Ingredients:
750g flour, 275g butter, 90g sugar, 75g yeast, 185g tepid milk, 500g raisins, 75g chopped sweet almonds, 20g chopped bitter almonds, 70g candied lemon peel, 15g candied orange peel, grated peel of 1/2 lemon, 1 pinch of salt, 1/2 vanilla pod, 1 pinch of ground cinnamon, 1 pinch of ground cardamom, 1 pinch of ground mace.
Preparation:
Sift some of the flour onto the work surface and make a well in the centre. Break up the yeast, add a little of the milk and sugar and mix to a loose dough. Dust with flour and leave to rest for approx. 15 mins. Next work to a firm dough adding the rest of the flour and milk and the butter cut into pieces. Leave the dough to rest in a warm place for approx. 20 mins. in a bowl covered with a tea towel. Mix the other ingredients well and knead them into the "stollen" mixture. Allow to rest for another 20 mins. then shape into a "stollen" and make two grooves lengthways. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees C for between 35 and 50 mins. Once cooled, spread generously with melted butter. Leave for 2-3 weeks and then dust with icing sugar before serving.
Bake our gingerbread men at home using this easy traditional recipe.
Melt together 50g clarified butter, 300g honey and 100g sugar - do not boil, allow to cool slightly. Work 300g flour, 2 eggs, salt, 150g ground almonds, 15g mixed spice and the honey mixture into a dough - cover and allow to stand at room temperature for at least 48 hours. 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp. baker's ammonia - mix each with 1 tbsp. of water and work into the dough. Roll out the mixture, cut the shapes out and decorate. Bake for 10-15 mins. at 180 degrees C and allow to cool.
