Luchow's Stollen

Total Time: 15 hrs Preparation Time: 14 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 12 cups sifted flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 lb butter, melted
• 6 eggs
• 1 lb seedless raisin
• 1 lb currants
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cognac
• 2 1/4 cups blanched almonds, chopped
• 1/2 lb citron, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons cognac
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered)

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in 1/2 c warm water,.
• 2 sift flour into large mixing bowl. make a hollow in the center and work milk, butter, eggs and yeast mixture in until almost all is mixed.
• 3 wash and drain raisins and currants. soak a few minutes and then drain and combine with the rest of the ingredients, except topping ingredients.
• 4 mix by hand until all is mixed. dough will be stiff. knead and fold dough over on itself repeatedly until smooth and all ingredients are evenly distributed.
• 5 cover bowl lightly with folded towel. let stand in warm, not hot, place for 12 hours.
• 6 turn dough out on lightly floured board. pull in half. shape each half into a loaf with slightly pointed ends.
• 7 place each loaf onto a greased baking sheet. cover with a folded towel and let stand in a warm, not hot, place until doubled in bulk.
• 8 bake at 350 degrees f for about 1 hour.
• 9 while still warm, spread with the 1/2 c melted butter and sprinkle with cognac and powdered sugar.