Category Archives: Baking

Christstollen made with Spelt flour

‘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 of 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.

Make ahead Cinnamon rolls

5 Replies

These are the quickest cinnamon rolls to make, perfect for any celebration or occasion.

For the dough, you can place all the ingredients in the mixer and knead the dough without waiting to activate the yeast (when using the fast acting kind). So they come together fairly quickly.

Once filled and sliced, you can leave them out for a second rise and bake straight away or you can cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with cling film and leave them to rise overnight in the fridge. This way you can bake the rolls fresh on Christmas morning. You can also freeze them at this point. They keep in the freezer for at least a month.

From frozen you take them out the night before and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Before baking take the cinnamon rolls out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before baking.

INGREDIENTS;

Dough:

150 ml. / 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. Milk, handwarm
7 gr. / 2 tsp. Instant yeast
30 gr./ 2 tbsp. sugar
1 Large egg, room temperature
30 grs. / 2 tbsp. soft butter
450 grs. / 1 lbs. All purpose flour
2.5 grs. / 1/2 tsp. table salt

Filling:

60 grs./ 1/4 cup soft butter
60 grs. / 1 /4 cup brown sugar
15 grs. / 1 tbsp. Cinnamon

Frosting:

225 grs. / 1 C. cream cheese, room temperature
60 grs. / 1.4 C. Soft butter
100 grs. / 1/2 – ¾ C. Confectioners sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS;

1). Place all the ingredients for the dough in your stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, turn on the mixer to medium and knead for. 7 minutes.
2). Cover the dough with plastic wrap or damp tea towel and let rise for an hour and a half or until double in bulk.
3).Rol dough out to a rectangle of 40 cm x 30 cm. / 16″ × 12″ approximately (Horizontally from your perspective)
4).Spread the soft butter over the entire rectangle, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
5). Rol up as tight (and best) as you can. Slice with a sharp knife into 8 and place in buttered baking dish. Cover again with plastic wrap.
6).Leave to rise for 30 to 45 minutes until nice and big. Meanwhile pre heat the oven to 180C/350
7). Bake for about 25 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil if it gets a little dark. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
8). Mix the frosting ingredients together and spread over the cinnamon rolls. Serve straight away.

Our most popular Christmas recipes

1 Reply

With Christmas just around the corner we thought it time to do a little Christmas recipes round up.

Our favourite and most popular recipes for Christmas all in one place.

We have or favourite Christmas Granola, Chrisstollen , Stuffed Roast pork or (one of the most popular recipes on the blog) Duck breast with Cherry sauce all lined up. There’s something delicious for everyone.

In our home we will start the day with some sort of cinnamon roll, then followed by Chrisstollen or Bundt cake and coffee.

For dinner we love a Shrimp cocktail as a first course followed by The Duck breast in cherry sauce, it’s easy and everyone goes crazy over it. Served with Dauphinoise potatoes and some veggies.

We usually serve a few desserts and one of them will be the Tiramisu profiteroles Christmas tree. I hope you wiil find some inspiration for a fantastic Christmas feast.

BREAKFAST;

French Crepes

Chrisstollen

Spelt Cinnamon rolls

Creamcheese cranberry chocolate rolls

Churros

APPETIZERS:

Warm Melted Grilled Cheese dip

Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Velvety Broccoli cheese soup

MAIN;

Oven Roast Salmon

Earl grey Duck Legs

Duck breast with Cherry sauce

Pecan Cranberry stuffed Roast Pork

Roast Turkey breast

SIDES;

Quinoa salad with pomegranate

Gratin Dauphinois with Gruyere

Bacon Pomme Duchesse

DESSERTS AND SWEETS;

Cherry chocolate Bundt cake

Tiramisu Profiteroles

Vegan Chocolate squares

Truffle Chocolate tart

Spelt Cinnamon Rolls.

14 Replies

These Cinnamon rolls are so delicious and everything a Cinnamon Rolls should be…soft, big and puffy, and off course slathered generously with cream cheese frosting. I’ve made these with Spelt flour, which is my favourite flour, it has a slight nutty flavor and is easier to digest than wheat.
These cinnamon rolls are best eaten right after they are baked but they will keep for several days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them, personally I like to freeze the rolls individually and then thaw them in the microwave at 30 second intervals until warmed through. When I plan to freeze them I leave the cinnamon rolls unfrosted.

Bakery-style Spelt cinnamon rolls that anyone can make at home.

Prep time : 20 min
Cooking time : 20-25 min.
Makes : 8 – 9

INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 3 3/4 -4 cups white Spelt flour (type 630)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup soft room temperature unsalted butter
For the filling:
• 1/2 cup soft unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 11/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the frosting:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 – 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds, until it’s warm to the touch but not boiling hot.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm milk with the sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved, add the yeast. The milk should not be too hot or it will kill the yeast. Let the mixture rest for about five minutes until nice and frothy.
3. Add the eggs and butter and give it a stir. Now add the flour, (start with 3 3/4 cups) and salt and mix on medium speed for around 7 minutes until a sticky dough is formed. If it is very sticky add a little more flour. The dough will be sticky anyway but should still be malleable.
4. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a large, lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about one hour or until double in bulk. Alternatively you can let it rise in the refrigerator overnight (up to 12 hours).
5. Dust a work surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 40cmx30cm/16×12 inches in size.
6. Spread the dough with butter, leaving a border at the top side so you can roll it up once filled. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the butter in an even layer.
7. Roll the dough up tightly and try to close the seam as best as you can by pinching it together with your fingers. Place seam down on a cutting board.
8. Cut the roll into 8 or 9 equal slices.
9. Place the rolls in a greased 22cmx33cm/9×13-inch baking dish. I used an oval dish, but just use whatever you have, rectangular, oval… it’s all good.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180C/350F
10. Once the cinnamon rolls are nicely puffed up, place the baking dish on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the bounce back when pressed with a finger.
11. While the rolls are in the oven start making the frosting by beating the cream cheese with the butter together until nice and creamy. Add the confectionary sugar and beat to combine, add the milk by the tablespoon until desired consistency is achieved. Depending or whether you like a thick creamy frosting or a more pourable one. Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool before frosting.
12. Cover the cinnamon rolls with the frosting and serve straight away. If you intend to freeze them, wrap the cinnamon rolls individually and leave unfrosted.
13. You can re-heat frozen cinnamon rolls in the microwave

Enjoy!

If you make these Spelt Cinnamon rolls, be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and if you love it, pin it. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! @thecookingspoonblog or hashtag it #thecookingspoonblog