This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions, from when I was a child. It's called German Stollen--and it's a recipe that my family always used to make on Christmas Eve, for breakfast on Christmas morning. If you look up recipes on the internet for German Stollen, they are all like these crappy fruitcake recipes, so I'm not really sure where my mom got this one, but it makes a really yummy sweet roll dough, and it's really pretty when you get done. I took some pictures of the process...here's the recipe:
German Stollen (makes 3 pizza size pans)
3 C. Warm Water
1/2 C. Sugar
3 T. Yeast
4 Eggs
3 t. Salt
4 T. Oil
9 C. White Flour
Topping:
3 C. Sugar
1 T. Maple Extract
2 T. Cinnamon
1 C. Chopped Pecans
Icing:
2 C. Powdered Sugar
1 t. Vanilla
1 T. Butter (melted)
dash salt
You also need 1 C. melted butter for the layers.
Add yeast to warm water with sugar and let it sit until it bubbles, then add eggs, salt, oil, and flour (gradually). Add enough flour to make the dough come off the sides of the bosch, but not too much or you will lose the elasticity of your dough. Knead dough for 10 min. and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover with warm damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled. (I warm my oven to 150, then turn it off and let it rise in the oven with the oven door cracked). Punch dough down and divide into 9 equal pieces. (Divide into 3, then each 3 into 3 more, get it?) Roll each piece into a circle and place on pizza pan layering dough, melted butter, and topping. After 3 layers, cut with circle cookie cutter in the middle. (I use a plastic cup). Using scissors, cut all the way around the circle stopping 1 in. from the middle. Twist each individual piece of dough and tuck the end under, pushing it toward the middle. Set aside to rise for 10 minutes. Cook at 350 for 15-20 min. or until golden brown. YUM!
Use the tutorial below to help you with the steps:
First, you make the dough--I use my Bosch & it makes it really easy...let it rise, (while you torture your brother and sister)and then separate it into 9 equal pieces.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle as large as your pizza pan. Place the dough circle onto your greased pizza pan and slather on plenty of butter, and the cinnamon sugar mixture. Add pecans if desired. Do this for 2 more layers--(3 total).
Do this for all 3 pizza pans, and now you are ready to make it look pretty! First, take a cup or cookie cutter, and cut a hole in the center of your dough all the way through (about 3 inches around).
Now, using clean scissors, or kitchen shears, cut the three layers up to the circle leaving about 1/2 inch space before you get to the circle you cut. Do this equally, first 4 quarters, then eighths, till you have 16 equal pieces.
Now, you are going to twist each piece 3 times around, tucking the dough under after you twist. When the pieces are all twisted, push the pieces neatly in toward the center of the pizza pan, squishing them all together.
After they are all cooked, this is what they look like, then drizzle icing over the top!:
Pretty, huh? And this was even with my kids helping me--so anyone can do it! There you have it--just put icing on, and you're ready for a YUMMY Christmas breakfast! I like mine warmed in the microwave, with a little butter!
