Easiest Stollen

Steps

• 1

  Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or set aside a baking stone.
• 2

  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter in small, 1/4-inch cubes, and blend into the flour mixture.
• 3

  In a separate large bowl, combine cheese, egg, vanilla and lemon curd. Whisk until completely combined.
• 4

  Add dried, chopped fruit and almonds to the flour mixture and mix until completely combined. Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix until completely combined.
• 5

  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few times until dough holds together. Divide in half. Roll out each piece of dough into an 8 x 7-inch oval, about a 1/2 inch thick. Fold each piece of dough lengthwise (or crosswise, up to you) leaving the edge of the top half about a 1/2 inch short of the bottom half’s edge.
• 6

  Lightly press the dough to seal about 1 inch in back of the open edge to get that traditional stollen shape (it’ll look kind of funky, like an off-kilter, misshapen loaf — this is normal. Do not panic.). Place the stollen on prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 30-40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• 7

  Transfer baked stollen to a wire cooling rack and brush each with about 2 tbsp of the melted butter reserved for the topping. Sprinkle generously with confectioners’ sugar.
• 8

  Allow the stollen to cool completely, then brush on the remaining melted butter and sprinkle again with confectioners’ sugar.