Stollen Spirals. Doughy Deliciousness.

I have been dying to make this BBC Good Food recipe for ages and now, in my lady of leisure state, I at last have had the opportunity.  

The recipe is surprisingly easy to make and freezes incredibly well.  Although don’t imagine that you’ll be getting the dense almost stale consistency of the shop-bought stollen, this is a recipe that more resembles a Christmas hot cross bun dough with a line of marzipan and orange soaked fruits.  Perfect for a Christmas tea by the fire (or by the sea) and even more perfect for a quick and easy breakkie.

Ingredients (makes 11-12 buns)

I orange, zest only

4 tbsp Cointreau or Triple Sec

85 g dried cranberries

85 g dried mixed fruit

550 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

2 x 7 g dried yeast

85 g caster sugar

half a nutmeg, finely grated

85 g unsalted butter

1 large free range egg

250 ml warm milk

25 g chopped nuts (unsalted)

300 g golden marzipan

To decorate

Melted butter and icing sugar, icing sugar missed with a little water

Method

1. Stir together the zest, booze, cranberries and dried fruit, warm then cover and set aside.

2. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Add ½ tsp salt and run in the butter.

3. Beat the egg into the milk, make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in.  Use a dinner knife to stir in the flour then get your hands mucky.  Bring together to form a soft dough, adding a little more milk if absolutely necessary.

4. Tip onto a work surface and knead for a couple of minutes.  Oil the bowl, return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and allow to sit in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in size.

5. Line a smallish roasting tin with butter then greaseproof paper and heat the oven to 190C.

5. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and roll into a rectangle 70 x 18 cm.

6. Sprinkle over the fruit and nuts.  Roll the marzipan into a sausage 70 cm long and then place along one long edge of the dough. 

7. Roll up the whole lot like a sausage roll, then trim the ends and cut into 11-12 pieces.  Sit cut side up in the roasting tray.  Cover with clingfilm and allow to rise until double in size.

8. Remove clingfilm and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden.  Allow to cool on a wore rack and then freeze or ice and eat immediately.