German bread for Christmas

German baked pastry: Stollen

Christmas cakes with dried fruits andcandied fruit is popular in many European countries. The birthplace of Stollen is the German city of Dresden. We offer a classic Stollen recipe from buttery dough. For its preparation we take:

• 
  1.3 kg of wheat flour
• 
  400 ml of milk
• 
  200 g of butter
• 
  130 g of sugar
• 
  50 g fresh yeast
• 
  lemon zest, vanilla sugar, salt - to taste

• 
  500 g of gorilla
• 
  200 g of small candied fruits
• 
  125 ml of rum
• 
  100 g chopped roasted almonds

• 
  butter
• 
  powdered sugar

Fill the candied fruits and raisins with rum and leave for an hour. Prepare the dough for the dough: chop the fresh yeast into a large bowl, dilute with warm milk, pour some sugar and gradually pour half of the sifted flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place for half an hour - go.

In the portion that has come up with an odor, we interpose the remaining flour, sugar, add lemon zest, vanilla sugar and salt. Stir, add softened butter.

Knead the dough, cover the bowl with a towel andput in a warm place for about an hour - for lifting. Once the dough is doubled, mix again and leave again. When it again doubles, roll the dough into a loaf about 2 cm thick.

Raisins and candied fruits are dried. Spread evenly on the dough raisins, candied fruits and almonds. We wrap the edges of the dough and knead until the filling is evenly distributed. Then we sculpt a rectangle from the dough and fold it so that the pie resembles a baby wrapped in a diaper (the stallion symbolizes the baby of Christ).

Lubricate the baking tray with oil, lay on itstollen and cover with a napkin. After an hour, preheat the oven to 180 ° C, put the shtollen into it and bake it for about an hour and a half. Hot stollen generously grease with butter and abundantly sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bread is ready!

German baked pastries: Baumkuchen

Baumkuchen translates from German as"Tree-pie". The name of this bun is due to its appearance: in the cut, Baumkuchen is like a tree with annual rings. To achieve this effect, it is baked on a spit, pouring dough portions. Of course, at home baking pastry of this form is unlikely to work, but you can reproduce the taste. For the preparation of Baumkuhen we take:

• 
  1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. wheat flour
• 
  1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. starch
• 
  1 tbsp. Sahara
• 
  0.5 tbsp. ground roasted almonds
• 
  280 g of butter
• 
  70 g chocolate
• 
  8 eggs
• 
  2 tablespoons cognac
• 
  2 tsp. vanilla sugar
• 
  half a lemon peel
• 
  apricot jam
• 
  a pinch of salt

We break eggs and separate proteins from yolks. We beat the proteins into a lush foam. Continuing to beat, gradually pour 100 grams of sugar. As a result, a dense mass must come out. 230 g of softened butter, whisk together with the remains of sugar to a homogeneous consistency.

One enters the yolks into the oil mixture. Add cognac, vanilla sugar, zest and salt. Good whisk, add sifted flour, starch and almonds. We knead the dough and gently, in small portions, we inject whipped proteins into it.

We lined the paper to bake the bottom of the mold. We put 3 tablespoons on the bottom. test and evenly distribute it on the bottom. We put the form in a preheated oven to 180 ° C and let the cake to brown. We take the form, spread 2 more tablespoons. test, again put in the oven. And so continue to do until the dough runs out. We leave the prepared pie for 15 minutes in a form to cool it.

We take out the cake from the mold and lubricate the topapricot jam. We put the cake in the fridge and prepare the icing. Melt chocolate and 50 g of butter on a water bath, stir until homogeneous. Lubricate Baumkuchen glaze.

Such New Year's baked pastries come from Germany for sure decorate your holiday table. Enjoy your appetite and happy holidays!