Wisconsin Dutch Stollen Food

WISCONSIN DUTCH STOLLEN

Steps:

• Add crumbled yeast and 1 cup of flour to the warmed milk.
• Beat well and allow to stand in a warm place until light.
• Cream butter and sugar together, reserving 3 tablespoons of the butter for brushing on top of the loaves.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Add yeast mixture, rum, lemon rind, salt, almonds, raisins and remaining flour.
• Knead on a floured board until smooth and elastic.
• Cover and let rise until double in bulk.
• Divide into 3 loaves.
• Roll out slightly; press down center with a rolling pin.
• Brush with reserved melted butter, fold over and brush top with butter.
• Place in greased bread pans; let rise until double in bulk.
• Bake at 350F for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden and done.
• Cool slightly; brush with frosting.
• **Variation: Napfkuchen; use half recipe above, increase sugar to 3/4 cup and use only 3 cups flour. Omit rum; bake in a tube pan or bundt pan.

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.