Walnut Stollen

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g wheat flour, type 405
• 250 g butter
• 25 g fat (butterfat)
• 100 g sugar
• 1 cube of yeast (approx. 42g)
• 125 ml milk
• 50 ml maple syrup
• 3 g salt
• 400 g walnuts (tree nuts)
• ½ small bottle(s) of butter-vanilla flavoring

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 10 minutes

Walnut Stollen

Heat the milk to 40°C, put the sugar in a bowl, add the milk and yeast, and stir everything with a whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Add half of the flour and knead everything together. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the pre-dough, cover the bowl, and let it rise in a warm place. After 30 minutes, knead the pre-dough, 200g butter, the maple syrup, and the salt into a smooth dough, cover with a cloth, and let it rise again in a warm place for another 30 minutes. During this time, lightly toast the walnuts in a pan, stirring constantly, and then chop them finely with a mincing knife. Please do not use a mixer, as this will result in too high a semolina content and an unsightly Stollen. Add the chopped walnuts, knead everything together, and form it into a ball. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Shape the dough into a loaf, place on a baking tray, and let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. Brush the Stollen with water, make a shallow cut in the middle, and place in an oven preheated to 200°C. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 200°C/180°C with top and bottom heat, or 180°C/160°C with fan/convection oven. Top and bottom heat is better because the Stollen stays moister. Briefly bring the remaining 50g butter and clarified butter to a boil, then brush the Stollen with it straight after baking and sprinkle with a little sugar. Sprinkle the Stollen with icing sugar or snow before cutting.