Quarkstollen Food

GLUTEN-FREE MINIATURE STOLLEN LOAVES

Steps:

• Use butter, coconut oil or cooking spray to lightly grease 4 mini loaf pans (5 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches).
• Combine gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond meal, dry yeast, xanthan gum, cardamom, salt, raisins, dried apricots and crystallized ginger. Use a large whisk to thoroughly blend.
• Place coconut milk or milk in a small saucepan and heat just until lukewarm. Don't allow to boil. Remove from heat. Whisk in the oil, eggs, marmalade, and vanilla extract.
• Add warm liquid mixture to the dry mixture. Stir to thoroughly blend ingredients. Note: If the liquid is hot it will kill yeast so be sure it is lukewarm (about 90 F.)
• Divide stollen batter equally between 4 mini loaf pans. Each pan should be about 2/3 full. Use a thin spatula to press the batter down and remove air pockets in the batter. Dampen fingers with water and smooth the top of each loaf.
• Cover each pan with lightly greased waxed paper or plastic wrap and place loaf pans in a warm draft-free location and allow the batter to rise until it reaches the top of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 F / 176 C. Note: The time it takes the batter to rise depends on warmth. If you don't have a nice, warm location where loaves can rise, pour about 1/2-inch of warm, not hot water in a large roasting pan. Set mini loaf pans in the water and cover with a dish towel and allow to rise.
• Gently peel the plastic wrap from each loaf pan and place loaves on the middle rack in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown on top and a digital thermometer placed in the middle of loaf measures 204 F.
• Set pans on cooling rack for 10 minutes then remove loaves from pans and set on the rack to completely cool. Dust with gluten-free confectioners' sugar.
• When completely cooled, loaves can be wrapped and frozen for up to one month. Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans, and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

BEST AUTHENTIC STOLLEN (GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD)

Steps:

• Place the raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it. Stir to combine. Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.
• Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.
• Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast/milk mixture. Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together. Knead the dough on the bread setting for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour (likely closer to 2 hours depending on the temperature of the environment).
• Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough). Using the dough hook, knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined. If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves. Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness. Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval. Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough. Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics). In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen. Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan. Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics). Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet. Cover the stollen loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy. At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).
• Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden. You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm. Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides. Let the stollen cool completely. You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.
• The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in plastic wrap then foil) and left to "ripen" in a cool place for 2 weeks. The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture. Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.
• Makes 2 large or 3 medium Stollen.For eating, I like to warm the slices up for a few seconds in the microwave, it makes the crumb nice and soft.

QUARKSTOLLEN

Steps:

• Soak raisins in rum overnight. Next day Preheat oven to 220C, turn down to 180C to bake. Mix in large bowl: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, almond extract, eggs, butter, quark (or sour cream) and almonds. With food processor (or hand-held beaters) with dough hook(s) set on low at first, then high until dough is smooth. Then knead by hand on floured surface until just not sticky . You may need to add more flour. Then knead in candied fruit. Shape into log. Place on buttered (or use baking parchment paper) baking tray. Place in oven (remember to turn down now) for 55 minutes approx. When done, remove from oven and brush with melted butter and sprinkle powder sugar over-top. Repeat when cool with remaining butter and powdered sugar