‘Tis the season to be merry… and make Stollen. I can’t imagine Christmas without a good Stollen, spread with a little butter and maybe an extra dusting of confectioners sugar.

Nothing beats a homemade StolIen and it looks so beautiful on the breakfast table. I have filled this Spelt Stollen with a pistachio paste rather than a more traditional almond paste. The paste comes together in minutes but you can skip it, use storebought almond paste or leave out all together. Essentially, pistachio paste is pistachios, caster sugar and egg mixed together in a food processor until a paste forms. It couldn’t be easier and it is so outrageously delicious that I highly recommend that you try it at least once.

The dried fruit in the recipe can be adjusted to your liking and soaked in either brandy, whiskey or tea. I have opted for the Earl Grey tea in this recipe. I also haven’t added a lot of dried fruit since I think it gets too heavy, so this is not one if those overly fruit studded loafs.

Once the paste is made and the fruit has soaked it comes together fairly easily. It is an enriched dough that can be made in a stand mixer.

The Christstollen can be stored for upto a month, very well wrapped in cling film and then wrapped in foil or placed in a large ziplock bag. Keep in a cool place but not the fridge.

INGREDIENTS;

Ingredients Pistachio paste:
100 gr. / 3.5 oz.  pistachios shelled
100 gr. / 3.5 oz. caster sugar
1/2 large egg

Ingredients Christstollen:
1 cup of freshly brewed Earl Grey tea or booze if you prefer. 
300 gr. / 10.5 oz. Sultanas
100 gr. / 3.5 oz. Mixed peel

450 gr / 1 lb. Spelt flour
1 sachet instant yeast, 7 gr./ 1/4 oz.
60 gr. / 1/4 C. Sugar
7 gr. / 1 tsp. table salt
7 gr. / 1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Cardamom
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg ( a pinch)
120 ml. / 1/2 C. Hot water (from tap)
120 ml. / 1/2 C. Milk
45 gr. / 3 tbsp. Soft butter
1 large egg, room temperature
100 gr. / 3.5 oz. Sugared Bigarreau (red and green cherries), chopped
35 gr. / 1/4 C. Almonds toasted, chopped
A little extra soft butter for brushing over the loaf.
Confectioners sugar for dusting.

Instructions:
Step 1.
Soak the dried fruit of your choice (sultanas and peel in this recipe), in the hot tea or boize, and leave to soak at least two hours but preferably overnight.

Step 2.
Make the Pistachio paste by placing the nuts and sugar in a food processor and pulsing until very fine. Add the half of an egg and pulse again until the paste holds together.
Scrape the paste on to a sheet of cling film and  form into a ball. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also make the paste the night before.

Step 3.
Mix the hot water with the milk from the fridge into a jug, it needs to be hand warm.
To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,  add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices. Turn the mixer on to a low setting, add the milk mixture, butter and the egg.
Mix for 7 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
Drain the dried fruit and pat dry on a clean kitchen towel. Add these to the dough together with the chopped almonds and bigarreau.
Mix gently until combined well.
Cover the bowl with a clean slightly damp kitchen towel or cling film and leave to rise until double in bulk. About one to one and a half hours.

Step 4.
Pre heat oven 170 C. / 340 F.
Once double in bulk. Punch down the dough and place on a floured surface.
Shape into rectangle about 20 x 30 cm./ 8″ x 11.5″.
Take the pistachio paste from the fridge and roll into sausage, place on the dough towards one side.

Roll the side with the past over to close, then fold over the other side on top as if it were an envelope.
Make sure to seal and pinch closed the ends of the loaf so that the paste does not come out. If this is not sealed in, it will ooze out during baking. I always try to push in any visible fruit into the dough so that this doesn’t burn while baking.
Leave to rise again for 30 -40 minutes.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 – 50. the.
Instert wooden skewer to test if it comes out clean.  Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool.
Brush with melted or very soft butter and dust with confectioners sugar. Omit this last step if you ate going to store the Christstollen. 

If you want to keep the loaf for a later date… Once cooked completely,  wrap in two layers of cling film and place in tin or ziplock bag. The Christstollen will keep for upto a month. You can also make double the recipe and pop one in the freezer for Easter.