Clove-Orange Stollen
The history of Stollen dates back to 15th century Dresden, where it first appeared in a modest, fruit-free form. Over the centuries, it became richer: enriched with fruits, nuts and spices, thus becoming Germany's iconic holiday cake. The intense, warm spiciness of cloves perfectly complements the fresh citrus character of orange - together they create a harmonious, festive flavor. As the candied orange and raisins bake into the spiced dough, the smell of the holiday fills the entire kitchen. Tip: If you want a more intense aroma, you can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise in a cold place - this will make the flavor even richer.
Ingredients for this recipe
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Preparation Steps
1
Warm the milk until lukewarm, crumble in the yeast, add one teaspoon of sugar, and let it rest for 10 minutes until foamy. This helps create a light and airy texture in the dough.
2
Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the salt, ground cloves, remaining sugar, and grated orange zest. These aromas give the cake its festive character.
3
Pour in the proofed yeast mixture and the melted butter, then knead the dough until smooth and elastic – this takes about 8-10 minutes of hand-kneading.
4
Add the candied orange peel and soaked raisins, then knead thoroughly into the dough to distribute evenly.
5
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in volume. Tip: Choose a warm, draft-free place, such as the switched-off, closed oven.
6
On a floured surface, shape the dough into a long, slightly folded stollen shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the stollen for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If it browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil towards the end of baking.
8
Brush the hot stollen with melted butter, then generously sprinkle with powdered sugar. This not only decorates but also keeps the cake fresh.
