Baking Powder Stollen worth making

I had posted  about this under a heading of how to sub. for cream cheese. I wanted to post my followup and findings under a better heading as I believe this is a worthwhile recipe for my collection. I am starting a new category of recipes that take less time and skill but are still reflective of the original in taste and hopefully texture. Not sure what to call the category yet.

Original post:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/54636/best-way-sub-out-high-fat-cream-cheese

So here is the start of the new post.

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Original recipe from MiniOven:

BAKING POWDER STOLLEN from MiniOven 

Stollen (Baking Powder)

• 500g fine ground flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 200g sugar 

Combine together on a board or clean counter top. Make a dent in middle and add:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 pkg vanilla sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 250g cream cheese 20% fat, no salt
• 200g Mixed shortenings cut into small pieces: 50g each butter, margarine, coconut, lard (or however) and scatter around on the flour.

Starting in the wet middle work with the fingers to mix, slowly adding the dry to form a dough. Knead but do not overwork. 

Chop fine and fold into dough:

• 125g almonds
• 250g raisins
• 100g Aranzini or candied orange peel
• 100g Zitronat or candied lemon peel

Shape into 3 or 4 small oval loaves and place on parchment paper in a baking sheet. Push any exposed fruit pieces back inside loaf. 

Bake (middle rack) 200°c (390°F) first 15 minutes turning down to 180°c (350°F) for 30 - 45 minutes. Remove when golden brown or toothpick comes clean and 

Brush hot loaves with plenty of butter allowing it to soak in. Dust with heavy blanket of powdered sugar. Allow to cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

• Butter
• powdered sugar 
• one last ingredient: Rum, unknown quantity, used if dough seems too dry or drizzle over baked loaf before butter or offered in tea served with stollen. 

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SO here is my corrected development sheet:

BAKING POWDER STOLLEN

Based on MiniOven’s recipe-The Fresh Loaf

Stollen (Baking Powder)

390F for 15 minutes then 350F for 25-35 minutes.

2-4 loaves (4 loaves are gift sized)

Tastes much better on day 7 after baking-flavors mellowed. Still crumbly-better eaten like a cookie than like a bread.

Mix dry ingredients together:

Combine together on a board or clean counter top. Make a dent in middle and add the following ingredients:

• 250g cream cheese 20% fat, no salt Replace with potato for non-dairy

Starting in the wet middle work with the fingers to mix, slowly adding the dry to form a dough. Knead but do not overwork.

Becomes a soft,rich cookie dough consistency

Chop fine and fold into dough:

Shape into 3 or 4 small oval loaves and place on parchment paper in a baking sheet. Push any exposed fruit pieces back inside loaf.

** I added a mix of golden raisins and dried cherries I had on hand.

Bake (middle rack) 200°c (390°F) first 15 minutes turning down to 180°c (350°F) for 30 - 45 minutes. Remove when golden brown or toothpick comes clean. 

Brush hot loaves with plenty of butter allowing it to soak in. Dust with heavy blanket of granulated sugar and then powdered sugar. Allow to cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. 

• one last ingredient: Rum, unknown quantitiy, used if dough seems too dry or drizzle over baked loaf (or perhaps the baker?)before butter or offered in tea served with stollen. 

One week after bake and stollen is much better tasting. Still kind of crumbly- not sure if a little added liquid in the recipe would help or make it tough.

Here is MiniOven with her Baking Powder Stollen. Nice selfie,Mini!

Here is a crumb shot of my stolen. Mine was thinner and single layer :

I wonder if the thicker stollen was a little more moist?

So please enjoy the recipe. I think it is well worth a repeat next year. I don't always have time for some of the more involved holiday recipes and this fits the bill for my traditional Christmas and New Year's day breakfast with less time commitment.

Thank you, MiniOven, for this very delicious recipe.