Kerststol (Dutch Christmas Bread)

Welcome to Day #6 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen from Juanita’s Cocina! Each day we will be celebrating the holidays with a different set of Christmas-themed treats, as well as a fabulous Christmas giveaway. We hope you enjoy this fabulous event. Tune in each day starting Monday, December 9th and ending Saturday, December 14th.

I have been meaning to make Kerststol, the Dutch version of stollen or Christmas bread, for quite some time. Christmas week on the blog gives me the perfect opportunity, no? What a fun little project this was...

First, let me just say that I'm not a fan of candied fruit. Ick. But, give me some booze soaked golden raisins and cranberries, and I'm all over it. While there are many versions of Kerststol out there, it is versatile enough to make it my way.

Kerststol

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup orange liqueur

Sponge:
1 cup milk, warmed to 110 degrees F. (bathwater warm)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Dough:
all of the sponge
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
4-4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup almond paste

Combine the raisins, cranberries, and orange liqueur in a small bowl. Cover and let soak for several hours or overnight.

For the sponge, combine the milk, sugar and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

The sponge will give this rich dough a little jump start....

In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sponge, butter, eggs, sugar, orange and lemon peel, the spices, and 4 cups of the flour. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the mixture until the dough is rough and shaggy. Drain the fruit and add to the dough. Switch the paddle for the dough hook and knead the dough at medium speed for about 6 minutes, or until smooth, adding additional flour if needed.

This is what "shaggy" dough looks like...

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free area for 60 to 90 minutes or until about double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Gently deflate the dough and divide in two. Cover one of the halves with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll the remaining dough into an oval shape, roughly 8 X 12 inches (do this over parchment paper or a silpat for easy transfer on to the baking sheet).

Divide the almond paste in half. Roll each half into a long rope, about 10 inches. Place one of the almond paste rolls lengthwise down the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the almond paste lengthwise, and gently pinch to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and almond paste. Cover the bread with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

The Dutch do love their almond paste. Try toasting a slice and then spreading the warm almond paste over the bread. Yum!

Visit all the other Christmas Week Peeps for more Holiday Baking Goodness:

■     How To Make Perfect Gingerbread People by Cravings of a Lunatic

■     Slow Cooker Pumpkin Cobbler by Juanita’s Cocina

■     S’mores Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

■     Cherry Noir Noel by Noshing With The Nolands

■     Japanese Blondies by Ninja Baking

■     Peanut Brittle by Food Lust People Love

■     Elf Nibbles by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

■     Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookies with Salted Caramel by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen

■     Gingerbread Men Cookies by Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

■     Mint Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars by Mom’s Test Kitchen

■     Penuche by Cooking In Stilettos

■     Triple Orange Biscotti by Liv Life

■     Homemade Caramels by Jen’s Favorite Cookies

■     Kerststol (Dutch Christmas Bread) by The Dutch Baker’s Daughter

■     Dark Chocolate Orange Ricotta Tart with Honey Almond Crust by Cupcakes & Kale Chips

■     Tropical Toffee Brittle by Home Cooking Memories

■     Chocolate Raspberry Linzer Cookies by Pineapple and Coconut

■     Lemon-Pistachio and White Chocolate Biscotti by The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Today’s #ChristmasWeek giveaway comes courtesy of Cake Boss Baking. Cake Boss Baking is the new branded bake ware from Buddy Valastro, the talented chef and baker behind the TLC TV show, "Cake Boss". Cake Boss Baking features a full line of cake pans, decorating tools, dessert plates and more, with product for all levels of expertise.

Cake Boss Baking is offering one #ChristmasWeek reader the opportunity to win a prize package full of baking tools and essentials {ARV: $260}, including:

• 1 Basics 6 Cup Mini Loaf Pan
• 1 Deluxe 11x17 Cookie Pan with Drop Zones
• 1 Professional 3-Piece Cake Stacking Set - Round
• 1 Novelty 12 Cup Molded Cookie Pan - Star
• 1 Novelty 6 Cup Flower Cakelette Pan
• 1 12-Piece Basic Tip Set
• 1 Large 12" Disposable Icing Bags
• 1 Set of 2 Bowl Scrapers
• 1 10" Icing Spatula w/ Serrated Edge
• 1 Mechanical Cookie Scoop
• 1 Spoonula/Spatula 2 Piece Set
• 1 Ceramic Tool Crock
• 1 4 Piece Classic Fondant Imprint Mat Set
• 1 Flower Cake Decorating Kit
• 1 "Mini Cakes" Cake Carrier

To enter, read the details and use the Rafflecopter below!

***This giveaway is for one Cake Boss Baking baking essentials prize pack (details listed above)! This giveaway is open to Continental US residents only . When the contest concludes, the winner will be chosen by random draw. The winner will be notified through e-mail and they will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***Disclaimer: This giveaway is being provided by Cake Boss Baking. #ChristmasWeek bloggers have not received product or been compensated as a part of this giveaway.***

BRANdelicious Berry Crisp

Thanks to the partnership of Foodbuzz and Kelloggs® All Bran® cereal, I was the lucky recipient recently of three varieties of Kellogg's® Bran cereal. This is really good stuff if you need to increase the fiber in your diet and it is loaded with vitamins to boot. I was up to the challenge of finding a way to incorporate some of this bran in a healthier alternative to my usual fattening desserts. It just so happens that I had a bag of frozen raspberries in the freezer--the result of my failed effort to find the fresh stuff at the grocery store last week (apparently there is a drought in California). The raspberries, combined with some fresh strawberries left over from a huge Costco run and the remnants of a bag of frozen blueberries all seemed to be screaming at me to make a fruit crisp. Raspberries and bran? Hmmm....it sounded kind of good.

BRANdelicious Berry Crisp

Printable Recipe

5-6 cups fresh or frozen berries (I used a bag of frozen raspberries, a partial bag of frozen blueberries and about 3 cups of fresh, sliced strawberries)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons orange liqueur

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

2 cups Kellogg's®  All Bran® Complete Wheat Flakes cereal, slightly crushed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; spray a 9 1/2 inch deep dish ceramic pie plate (or use a casserole dish) with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the berries, sugar and orange liqueur. Toss lightly to coat.

Place the berries in the prepared pie plate and set aside.

Not fond of berries? Simply substitute some apples, peaches or pears.

In the mean time, combine the whole wheat flour, oatmeal, bran flakes, brown sugar, cinnamon  and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the berries.

Someone recently asked me what my secret weapon in the kitchen was. Of course, I wasn't prepared to answer, so I mumbled something stupid. If I had been a bit quicker, I would have said that orange liqueur is my weapon. I love it splashed on fruit or mixed into a little whipped cream for that little

 "je ne sais quoi"

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.  OK--make it ice milk, if you want. Me? I'm having ice cream.

Who knew bran could taste so good?