Celebrate the holiday season with this traditional Christmas Stollen, enriched with cottage cheese, a variety of dried fruits, and nuts, all soaked in rum for a deep, flavorful experience. This classic German bread is a festive staple, perfect for sharing and gifting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This Stollen recipe brings the warmth and joy of Christmas baking into your home. It’s packed with fruity, nutty flavors enhanced by citrus zest and a rum infusion, offering a rich and satisfying taste that pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea.
Perfect Occasion: Ideal for Christmas celebrations, as a special treat during Advent, or as a thoughtful homemade gift for friends and family. It’s also a delightful addition to any holiday brunch or evening dessert table.
Decoration Tips: For a traditional look, liberally dust the Stollen with powdered sugar to mimic a snowy appearance. You might also decorate your serving platter with holly leaves or cinnamon sticks for a festive presentation.
Ingredients:
- 5 oz (135g) of 5-9% fat cottage cheese
- 5 oz (135g) of 82% butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of one lemon
- Zest of one orange
- 1/3 cup (80g) of sugar
- 1 tablespoon (20g) of vanilla sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons (7g) of baking powder
- 2 2/3 cups (335g) of all-purpose flour
- 3.5 oz (100g) each of dried blueberries, apricots, and cranberries
- 1.75 oz (50g) of walnuts, chopped
- 5 oz (150ml) of rum
- Extra 100g of butter for brushing
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
- Prepare the Dried Fruits:
- Rinse the dried fruits, then soak them in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and soak in rum overnight. Drain the rum before use.
- Prepare the Dough:
- Cream the softened butter with lemon and orange zest and both sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and cottage cheese.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the soaked dried fruits and chopped walnuts into the dough.
- Shape and Bake:
- Divide the dough into two parts. On a floured surface, form each part into an oblong loaf, mimicking the traditional Stollen shape.
- Place the loaves on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 40 minutes, or until golden.
- Finish the Stollen:
- Remove from the oven, immediately brush with melted butter, and generously dust with powdered sugar while still warm.
- Serving:
- Allow the Stollen to cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container to let the flavors meld together, ideally for a couple of days.
Enjoy your homemade Christmas Cottage Cheese Stollen, a deliciously festive bread that captures the spirit of the season!
