Christstollen

Christstollen: The Star Dish of Christmas 

Christollen is sumptuous, rich and hearty German fruit bread. The German state has had a long history of numerous varieties of delicacies that have marked the very essence of the ways of the German living and tradition. For instance, winter solstice particularly carried preparation of special varieties of bread. They carried this distinct flavour and preparation methods along with unique ingredients such as dried and sometimes preserved fruits.

    For the tradition and history

The tradition of Christollen historically speaking can be traced back to the 15th century. Ever since that point in time, the christollen has been considered as an integral part of the city of Dresden. More so, some people even go as far as saying that the cultural history of Dresden in fact is the history of christollen itself.

With the discovery of numerous records, the year 1474 has been marked as the year when it was first made. Back in the day festivities and celebration were not considered synonymous with the time of Christmas. Furthermore, the season of Advent and Christmas has been about self-sacrifice and humbleness. In the same light, it was later revealed that the records originated from a certain bill that was found in St. Bartholomew’s, a Christian hospital. Additionally, christollen required very basic ingredients for its preparation, for example – water, yeast and flour. The Christian church would also propagate abstinence and believed by disallowing the use of milk or butter their purposes could be achieved.

The German state of Saxony is known to always have enjoyed all the pleasures of life. Christollen, the favourite of Dresden is also otherwise more affectionately known as Striezel in the region. furthermore, the people of Saxony also hold a considerable amount of fondness when it comes to the christollen. The then Elector of Saxony, Prince Ernst along with his brother Albercht were able to influence Pope Innocent VIII into revoking the ban on butter in 1491. From this point onwards, the regional bakers have been using all the richly available ingredients while preparing the famous stollen.

    The famous Christmas market

The christ Hollen has forever been the star dish of the oldest Christmas market in Germany, the Dresdner Striezelmarkt. In-fact it was here itself that for the first time the christollen was sold in and around the year 1500.

By the year 1560, it was declared to be a dish for the royalty when the bakers went on to present their preparation to the sovereigns of the region. At one of the same festivals, the bakers baked a massive stollen weighing nearly 18 kilogrammes or 36 German pounds. This stollen was carried throughout the city, leading up to the palace.

    Augustus and his August Stollen

The most famous prince of Saxony was Augustus the Strong. He was popularly known to have healed the stollen quite close to his heart. In the year 1730, his enthusiasm quite literally reached new heights and weights. In response to his request, the local bakers of Dresden prepared a ginormous 1.8 tonnes worth of stollen. A total of 3,600 eggs, 326 milk churns and approximately 20 hundred weights of flour were combined by 100 bakers. It took a specially designed cart and nearly 8 horses to pull the stollen.

    The Stollen Festival

Across history, there have been numerous famous stollens. Take for example Augustus’s 1.8 tonnes that managed to raise salutations in the court of Saxony. Many of the great rulers of the past, such as – Augustus the Strong, the King of Poland among others were stollen enthusiasts. They would also go on and host some very large scale festivals that revolved around this Christmas delicacy.

The most famous baker of the dish in history has been the master baker – Johann Andreas Zacharias. He belonged to Dresden itself and was known to bake the stollens in a specially designed oven. It was rather an elaborate process which involved the fire being made using beechwood. This particular variety of wood was chosen by him because it is able to provide adequate temperature and lasts up to roughly 100 bakes.

Traditionally speaking, the Stollen Festival in Dresden is hosted on the Saturday which falls before the second Sunday of Advent. Preparation for the festival starts nearly a week prior to the day. Furthermore, the smell would elate the entire environment of the city. This year the festival is scheduled to take place on the 3rd of December.

