Stollen

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Stollen je kolač sa suvim voćem i (opciono) marcipanom, i karakterističan je kao božićni kolač u Nemačkoj. Meni ovo spada u kategoriju "kuglof-like" kolača, s razlikom što se Stollen pravi sa kvascem i ima malo šećera u testu, a kod nas je više uobičajen kolač tog tipa koji se pravi sa praškom za pecivo ili sodom, i malo je više sladak iznutra. Stollen je bio tema decembarskog izazova za ljubitelje testa po imenom Fresh from the oven, a zadala ga je Jules sa bloga Butcher, Baker.

Izazov veći od samog kolača za mene je bio marcipan. Iako ga deklarativno ne volim, tj. spada u nešto što mogu da pojedem ali nisam baš oduševljena, ipak sam htela da ga upotrebim u kolaču, da bih ispratila recept. Na par mesta za koja znam da su imala marcipan u prodaji, nisam uspela da nadjem. Rešila sam da ga sama napravim, po Željkovom receptu. Osim što sam dobila potreban sastojak za kolač, shvatila sam i zašto do sada nisam volela marcipan. U pitanju su arome! Marcipan napravljen SAMO od badema, prah šećera i šećernog sirupa mi se baš dopada. Aroma gorkog badema koja je inače karakteristična za Amaretto mene podseća na miris Carbofix lepka i totalno mi je odbojna. Tačno je to, za moj ukus, bio problem i sa industrijskim marcipanom ili proizvodima od njega.

Mladji sin je bio glavni pomagač kod skidanja ljuski sa blanširanih badema. Badem sam dalje prosušila u mlakoj rerni i samlela dva puta, kako je stajalo u receptu, ali opet nisam imala baš idealno sitno samleven prah. Što nije bio neki problem da se maricpan-testo ipak lepo zamesi.


Koliko sam shvatila, obavezan sastojak nemačkog Stollena su i kandirane trešnje, a ja sam ih preskočila, i stavila suvo voće koje sam imala - kajsije, šljive, groždjice i brusnice. Pečen kolač se premazuje rumom, pa otopljenim puterom, pa obilno posipa prah šećerom. To sam sve ispratila, iako nisam neki ljubitelj ruma. Mislim da nisam pogrešila jer rum ne osećam izdvojeno. Ili sam možda samo sazrela za neke ukuse koje ranije nisam volela.

Recept Simmon Rimera je bio detaljan i nisam imala nikakvih problema prilikom pripreme. Krajnji utisak je - odličan kolač, mirisan i ukusan, idealan za uz kafu ili šolju hladnog mleka.

Sastojci:
za testo
100 ml toplog mleka
½ kocke svežeg kvasca
prstohvat soli
3 kašičice šećera
225 g brašna
1 kašičica mešavine začina (ja stavila cimet, mustakni orah i sumac)
200 g mešanog suovg voća (ja stavila kajsije, šljive, groždjice i brusnice)
50 g listića badema
50 g putera
1 jaje
250 g marcipana (ako ga nemate, može se napraviti!)

za premazivanje i posipanje
oko 25 ml
25 otopljenog putera
50 g prah šećera

Postupak:
1. Istopiti kvasac u toplom mleku. Ostaviti sa strane.
2. U medjuvremenu u većoj posudi pomešati prosejano brašno, so, šećer i začine. Dodati iseckano suvo voće, badem listiće I omekšali puter, izmešati. Uliti mleko sa kvascem, i sve još jednom dobro izmešati.
3. Dodati jaje i mešati varjačom da se dobije meko testo, oko 5-6 minuta. Pokriti plastičnom folijom i ostaviti da odstoji 20 minuta. Posle tog vremena testo prabaciti na radnu površinu dobro posutu brašnom, ruke takodje posuti brašnom, pa premesiti nekoliko puta.
4. Razviti testo po dužini malo veće od pleha u kome će se peći (četvrtasti kalup za hleb) a po širini dovoljno da se može umotati rolna. Marcipan razviti u valjak malo kraći od dužine testa, staviti ga na sredinu testa i napaviti rolnu. Krajeve testa slepiti ili podviti ka unutra, da marcipan sa svih strana bude dobro upakovan. Prebaciti na pleh obložen papirom za pečenje tako da strana sa šavom ide dole. Pokriti plastičnom folijom i ostaviti da narasta jedan sat na toplom mestu.
5. Peći oko 30 minuta u rerni zagrejanoj na 180°C ili dok kolač ne dobije zlatno braon boju a sredina postane suva (proveriti čačkalicom).
6. Pečen kolač premazati rumom koristeći veću četkicu, zatim premazati otopljenim puterom i na kraju posuti prah šećerom. Ostaviti da se skroz ohladi pre sečenja.

