Iced Rum & Almond Sourdough Stollen

My recipe for Iced Rum & Almond Sourdough Stollen is a spiced, enriched fruit bread with a rather generous layer of marzipan running through the middle, and it’s made with sourdough starter for all you sourdough bakers out there.

Christmas Baking

I love Stollen, that enriched fruit bead with marzipan running through the middle. And, my recipe today for Iced Rum & Almond Sourdough Stollen is exactly that, a spiced, enriched fruit bread with a rather generous layer of marzipan running through the middle. However, this is made with a sourdough starter, and has a rather decadent rum icing with flaked toasted almonds scattered over the top.

Yes, I know that a stollen usually has icing sugar on top, but I’ve added a rum icing and toasted flaked almonds to my recipe for Iced Rum & Almond Sourdough Stollen, as I’m not keen on icing sugar, it sets my teeth on edge and because that’s the way I roll! This is still, however, a beautifully enriched sourdough sweet bread that’s packed with fruit, citrus peel, eggs, butter and mixed spice, and, with that ubiquitous marzipan layer running through the middle.

You can of course omit the rum icing and almonds, and add a dusting of icing sugar over this stollen if you prefer, and if you are worried about serving a very boozy rum iced stollen to children, then make a zing citrus icing with lemon or orange juice.

This lasts very well in a covered tin or container for up to a week, not that we’ve managed to keep any that long here! If it is a wee bit fry towards the end, then just reheat it for a few seconds in the microwave, or make a fabulously festive bread and butter pudding with it.

This will be the showstopper for your Christmas tea time table, it looks amazing and tastes utterly divine, trust me on this.

Substitutions and Baking Tips

• In place of the icing, you can sprinkle the stollen with icing sugar in a more traditional way.
• Use lemon or orange juice in place of the rum for the icing.
• Sherry and brandy is also wonderful in the icing.
• For a festive look, add glace cherries as decoration.
• Use yellow or white marzipan.
• Add chopped dried apricots and cranberries to the dried fruit mix.
• The dried fruit can be soaked in rum before using, drain before adding to the dough.

Step-by-Step Shaping Instructions

• Once the dough is smooth and elastic (see above) and it will have risen by now too, cover with cling film/shower cap and set to one side in a cool place to prove overnight. (I use my pantry which is about 10 degrees C or my fridge if I have room
• In the morning, the dough will have risen overnight and you will have a large, round ball of smooth dough that’s ready to bake after the stollen has been shaped.

• Line a large baking tray/sheet with non-stick baking parchment. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and using the palm of your hand, gently press it out into a large rectangular shape, about 14″ x 10″ (35cm x 20cm). Cover the dough and set aside to rest for 20 to30 minutes.

• Pre-heat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/375F//Gas mark 65whilst the dough is resting.
• After half an hour, roll the marzipan out to make a long flat sausage shape that fits inside the stollen dough. Place the marzipan in the middle of the dough and roll it up to make a large roll shape, making sure the sealed side is underneath.

• At this stage you can allow it to rest and rise again for up to 1 hour. You can also bake it straight away, which I normally do. Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until it has risen, is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it underneath.

• Gently slide the stollen onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing. Drizzle and spoon the rum icing over the top of the stollen and scatter the toasted flaked almonds over the icing before it sets.
• Serve the stollen cut into slices. Store it an airtight container for up to a week.

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More Christmas Baking and Fruit Bread Recipes

• Mincemeat Soda Bread
• Mincemeat Bread and Butter Pudding
• Lincolnshire Plum Bread

• Overnight Country Fruit Bread
• Mincemeat Scones for the Christmas Tea Time Table
• Sugar Frosted Orange & Brandy Mince Pies

• Easy Microwave Mincemeat Christmas Pudding Recipe
• Traditional Victorian Christmas Pudding Recipe
• Traditional Mincemeat for Christmas Mince Pies

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Iced Rum & Almond Sourdough Stollen Recipe