Stollen Cake

2 x mixing bowls, large baking tray and clean tea towel

100g sultanas
50g currants
50g mixed peel
25g flaked almonds
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon, grated rind
3 tbsp dark rum or apple juice
50g butter, softened
250g Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour
2 tsp Doves Farm Quick Yeast
50g caster sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
150ml tepid milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
200g marzipan
50g butter, for brushing
50g icing sugar
butter, for tray
flour, for dusting

180°C, Fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4   

1. Weigh the sultanas, currants, mixed peel, almonds, vanilla extract, grated lemon rind and rum into a bowl, stir, then cover and leave to stand for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Leave the butter to soften.
3. Put the flour, yeast, sugar and nutmeg into a bowl and blend them together.
4. Stir in the milk followed by lemon juice then, using your hands, gather everything together to form a doughy mass.
5. Knead the dough, in the bowl, for 25 presses.
6. Chop the butter into very small cubes.
7. Add the butter cubes to the dough and knead until the butter is distributed.
8. Invert a large bowl over the dough bowl and leave it in a warm place for the dough to double in size, which will take about two hours.
9. Rub some butter around the inside of a large baking tray.
10. Knead the dough for 75 presses.
11. Tip the soaking fruit onto the dough and knead until combined.
12. Dust the work surface with a little flour, turn out the dough and lightly dust that with flour.
13. For one stollen, shape the dough into a 25 x 12cm/10 x 5” oval.
14. OR, for two stollens, cut the dough in half and shape each into a 20 x 10cm/8 x 4” oval.
15. Roll the marzipan into a 25cm/10” cylinder or two 20cm/8” cylinders.
16. Place the larger cylinder in the middle of the larger dough oval or the smaller cylinders on the smaller dough ovals.
17. Moisten the edges of the dough with water.
18. Lift up the edges of the dough pinching it together to seal in the marzipan.
19. Transfer the stollen(s) to the prepared baking tray, pressing any exposed fruits back into the dough.
20. Brush the outside of the stollen with some of the melted butter.
21. Cover the cake(s) with a clean tea towel and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour.
22. Pre-heat the oven 20 minutes before you are going to bake.
23. Remove the tea towel and bake for 35-40 minutes.
24. Take the cake(s) out of the oven and brush all over with the remaining melted butter and leave to cool.
25. Sieve the icing sugar over all sides of the cake(s).
26. When cold, wrap the stollen(s) and keep in a tin or a cool place.