Roundup


Stollen is a kind of fruitcake with marzipan, popular as a Christmas cake in Germany. For me, it is a kind of Gugelhupf-like cake, with yeast instead of baking powder or soda, and with less sugar added to the dough itself. Stollen was December challenge for Fresh from the oven event, selected by Jules of Butcher, Baker.

For my very case, the challenge of challenges was to prepare marzipan. I used to say for myself that I don't like the taste of Marzipan. But I wanted to follow the recipe completely and intended to use it. A few stores who always had marzipan haven't had it this time, so I decided to make it from the scratch following Zeljko's recipe (recipe in Serbian). What I got is more then just Stollen ingredient - I got revelation that I don't like the aroma of bitter almond, not marzipan itself! My marzipan was made out of ground almonds, icing sugar and sugar syrup, and I really enjoyed the taste. The smell of store bought marzipan reminds me of "Carbofix" glue, a paper glue which was widely used in my country when I was a child. Amaretto has the same smell, and I don't like it neither.

My younger son was assisting with marzipan production, he was removing skin from freshly blanched almonds :) This step was followed by drying the almonds in the oven preheated to 45-50°C, and grounding them. I couldn't manage to get the finest almond powder, but it made no harm to final almond paste.


If I understood well, glaced cherries are a must ingredient of German Stollen, but I had to skip them as I only had dried fruits that are common for me - apricots, plums, raisins and cranberries. Once baked, cake is to be brushed with rum and melted butter, then dusted generously with icing sugar. I followed those instructions completely, even though rum taste is another thing I don't like. I'm glad I did it, as I can say that I couldn't "feel" the rum taste separately, it just added that something to the glaze. Or maybe I'm just getting older and more opened for new tastes in general.

Recipe originates from Simon Rimmer, and it was really easy to follow, I had no problems with it at all. My overall opinion is - excellent cake, ideal when served with a cup of coffee or a cup of cold milk.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ingredients:
100 ml warm milk
20 g fresh yeast
pinch salt
3 tsp caster sugar
225 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp ground mixed spice
200 g mixed dried fruit
50 g flaked almonds
50 g unsalted butter
1 free-range egg, beaten
250 g marzipan

To finish
rum
25g butter, melted
50g icing sugar

Directions:
1. Place the milk and yeast into a bowl and mix well. Leave to sit for 5-6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sift the salt, sugar, flour and mixed spice into a large bowl. Add the dried fruit, almonds and butter and mix well then stir in the yeasty milk and mix well.
3. Add the egg and stir to form a dough. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, then cover and leave to prove for 20 minutes. Uncover the dough and turn out onto a clean, floured work surface. Knock the dough back to reduce the volume, then knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.
4. Push the dough out by hand into a flat oval shape about 23cm x 18cm/9in x 7in. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape a little shorter than the dough. Place the marzipan into the center of the dough, then fold over the sides of the dough to seal in the marzipan. Then fold in the ends of the dough to contain the marzipan and help give the dough shape. Place the stollen seal-side down onto a greased baking tray. Cover and place somewhere warm to prove for one hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the stollen on the baking tray into the oven to bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through.
6. To finish, remove the stollen from the oven, brush with the rum then melted butter and dust liberally with icing sugar immediately. Allow the stollen to cool, then serve in slices.