Traditional German Christmas Stollen with Raisins

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RAISIN STOLLEN - indulge in the flavours of German Christmas tradition

Growing up in Germany, Christmas traditions are everywhere. Come November, every family will dig out their recipe books, put on their aprons and, with the 'Christmas bakery' song (aka 'In der Weihnachtsbäckerei by Rolf Zuckowsky) blasting away, will get to work a magnitude of cookies, lebkuchen and sometimes even cakes.

However, the most iconic of all Christmas bakes is the traditional STOLLEN!
Stollen is synonymous with Christmas, it's unthinkable to NOT have it.

Now, for those of you who don't know much about this delicious treat, let's dive into some more background:

What is Stollen? A taste of German Tradition

To make a long story short: Stollen is the quintessential German Christmas "fruit bread".

Some of the Stollen's main characteristics are:

• Ingredients: A blend of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and rising agents forms the base.
• Dried Fruits: Plump raisins, candied citrus peel, and sometimes even dried cherries add sweetness and a touch of tartness.
• Nuts: Almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts can contribute a nutty crunch.
• Spices: Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom infuse the bread with holiday cheer.
• Marzipan: Often, a strip of marzipan is nestled within the dough, adding more almondy sweetness.
  
  Usually these ingredients will not all be used in one Stollen. There are specialty Stollen like Marzipan Stollen, Raisin Stollen (Rosinenstollen), Spice Stollen (Gewürzstollen) and more recently we have started seeing creative new versions e.g. Punch Stollen etc. in the supermarkets, always aiming for niche and novelty sales.
  Disclaimer: Christstollen does not contain traces of Baby Jesus! ;-) It's just a blanket term for all kinds of Chrsitmas Stollen.
  

The Stollen's Distinctive Shape:

The traditional Stollen is shaped like a slightly lopsided loaf, resembling a swaddled baby. This shape is said to symbolize the baby Jesus.

However, it is way more than that! It's a staple in every German household in the time leading up to Christmas and looks back on centuries old tradition:

Stollen - a slice of German history

When I asked AI to tell me what Stollen is, it came up with this:

"It's a rich tapestry woven with tradition, cultural significance, and centuries of culinary evolution."
Well, while that is laying it on quite thickly, it is not wrong in its essence. Stollen is indeed a food with a rich history and tradition. Let's see what that means.

The Stollen - A Sweet Tale with Papal Blessing

It's winter in the 15th century. The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and the anticipation of Christmas is growing. However, in the bakeries of that time, the mood was rather one of of deprivation, because Advent (the four weeks leading up to Christmas) was also a fasting period which allowed for very few culinary pleasures. The Stollen, at that time still more of a simple Lent fare called Striezel, consisted mainly of water, flour, and yeast. Not exactly what you would call a party for your taste buds!

According to legend, the Saxon electoral princes Ernst and Albrecht III weren't too fond of culinary abstinence either. They loved their Stollen, but this austere bootleg-variety was more torment for the palate than joy for the senses. So, in the year 1450 they turned to the highest (culinary) authority of their time: the Pope. In a letter, they asked for permission to be allowed to add butter to the Stollen.
Because butter not only made the pastry juicier, but also more aromatic and simply much tastier (true, because fat is a flavour carrier).
The Pope, well aware of his flock's enthusiasm for good food, was gracious. In 1491 he issued the famous "Butter Letter" (Butterbrief). In it, he allowed bakers to use butter in their Stollen.
However, this was not an entirely altruistic decision: in return, a share of the proceeds was to go to the church.

With this papal blessing began the triumph of the Stollen.
Bakers experimented with new ingredients such as raisins, almonds, and candied fruits. The simple Striezel turned into a true festive cake.
And thus the Stollen became a symbol of opulent Christmas joy.

What is so special about Saxony and the Stollen made in Dresden (Saxony's capital)?
Saxony played a particularly important role in the history of the Stollen. The Saxon electoral princes were big fans of the pastry and did a lot to promote its distribution. In Dresden, the then residence city, the Stollen developed into a true specialty. The Dresden bakers were famous for their craftsmanship and their ability to reinterpret the Stollen again and again.
Even today, Dresden boasts a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) for its Stollen, and many Dresden bakeries ship their specialties all across the country and abroad.

From Humble Beginnings to National Treasure:

The city of Dresden, in particular, played a pivotal role in shaping the Stollen's reputation. By the 17th century, Dresden Stollen had gained widespread fame, becoming a coveted gift exchanged amongst royalty and dignitaries. Today, the city boasts a protected designation of origin (PDO) for its " Dresdner Christstollen," ensuring the production adheres to strict quality standards and traditional methods.

More Than Just a Bread: A Symbol of Tradition
Stollen embodies the spirit of Christmas in Germany, representing family gatherings, warm hearths, and the joy of the holiday season. The dusting of powdered sugar, a later addition, is said to resemble the snow blanketing the winter landscape. Each bite of Stollen is a taste of history, culture, and the enduring spirit of German Christmas traditions.

Long may it continue!

About THIS Recipe - dating back to the 1920s

Home baked Stollen: worth it?

A typical German conundrum is that while Stollen is hugely popular, it is rarely home made. Much more often than not, people will avoid baking it themselves and either purchase it in bakeries (or some widely popular manufacturers in Dresden who will ship them all over) or, worse (I said what I said), the prepackaged ones in supermarket.

Why is that? Some of the classic Stollen recipes are a lot of work and require a lot of time (not only for the baking itself but also because the Stollen has to sit untouched for at least a week after having been baked).


About this recipe:
The recipe I'm about to share with you is Nick's family recipe dating back to his great-grandmother sometime in the 1920s. We found her very bleached, hand written (in Sütterlin kursive script no less!) recipe in an old (and varitable treasure trove) diary. After some hard work involving a lot of outside help to decipher the script, we were able to bake his and his mother's "childhood memories" - nothing more satisfying than that.

How this recipe is different than storebought Stollen:
One of the differences you will notice immediatly is that in this recipe, the Stollen is not coated in powdered sugar (rather in a glaze), nor does it use crazy amounts of butter (rather some margarine). This is due to the austerity time it was originally created and we just happen to like it like this. However, nothing is stopping you from swapping the glaze for a good coat of icing sugar.

Substitutions and variations:
Don’t like alcohol? Substitute with orange juice.
Don’t like candied peel? Substitute with more raisins or chopped nuts.
Like it more spice-heavy? Double the amount of cinnamon and/or add Lebkuchen spice / pumpkin spice

How to avoid the Stollen drying out:
Traditionally, the Stollen is sliced starting in the middle. You cut it in half, then cut off a slice either side. That way you can press the (same size) halves together before re-wrapping it. This will help keep the Stollen moist and tasty.

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Frohes Backen - that's German for 'Happy Baking'.
I hope this recipe will inspire you to create a typical German Christmas bake in your own home. I would very much like to know what you think of my recipe - please comment below. Time to get baking: let's get our aprons, I'll see you in the kitchen.

Xoxo Rena