Kerststol (Dutch Christmas Bread)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Bench scraper
• •Baking tray lined with parchment
• •Pastry brush
• •Serrated bread knife
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the fruit

   Put the raisins, sultanas, and currants in a bowl and cover them with just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Drain them very well, pat them dry, then toss with the chopped sukade and the orange juice or brandewijn. Dry fruit steals moisture from dough like a tax collector, so give it a drink first and dry it before it enters the bowl.

   If the fruit goes in wet, it makes pockets in the dough. If it goes in dry, it robs the crumb. Plump, drain, dry: three small verbs, one better loaf.
2. 2

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, mace or nutmeg, and lemon zest. Add the lukewarm milk and the beaten egg, keeping 1 tablespoon of the egg aside for the almond paste. Stir until a rough dough forms, then knead in the softened butter a little at a time. The dough will look untidy before it looks obedient. Keep going.

3. 3

   Knead and rise

   Knead for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough is elastic and springs back when pressed. Flatten it slightly, scatter over the drained fruit and peel, and fold the dough over itself until the fruit is evenly tucked through. Put it back in the bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until puffed and nearly doubled, about 75 to 90 minutes.

4. 4

   Make the spijs

   Knead the amandelspijs with the reserved tablespoon of beaten egg until it softens and becomes workable. Roll it into a log about 28 to 30cm long. This is the quiet heart of the Kerststol, and it should run through the loaf in one honest seam, not appear in shy little patches.

5. 5

   Shape the loaf

   Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into an oval about 30 by 22cm. Lay the almond paste log lengthwise just off center. Fold the larger side of dough over the paste so the upper edge lands just short of the lower edge, then press gently along the log to seal it in place. That raised shoulder is part of the stol's shape; don't flatten it into sandwich bread.

6. 6

   Prove and bake

   Set the loaf on a parchment-lined baking tray, cover lightly, and let it prove for 45 to 60 minutes, until visibly puffy but not fragile. Heat the oven to 180C. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the center reads about 90C on a thermometer. If the top colours too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

   A Kerststol is enriched with butter, egg, fruit, and almond paste, so it browns before a plain loaf would. Colour is useful, but the center must be baked through.
7. 7

   Butter and sugar

   While the loaf is still hot from the oven, brush it generously with melted butter. Let it cool for 10 minutes, brush once more, then leave it to cool completely. Dust thickly with poedersuiker only once the loaf is cool, or the sugar will vanish into the crust and pretend it was never there.

8. 8

   Rest before slicing

   For the cleanest slices and the best flavour, wrap the cooled loaf and let it rest overnight. Slice with a serrated knife, showing the almond seam in every piece. Serve as it is, or with butter at Christmas breakfast. I prefer to keep it a bit more relaxed, in the Dutch way.

Chef Tips

• •Use real amandelspijs if you can. Marzipan is firmer and sweeter; it belongs more to confectionery than to the oven. If marzipan is all you have, knead it with a little beaten egg and lemon zest so it softens before baking.
• •Keep the spice modest. Cinnamon and a whisper of mace or nutmeg are enough. This is a fruit bread with almond at its heart, not speculaas wearing a loaf shape.
• •Bake it a day ahead. The butter settles, the fruit softens into the crumb, and the almond paste cuts more cleanly after a night's rest.
• •Serve with strong coffee or tea at Christmas breakfast. Later in the day, a small glass of oude genever beside a slice is not a scandal.

Advance Preparation

• •The dried fruit can be soaked, drained, and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead.
• •The loaf is best baked 1 day before serving; cool completely, wrap well, and dust with powdered sugar shortly before bringing it to the table.
• •Freeze the cooled loaf without powdered sugar for up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped, refresh briefly in a 150C oven, cool, then dust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)