Stollen--Stolen from More Time

Taken at our Colorado house a couple of years ago...

 

As a sweet (but not too) Merry Christmas, Happy New Year,  Happy Chanukah, or whatever, I repeat a recipe for stollen from More Time at the Table.  If you're afraid of making bread, this is for you.  If you don't like the typical dry, crumbly stollen, this is for you.  If you need to take something great to a neighbor, a holiday get-together, or simply want to make a super Christmas breakfast, this is for you.

So put on some music, wash your hands, and get ready to feel terribly accomplished.  Merry December, friends.  And if it's not December where you are, make it anyway.

STOLLEN

2 loaves. Each serves 8-10.

-

Great to make ahead and freeze. This recipe makes two. Keep one for later or take one to a friend. This is an easy stollen... not to worry about a thing. If you can make banana bread, this is just a T-tiny step above. No yeast. The original recipe that I've changed over a couple of years and bakings at sea level and at altitude came from Susan Westmoreland @ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, linked here.

.

2 c ricotta cheese

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter

2 c dried tart cherries (other dried fruit works)

1 c toasted walnuts, chopped roughly

2 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

4 lrg eggs (use extra large at altitude)

4 2/3 c unbleached white flour

1 c white, granulated sugar

3 t baking powder

1/2 t kosher salt

-

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease two large, rimmed cookie sheets or baking pans.

Mix together ricotta, cherries, nuts, vanilla, lemon peel and eggs. Set aside.

In food processor, mix (using steel blade) flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in cold butter and process until meal-like. Pour flour mixture into a large bowl. Mix in ricotta mixture by hand until the dough hangs together.

-

Do try this at home................or ask kids to help. They aren't afraid of bread!

You'll have a lovely dough by now and you need to turn it out onto a floured board or counter and divide it in half. With floured hands, gently knead each piece of dough about three times. With floured rolling pin, roll one piece of dough into 10'' by 8'' oval. Fold oval lengthwise, bringing top half over or that the bottom of dough extends by one inch. Repeat for second

piece of dough.

Pat /roll out; roll over.......Place each stollen on a prepared baking sheet. Bake about an hour until lightly browned and toothpick placed in center of bread comes out clean. Transfer bread to wire racks and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice as desired. 1 1/2 inches is good serving.

Wrap extra stollen in double layer of foil and freeze or deliver to friend.

Have fun baking and taking care of yourself, Alyce