Christmas Tradition

I was first introduced to the Christmas Stollen when I married into the Minks family in December 1988.  I had no idea what it was, except that it was yummy.  My mother-in-law made them every year for Christmas morning breakfast.  When we moved out of state, Carl asked me to recreate the tradition for our family.  There was no official recipe to follow, so I started experimenting.

My recipe evolved over the years, and standardized sometime in the last decade. The cream cheese filling recipe is of my own creation.  I just kept trying things until it was the right taste and texture.

It is possible to use pre-made frozen bread dough, but it doesn't taste quite the same.  This sweet dough is just right.  This recipe makes enough for 2 large pastries (the size of a cookie sheet).  You can also use this dough to make cinnamon rolls.

If you look up Stollen on Wikipedia, it tells a totally different story.  Honestly, it sounds kinda disgusting - pretty much fruit cake covered in melted butter and rolled in sugar.  I'm not sure why this delicious pastry we make has the same name as the German fruit cake thing, but I sure know which version I would rather eat.

Stollen Recipe:

Delicious White Sweet Bread Dough

6-7 c. flour 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 pkg. yeast 1 c. water 1 c. milk 1/2 c. butter 1 egg Heat milk and water and butter in a pan until very warm, approximately 120- 130 degrees. In a large bowl, add 2 cups flour and sugar, salt and yeast; blend very well. Add warm liquid and egg to the flour mixture and beat with a beater; slowly add rest of flour and knead in. Let rise about 1 hour in a warm place until dough is doubled in size. Punch down and let rise 1/2 hour. Shape dough according to your needs. Ex: bread, buns, Parkerhouse rolls, spinach pies, pizza, etc.

Filling:

2 packages of cream cheese

1-2 tsp. lemon extract

1/4/ cup of milk (maybe even less)

2 eggs

1 cup of powdered sugar

Melt the cream cheese with the lemon extract, milk, and eggs in a sauce pan on medium heat, mixing the entire time with an electric mixer.  When smooth add powdered sugar.  Mix and cook until mixture thickens. I use an electric mixer in the sauce pan on the stove.

Pie filling flavor of your choice - Cherry, Lemon, Blueberry, Apple, etc.

After rising, roll out 1/2 of dough into a rectangular shape, the thinner the better.  Spread the filling mixture down the center.  Add pie filling to top of filling.  Cut sides of dough into strips and braid across the top.   Sprinkle the top with nuts, brown sugar, or chocolate chips, etc.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.