Stollen

To prepare the stollen, start by cutting the candied orange into slices and then into cubes (1-2). Soak it together with the raisins in a bowl with warm water, so that everything is covered to the brim, and 50 ml of rum taken from the total amount 3.

In the meantime, place the blanched almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until they are crunchy but not too colored 4. If you have almonds with the skin, scald them for 5 minutes in boiling water and then remove the skin, which will come off easily this way. When the almonds are cool, chop them coarsely 5 and set them aside. Grate the lemon zest and ginger into a bowl and set aside 6.

Dissolve the yeast (you can also use a crumbled cube of fresh brewer's yeast) in a little warm milk (taken from the total amount in the recipe) and add a teaspoon of honey (7-8). Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center, where you will pour the yeast 9.

Mix with a teaspoon, incorporating a little flour into the yeast until you get a batter-like mixture, which you will leave in the center without kneading 10. Cover everything with plastic wrap 11 and let it rise for at least half an hour in a warm place until the mixture doubles in volume 12.

While the batter is rising, cut a vanilla bean in half and scrape out its seeds with the blade of a small knife 13. Place the opened bean and seeds in a bowl containing the remaining milk, which you have warmed 14. Then melt the butter and let it cool; finally, drain the raisins and candied orange, pat them with paper towels to dry them, pass them through the flour 15, and then through a sieve to remove the excess.

At this point, in a bowl, beat the two eggs and add the milk in which you had infused the vanilla (removing the bean beforehand) 16. Add the salt and cardamom 18 and finally

the grated lemon zest and ginger 19. Pour the yeast and flour mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand) and start the machine fitted with the paddle attachment (low speed). Pour the egg and milk mixture into the bowl 20, then another 50 ml of rum 21, and the sugar.

Finally, add the melted butter a little at a time 22. As soon as the ingredients are incorporated, remove the paddle and attach the dough hook, then knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is homogeneous and completely attached to the hook. Add the chopped (cold) almonds, then the floured raisins and candied orange 23, and knead for a couple of minutes. Place the dough on a work surface, shape it into a round form 34.

Then place it in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for an hour in a warm place 25. Meanwhile, take the marzipan and shape it into a cylinder 26. After the rising time, place the dough on a work surface, shape it into a rectangle, and press in the center with a rolling pin, slightly lengthening the dough to create a thicker bulge on the longer sides 27.

Fold the shorter sides inward to restore the rectangular shape of the dough 28. Place the marzipan stick in the hollow, towards the larger bulge, then fold the thinner side over the thicker one 30 and

press with the rolling pin in the center to seal well and give the stollen its classic shape 31. Shape it a little with your hands to give the stollen a regular form 32 and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a static oven preheated to 356°F for about 60-70 minutes, until the stollen is amber 33.

Once out of the oven, immediately brush with melted butter 34 and sprinkle with plenty of sifted powdered sugar 35, then let it cool on a rack. Wrap it in aluminum foil and let the stollen rest in a cool place (but not in the refrigerator) for a couple of days before consuming it, so it absorbs moisture and reaches its classic consistency. Good Stollen and Merry Christmas to all!!