Butter Stollen

On the day before baking sift the flour into a bowl and keep warm.

On baking day make a depression in the middle of the flour. Whisk the yeast with 1 tbsp sugar in the warm milk, and pour into the depression and stir with a little of the flour mix forming a thick paste. Cover with flour and let rise. Stir the soft butter, and spread on the flouredge (?), do the same with the sugar and all the spices. With the good gegangenen Hefestück (Hefestück = small fruit tart/Danish), work all the ingredients through very carefully and let rise 30-60 minutes, not letting it get too warm.

When the Stollen comes out of the oven (when did it go in the oven?), brush it immediately brushed with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

The Stollen can be different shapes. Cut and whipped Stollen are distinguished. For a cut Stollen make a long loaf and with a sharp knife, cut lengthwise in the middle 1/2 inch deep. For the opened Stollen also form a loaf, but then press a long, wide groove into the loaf using either a rolling pin or the edge of the hand pushing slightly to the side as you go along. Beat the narrow longitudinal side up.

Allow the refurbished/reprocessed/worked off (aufgearbeiteten) Stollen to rise only a short time (15 minutes) and bake at medium heat for at least 60 minutes.

To create a thick sugar crust, sprinkle the Stollen repeatedly with hot butter and sugar.

Wrap the cooled stollen in white paper or cloth, and refrigerate. It should rest for at least 1 week before being cut.