Stollen is a deliciously rich and buttery fruit bread, which is said to have originated in 14th-century Germany. Traditionally stollen are cooked in special pans, which give the loaves their classic shape, but if you haven’t got a stollen pan you can just shape the dough into a loaf on the baking sheet with your hands.
a 38 x 13-cm/15 x 5-in stollen pan, greased and lined
Makes 1 large loaf
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F) Gas 4.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs with 3½ tablespoons of the melted butter, sour cream and sugar. Stir in the vanilla extract, pistachios, pecans, orange zest, spices, marzipan, sultanas/golden raisins and raisins. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and then invert onto a baking sheet so that the dough is covered by the pan. If you do not have a stollen pan, shape the dough into a long oval loaf, about 35 x 20 cm/14 x 8 in, dusting your hands with flour as you work.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40–50 minutes, until the top of the stollen is golden, gently lifting away the pan (if using) to see if it is cooked. Brush the cooked loaf with the remaining melted butter and dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar, which will be absorbed by the butter to give the loaf a sugary coating.
This stollen will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.