Stollen Loaf

What is it like?

- Filled with festive flavors

- Easy to adapt to your taste (fill with current, raisins, cranberries, nuts or chocolate!)

Recipe

This bread is delightfully festive. It is rich and tender—similar to brioche but packed with dried fruit, brushed with butter, and covered in a dusting of powdered/icing sugar. It is sure to make a wonderful addition to any holiday dinner.

Dry
2 cups plus 2 tbsp (294g) Steve’s GF Bread Flour Blend (Authentic Foods brand)
2 1/2 tbsp (30g) sugar
1/2 tsp (3g) salt
1 1/8 tsp (3g) instant yeast
1 tsp mixed spice or pumpkin spice (see note)

Wet
3/4 cup (180g) warm water
1/3 cup (45g) Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
3 tbsp (40g) olive oil
2 eggs, large

1 cup dried fruit

To finish
2 tsp butter, melted
1-2 tbsp powdered/icing sugar, to dust

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, yeast) in the bowl of the standing mixture.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (water, butter, olive oil, and eggs).

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix using the paddle attachment. Once the flour is incorporated, mix on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.

4. Mix in the dried fruit ingredients until incorporated. Pour into a greased bread pan (8 x 4 inches works well, or about 20 X 10 cm). A larger pan is fine too, as stollen is often wider and flatter.

5. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with oil so it does not stick to the dough. Place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It will feel full of air and slightly “spongy” when it is done proofing.

6. While the dough rises, preheat oven to 350F/180C. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until quite browned on top. Allow to cool completely 1-2 hours (see note). Enjoy warm and topped with butter.

Notes:

• The mixed spice (or pumpkin spice) makes the loaf slightly darker but gives it a wonderful flavor. Recommended!

• Bake time: bake time for bread can be little tricky. If your loaf ends up being gummy once it has completely cooked, that means it was under baked (or ingredients were not measured properly).

• Cooling time: If you slice into the loaf when it is warm, it will be a little gummy. The texture 1-2 hours later, once it is cool, is excellent. And it is even better the next day. 

• Dried fruit: I used an equal mix of 1/4 cup each: currents, cranberries, walnuts, chocolate chips and 2 slices of orange peel. 

Classic Brioche

What are they like?

- Tender & rich

- Good for, well, just about anything (savory or sweet!)

Recipe

About 12 Servings, Prep 20 min + 1.5 hours rising and baking

This recipe is slightly adapted from Authentic Foods to be dairy free. These buns can be used for sandwiches, paired with sweet fillings, or simply enjoyed warm with butter. The bread flour blend can be used to make host of other bread recipes, such as baguettes, pita bread, or bagels.

Dry
4 1/4 cups (588g) Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Flour Blend (see note above)
5 tbsp (64g) sugar
1 1/4 tsp (6g) salt
1 packet (7g) instant yeast

Wet
1 1/2 cups (360g) warm water
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp (104g) Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
6 tbsp (80g) olive oil
4 eggs, large

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, yeast) in the bowl of the standing mixture.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients.

3. Add the wet ingredients to to the dry and mix using a paddle attachment. Once the flour is incorporated, mix on medium-high speed for two minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape them into domes.

5. Cover with a flipped over baking tray (leaving space for them to rise). Alternatively, you can use a sheet of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with oil so it does not stick to the buns. Place the buns in a warm place and allow to rise until about double in volume, about 1 hour. If the dough bounces back very slowly when pressed, the buns are done proofing.

6. While the buns rise, preheat oven to 350F/180C.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they start to brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle of the buns reads 190F/88C. Rotate halfway through baking.

Notes:

This dough is on the sticky side. To make it easier to work with, I often oil my hands. Or you can place it in the fridge overnight and work with it when it is cold. The rising period will just take longer (probably about three hours after it is shaped) because the dough will have to come up to room temperature before rising.