, add all of the loaf components, then combine at medium velocity for 10 minutes.
If kneading by hand, add the stiff starter and loaf components to a big bowl and knead by hand for five minutes. Let the dough relaxation for five minutes, then repeat this course of twice for a complete of quarter-hour of kneading.
Switch the dough to a countertop, flatten it, then add the drunken fruit combination, folding the components in till the fruit is evenly integrated. If the dough is simply too moist (sticks to your arms) add a pinch of flour.
Let the dough relaxation on the counter for five minutes. Form it right into a easy ball, place it in a big container with a sealable lid, and go away it to ferment in a single day. As a result of the dough is enriched with butter and rum, it should take longer than a standard sourdough loaf to rise. This dough ought to roughly double in dimension inside 15 to 17 hours.
As soon as the dough has doubled in dimension, use a scale to divide it into 2 equal items. Gently form the parts into spherical rectangles. Let sit for five minutes.
Evenly mud your work floor with flour. Utilizing a dough scraper, loosen the dough from the floor, then roll lengthwise, stopping ¾ of the way in which. Pinch the rolled facet into the center to forestall the filling spilling out, cowl the dough with a moist towel, and let it relaxation for half-hour.
Hearth up your Ooni pizza oven, aiming for 950°F (500°C).
To bake, put a sheet of parchment paper the size of the stollen in your peel beneath it. This helps switch the stollen into the oven for the primary parbake. Spritz the stollen with water, this may create steam within the oven, serving to the dough rise and create a lovely sheen on the crust.
If utilizing gasoline, flip off the oven. If utilizing wooden, let the flame exit. Use the oven’s residual warmth to prepare dinner the stollen for 10 minutes. Retrieve with a peel and take away the parchment (it ought to come off simply).
Spritz the stollen with water once more, then return to the oven. Flip the flame again on to its lowest setting. If cooking with wooden/charcoal, add somewhat gas at a time to regain a low flame.
Prepare dinner, rotating the stollen each 2 minutes to make sure a fair prepare dinner. After 10 minutes, a pleasant crust will kind. Take away the Stollen and improve the flames to excessive. Spritz the stollen with water then wrap it with foil. This retains the dough moist and prevents the crust from getting too darkish.
Cut back the flames once more and return the stollen to the entrance of the oven (keep away from transferring it too near the flame). Rotate each 5 minutes for an hour. Use a kitchen thermometer to examine the within temperature — when carried out, it ought to be about 95°C
Place the stollen on a cooling rack then use a pastry brush to generously coat it with melted butter. Let it relaxation for 60 minutes. Brush once more with butter then use a sieve to present it a radical and beneficiant coating of powdered sugar. Don’t miss any spots!
Wrap the stollen in foil and switch to a sealable bag or an hermetic container for no less than 1 day earlier than tasting to allow the drunken fruit combination to additional infuse its aromas within the dough.
Minimize into 2cm thick slices and serve!