Recipe

This speciality of Christmas is not only popular among the children but people of all age groups associate some or the other form of memory with it. In the Christmas markets hosted in the city of Dresden, christstollen has been selling since the 15th century. This exquisite food item was meant to be served while the Saxon city observed the Stollen Festival each year. Historically speaking, in the year 1730, a supersized stollen was baked on the auspicious occasion of a grand festival that was hosted by Augustus the Strong. On the same lines today one can find local bakers of Dresden baking similar models that can reach as high as 3 to 4 tonnes by weight. They are then cut into pieces of half pound each and sold in the very Christmas markets of the season. You must look at the following recipe if you wish to prepare Christollen in the most traditional way possible:

    Ingredients

• Raisins: Dark and golden about 1 c. or 175 grammes
• Lemon peel: 1/4 c. or 50 grammes in candied form
• Orange peel: 1/8 c. or 25 grammes in the candied form
• Dark rum: 2 oz. or 50 ml. or 1 miniature bottle
• candied form
• Dark rum: 2 oz. or 50 ml. or 1 miniature bottle
• Yeast: 7 grammes or 1 cake or just 30 grammes (enveloped)
• Milk: ½ c. or 125 ml.
• Sugar: 1/3 c. or 50 grammes
• All-purpose flour or bread or flour: 4 c.
• Egg: 1
• Vanilla bean ½ or 1 teaspoon (or vanilla paste/extract)
• Lemon zest: 1
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Nutmeg: ¼ tsp. (grounded)
• Cardamom: ¼ tsp. (grounded)
• Unsalted butter: 14 t. or 200 grammes
• Sweet butter: 7/8 c.
• Flour: 2/3 c. or 100 grammes
• Almonds: 1/3 c. or 50 grammes (They have to be first taken whole then blanched and peeled and finely chopped)
• Butter: ½ cup (melted)
• Sugar for dusting: In powdered form about 1 cup

The preparation itself for the following recipe will take up the most portion of the time. It is estimated that the total time involved in this recipe should not be more than 285 minutes.

Method

You can begin by first soaking the raisins, fruits in their candied form and almonds. Typically, they have to be left overnight so that they get into the best shape possible for the recipe. Furthermore, you can also dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk along with a pinches worth of sugar. Then you will have to proof this mixture for about 10 minutes or till the point the yeast begins to ferment. This can be observed by checking for bubbles.

The next step will require you to take a large sized bowl. It should preferably be made up of an unreactive material that is, one can choose either from ceramic or glass. Now, in this bowl, you will be required to add flour and egg along with the yeast mixture, sugar, lemon peel and salt. Then you can either place this bowl on a regular stand mixer or simply use a spoon and begin to mix. For best results remember to use the hook attachment. As far as preparing the dough is concerned one must try and not let it get too smooth at this point in the process. You can then remove the dough and place it on the side so that it settles down for the next step.

The next step will require you to take another bowl but this time, it should be of smaller dimensions. Add butter into it and about 2/3 cup of flour, some nutmeg and cardamom. You will be required to butter them till the point they become smooth. Next, you can add the yeast-laden dough back into the bowl and by using the hook you can work on the dough. This has to be done until the point the butter and flour mixture are incorporated resulting in a very smooth texture of the dough.

When you are done with the dough, allow it to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.

As a part of the next step, you will be required to prepare the kitchen work surface. This can be done by lightly sprinkling a film of flour on the surface and then placing the dough on top. Next, you will have to knead it with fruits and chopped almonds. When you are done let it stay for at least 15 more minutes.

Next, you will again require a large sized board with an even film of flour on it. Place the dough on it and turn it into a rectangular shape. More importantly, make sure that this rectangular construction has its two sides made higher than the other two. Also, there should be a dip right in the centre of the dough. Now carefully fold about 1/3rd of the dough right over the centre depression without cracking it. Then pat the dough into the shape of a stollen.

Now you will be required to take an aluminium foil and fold it multiple times at the same time forming two long ends which will form the walls and protect the stollen by maintaining its shape while it is in the oven.

In the markets today you can find particular pans which are solely there for cooking stollens, they can be a good option as well. Furthermore, let the dough stay for at least 30 more minutes before the baking process begins.

In any case, when you place the dough in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it should be allowed to be cooked for at least 35 to 40 minutes of time or till the point, the loaves become golden brown in colour. It is also important to note that while baking if the loaf begins to over brown, then you may cover it by using an aluminium foil.

Finally, when you are done baking, coat the loaves with butter and powdered sugar and in the end place it on a rack. When it settles down to the room temperature, you can wrap it tightly in a foil and store it in a cool place for about 2 to 3 weeks. This will allow the stollen to ripen.