Holy Church instituted Advent as a time of expectation for the Solemnity of Christmas. And “Stollen” is a delicious German bread that can well symbolize the preparation of our hearts for the coming of the Saviour.
Let us imagine how paradisiacal it must have been for the Holy Family to live together in the humble house of Nazareth, and how the Divine Child, when hungry, asked His Mother for some food.
What would She give to Jesus? A piece of bread? If She did so, it would obviously be a first-class delicacy. For if “the fragrance of the bread tells the truth about the baker,” as the saying goes, what would be the aroma of the food prepared by the Queen of Heaven and earth?
Let us go forward in time to the German city of Dresden in the middle of the 15th century. A Butter-Verbot1 still existed in the Church at that time, which prohibited the consumption of butter during periods of abstinence. For this reason, during Advent the inhabitants of Dresden prepared a bread called Stollen, made only of water, yeast, flour and vegetable oil.
Its taste was so unpleasant to Ernst of Saxony and his brother Albert that they decided to ask Pope Nicholas V for permission to include butter in its preparation, at least for the meals made at court. The request, however, was rejected by the Pontiff. Persevering in their objective, the princes continued to insist with each of the Popes who succeeded him until, at last, Innocent VIII heeded them.
At first, only the nobles benefited from the privilege, but soon it was extended to all the people. As time went by, Stollen’s preparation was enriched, bringing us the present-day recipe: a lightly fermented sweet bread, containing plenty of butter, spices, dried and crystallized fruits, among other ingredients.
Each Stollen has a unique flavour, depending on the baker. The varieties have multiplied over time and there are even those who keep their recipe secret. But it has become a typical bread for the Christmas season, whose oblong shape and white dusting reminds Germans of the Divine Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Furthermore, Stollen also has another characteristic that evokes the Child Jesus. The inhabitants of Dresden say that, in order to obtain optimum results, its preparation must begin six months before the Christmas celebrations, which in some way makes it a symbol of Advent itself.
“Nemo summo fit repenter,” 2 as the Latin adage says… The Blessed Virgin had to wait nine months to give birth to her Only-begotten Son, during which time She constantly grew in sublime intimacy and loving rapport with Him. And the Holy Church, in her wisdom, instituted a time of meditation and waiting to purify our souls with a view to the Solemnity of Christmas.
Thus, while the Stollen ages in the German pastry chef’s workshop, or in the pantry of our home, and Mary prepares for the arrival of the Child Jesus, let us prepare our spirit for this great event. Let us offer the Redeemer our heart as a warm shelter, so that, affectionately received there, He may reign over each one of us. ◊
How to Prepare a Stollen for this Christmas
Ingredients
1st part: 500 g (3 1/3 cups) of flour / 1 tablespoon of dry yeast / 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar (optional) / a pinch of salt / zest of 5 lemons and 5 oranges / 1 teaspoon of cardamom / 1 teaspoon of cinnamon / 1 teaspoon of anise / a pinch of nutmeg.
2nd part: 2 eggs / 375 g (1 1/2 cups) of butter / 250 g (1 cup) of ricotta cheese / 100 g (1/2 cup) of sugar / 6 drops of almond extract. Some of the butter can be replaced with vegetable shortening, but the dough will not be as soft and will be more prone to crumbling.
3rd part: 200 g (1 1/3 cups) of golden raisins / (1 1/3 cups) 200 g of Thompson raisins / 100 g (3/4 cup) of ground almonds / 200 g (2/3 cup) of dried apricots and 100 g (1/3 cup) of candied fruit, all finely cubed / rum or cognac.
Topping: 100 g (1/2 cup) of butter / 50 g (1/3 cup) of confectioner’s sugar / 50 g (1/3 cup) of vanilla sugar (or omit and double the confectioner’s sugar).
Instructions
Soak the raisins in rum or cognac for forty-eight hours before beginning.
In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the first part. For added flavour, start with whole spices and grind them just before using. Mix the ingredients for the second part in a blender.
Add the liquid ingredients (part 2) to the dry ingredients (part 1) and stir until smooth. Gently stir in the ingredients of the third part. Pour the mixture into bread pans, lightly greased with butter and sprinkled with flour. Place in preheated oven (350 F) and bake until golden brown (approximately 30-40 minutes). Test with toothpick to see if baked through.
While the bread is still warm, remove it from the pans and cover with the topping: Brush generously with melted butter, and then dust with the mixture of the two sugars (confectioner’s and vanilla). Handle the bread gently so as to avoid any cracking.
Wrap tightly in aluminium foil and keep in a dry cool place (not the fridge). In warmer climates, one week will be sufficient. However, for best results it is best to leave the Stollen age for at least one month.
If you decide to let it age for a longer period, injecting amaretto into it with a syringe once a week will preserve it and enhance the flavour. As a variation to the recipe, the Stollen can be covered with marzipan, coated with semi-sweet chocolate and decorate it with slivered almonds.
