I know, I know. It looks like an autographed playing card. Yeah. Um. That’s because it is an autographed playing card. And if you live in the US or Canada, I will totally mail you one of your very own, just for testing this recipe! You can even request a specific card from the deck! Wow! Uber-cool!

For those of you not observing a gluten-free diet, I present:

A delectable treat from Las ABC! (Which I might have overcooked just the tiniest bit. Allegedly.)

Bridget Li’s Stollen Minus the Yucky Fruit Bits*

Dough For Three Loaves

(Hey, we run a bakery)
9 2/3 c. bead flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. PLUS 2 tsp. instant dry yeast
1 1/2 T. salt
5 oz. butter (1 stick plus 1/4 stick)
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. water

Almond Filling
1/4 c. almond flour (grind 1/4 c. PLUS 1T dry-roasted, unsalted slivered almonds in a blender)

1 1/2 oz. milk

1 T soft butter
6 oz. almond paste (more doesn’t hurt, if yours come in 8 oz cans)

Butter Streusel
2T butter
2T sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 t baking powder
lemon zest of 1/8 lemon, fine grate

Method for dough:

1. Mix dry ingredients together, stirring carefully.
2. Combine liquid ingredients and add to mixture, mixing for 5 minutes. Add the butter at the very end of the five minutes.
3. Allow dough to rest and rise for an hour or so, or until doubled. Divide into three equal 2-pound pieces.
4. Roll each dough into rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
5. Spread almond paste mixture over top of dough, dividing evenly between three doughs.
6. Roll dough until it is in one big fat “snake”. Pinch the long ends shut. (Pinch to the rolled dough itself.)
7. Slicing lengthwise, cut dough in half, exposing almond paste filling.
8. Twist the two lengths around one another, trying to keep the paste pointing “up” in the twist. You can also braid if you prefer to try doing this in three lengths.
9. Place side by side on a jelly roll pan or other similar with low sides. Allow to rise until doubled in size.
10. Drizzle/sprinkle streusel over the tops of all loaves.
11. Bake at 375*F for 25 minutes or until cooked through to a temp of 155-170*F.

Almond Filling Method:

1. Mix paste and butter together until soft using fingers or hand mixer.
2. Add milk slowly until well blended.
3. Add almond flour last.

While dough is rising second time, mix streusel together.

Streusel Method:

1. Cream softened butter with sugar using fingers or hand mixer.
2. Sieve flour and baking powder together and add to creamed mixture.
3. Add zest last of all.
4. Set aside for drizzling just prior to baking.

*Personally, I have no objection to the fruit bits. But apparently Bridget Li does.

Now, aren’t you hungry? Aren’t you dying to slather some butter on a slice of this?

Well, have I got a deal for you!

For anyone who will beta-test this recipe (and email me how it went for you), I am offering not only a listing in my acknowledgments (The Official Ripple Cookbook), but also a super-nifty bookmark! (Yes, okay, it is a playing card for reals.)

Send me an email with “Stollen Recipe” in the subject line if you would like to be included in the beta-test of this amazing ZOMG recipe. Cheers!

Cidney

cidneyswanson at gmail dot com