Stollen Wreath with Dried Cranberries, Pistachios, and Marzipan Recipe
Introduction
The Stollen wreath is a festive twist on the traditional German Christmas bread, filled with dried fruits, marzipan, and nuts. Its beautiful wreath shape makes it a stunning centerpiece for holiday gatherings, while its rich flavors delight every bite.
Ingredients
- 85g raisins
- 50g dried cranberries, plus extra to decorate
- 100g carton mixed peel
- 4 tbsp dark rum
- 550g strong white bread flour
- 2 x 7g sachets easy-bake yeast
- 50g golden caster sugar
- Pinch nutmeg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 85g butter, cut into pieces
- 250ml milk
- 1 egg, beaten, plus extra beaten egg to glaze
- 50g pistachios, peeled and chopped, plus extra sliced to decorate
- 300g marzipan (bought or homemade)
- 100g fondant icing sugar
- Holly sprig, to decorate
Instructions
- Step 1: Mix the raisins, cranberries, and mixed peel in a bowl. Pour over the dark rum and leave to soak while you prepare the dough.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, tip in the flour, then stir in ½ tsp salt, yeast, sugar, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Rub the butter into the dry mix until it resembles fine crumbs.
- Step 3: Warm the milk to hand-hot and mix it with the beaten egg. Pour this into the flour mixture and stir with a round-bladed knife to form a soft dough, adding more milk if needed to absorb any dry bits.
- Step 4: Gather the dough into a ball and knead for 3-4 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 5: Knead the risen dough 2 or 3 times, then roll it into a rectangle approximately 37cm by 17cm. Stir the chopped pistachios into the soaked fruit. Spread one-third of the fruit mixture down the centre of the dough, leaving the edges uncovered.
- Step 6: Fold each side of the dough into the centre to overlap slightly. Press the edges with a rolling pin to seal. Turn the dough and repeat rolling out and spreading the fruit two more times, finishing with a rectangle about 55cm by 16cm.
- Step 7: Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape slightly shorter than the dough’s length. Place it down the centre, roll the dough over it, then turn the dough over so the seam is underneath.
- Step 8: Transfer the dough onto a buttered baking sheet. Curl it around a buttered 12cm round cake tin (or a clean food can as a substitute) to form a wreath shape. Brush the ends with beaten egg and pinch them together to seal.
- Step 9: Cover the dough and leave to rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy and doubled in size. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C) / gas mark 5.
- Step 10: When risen, brush the wreath with beaten egg and bake for about 25 minutes until golden. Let it cool briefly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Step 11: To make the icing, stir 2-3 teaspoons of water into the fondant icing sugar until smooth. Once the stollen has cooled, drizzle the icing over the wreath. Scatter extra cranberries and sliced pistachios on top, then decorate with a holly sprig.
Tips & Variations
- If you don’t have a 12cm round cake tin for shaping the wreath, an empty clean 800g food can works well as a substitute for the hole.
- For an extra citrus note, add a little orange zest along with the lemon zest.
- Use homemade marzipan for a fresher flavor or save time with store-bought.
- Brush the baked wreath with melted butter before icing for a richer finish.
Storage
Store the Stollen wreath in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. It can also be wrapped well in foil and frozen for up to three months. To reheat, thaw fully and warm in a low oven for 10 minutes to refresh the texture.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use other dried fruits instead of raisins and cranberries?
Yes, feel free to substitute with sultanas, chopped dates, or apricots to suit your taste. Just make sure to soak them in rum or juice for moisture and flavor.
Is it necessary to soak the fruit in rum?
Soaking the fruit adds depth and moistens the fruit for a tender crumb, but you can use fruit juice or skip soaking entirely if preferred, keeping in mind it will slightly change the flavor.
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Stollen Wreath with Dried Cranberries, Pistachios, and Marzipan Recipe
- Total Time: About 2 hours including rising and cooling time
- Yield: 1 stollen wreath (serves approximately 10-12) 1x
Description
This Stollen Wreath recipe combines traditional German holiday flavors with a festive twist, featuring a soft, yeasted dough enriched with soaked dried fruits, chopped pistachios, and a marzipan center. Baked to a golden perfection and adorned with a sweet fondant glaze and decorative cranberries and pistachios, it makes a stunning centerpiece for your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Mixture
- 85g raisins
- 50g dried cranberries, plus extra to decorate
- 100g carton mixed peel
- 4 tbsp dark rum
Dough
- 550g strong white bread flour
- 2 x 7g sachets easy-bake yeast
- 50g golden caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch nutmeg
- zest 1 lemon
- 85g butter, cut into pieces
- 250ml milk
- 1 egg, beaten, plus extra beaten egg to glaze
- 50g pistachios, peeled and chopped, plus extra, sliced, to decorate
Filling and Decoration
- 300g marzipan (bought or homemade)
- 100g fondant icing sugar
- 2–3 tsp water (for icing)
- holly sprig, to decorate
Instructions
- Soak Fruits: Mix the raisins, dried cranberries, and mixed peel in a bowl. Pour over the dark rum and leave to soak while preparing the dough to allow the fruits to plump and infuse with flavor.
- Prepare Dough Base: In a large bowl, tip in the strong white bread flour. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt, the easy-bake yeast sachets, golden caster sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, and lemon zest until evenly combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Rub the butter pieces into the flour mixture using finger tips until the texture resembles fine crumbs, creating a rich, tender dough base.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Warm the milk until hand-hot and mix it with the beaten egg. Pour this mixture into the flour and stir with a round-bladed knife to form a soft dough, adding a little more milk if necessary to gather any dry crumbs.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Prepare Fruit and Nuts: Stir the chopped pistachios into the soaked fruits, ensuring even distribution.
- First Rolling and Filling: Knead the dough 2-3 times to release air. Roll it out to a 37cm x 17cm rectangle. Spread one-third of the fruit and pistachio mix centrally, leaving the edges clear. Fold the sides over the fruit so they slightly overlap, pressing edges with a rolling pin to seal.
- Repeat Rolling and Filling: Turn the dough and repeat spreading and folding two more times, finishing with a final roll out to a 55cm x 16cm rectangle.
- Add Marzipan: Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape slightly shorter than the dough length. Place it down the center and roll the dough over it. Turn the dough over so the seam is underneath.
- Shape Stollen Wreath: Lift the dough onto a buttered baking sheet. Curl the dough around a buttered 12cm round cake tin or an 800g clean food can for the center hole. Brush the ends with beaten egg and pinch firmly to seal.
- Second Rise: Cover the shaped dough and let it rise for 30-45 minutes or until puffed and doubled in size.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C/gas mark 5). Brush the risen dough with beaten egg and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and Transfer: Allow the stollen wreath to cool briefly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Icing and Decorate: Mix 2-3 teaspoons of water into the fondant icing sugar to create a drizzle consistency. Once the stollen is cooled, drizzle the icing over the wreath. Scatter extra dried cranberries and sliced pistachios on top and finish by decorating with a holly sprig.
Notes
- If you don’t have a 12cm round cake tin for the center hole, use a clean 800g food can as a mold; the hole will be slightly smaller but still effective.
- Soaking the fruits in rum softens them and infuses the stollen with flavor, but you can soak overnight for a richer taste.
- Marzipan can be homemade or store-bought depending on preference and convenience.
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, when mixing with egg to avoid cooking the egg prematurely.
- For best results, allow the stollen to cool completely before glazing and decorating to prevent icing from melting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes to 1 hour for dough rise and 30-45 minutes for second rise)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Keywords: Stollen wreath, marzipan, German Christmas bread, holiday baking, yeast bread, festive wreath bread
