Oma's Christmas Quark Stollen Recipe with Marzipan & Greek Yogurt

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.

2. 2

   Step 2: Line an 11 × 17-inch baking sheet with parchment. Have two extra sheets of parchment ready for rolling and lifting the dough. Keep all ingredients aside until their mixing or filling stages.

3. 3

   Step 3: Sift all 434 g dough flour, 8 g baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir together and make a well in the center. Reserve the marzipan for step 8.

   Uses 434 g all-purpose dough flour · 8 g baking powder · a pinch of salt

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Add the 490 g full-fat Greek yogurt, 3 lightly beaten eggs, 5 ml vanilla extract, 150 g granulated sugar, 50 g raisins, 53 g dried cranberries and 37 g slivered almonds to the dry mixture from step 3.

   Uses all sifted flour, baking powder and salt mixture from step 3 · 490 g full-fat Greek yogurt · 3 large eggs, lightly beaten · 5 ml vanilla extract · 150 g granulated dough sugar · 50 g plain raisins · 53 g dried cranberries · 37 g slivered almonds

5. 5

   Step 5: Mix the mixture from step 4 with your hands until it holds together, then knead only lightly. The dough should hold its shape while remaining a little sticky. If it is too moist, add a little extra flour at a time until it holds its shape.

   Uses all wet-and-dry fruit-and-nut stollen mixture from step 4 · only a little extra flour if needed for variable yogurt moisture

6. 6

   Step 6: Place the dough from step 5 on an extra parchment sheet. Moisten your hands with a little water and press the dough into a broad oval.

   Uses all lightly kneaded shape-holding dough from step 5 · a little shaping water for moistening hands

7. 7

   Step 7: Cover the dough from step 6 with the second extra parchment sheet and roll lightly to about 9 × 12 inches. Peel off the top sheet.

   Uses all stollen dough oval from step 6

8. 8

   Step 8: Roll all 142 g baking marzipan into one 10-inch log and place it along the middle of the rolled dough from step 7. Use the bottom parchment to lift one long side of dough over the marzipan, almost folding it in half so one side is higher.

   Uses 142 g baking marzipan, formed into one 10-inch log · all 9 × 12-inch fruit-and-nut dough rolled in step 7

9. 9

   Step 9: Moisten your hands with a little water and shape the folded dough from step 8 into a stollen, sealing the marzipan completely inside. Keep one side higher than the other.

   Uses all folded dough with the marzipan log from step 8 · a little shaping water for moistening hands and sealing the loaf

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Lift the sealed stollen from step 9 with its parchment onto the prepared lined baking sheet. Trim parchment carrying stray dough so it will not burn.

    Uses all sealed shaped raw stollen from step 9

11. 11

    Step 11: Bake the stollen from step 10 in the preheated 190°C/375°F oven for 45–55 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the dough crumb comes out clean. Test the crumb away from the marzipan center, which remains moist.

    Bake marzipan stollen until crumb is cooked · 55 minUses all sealed raw stollen on its baking sheet from step 10

12. 12

    Step 12: Transfer the baked stollen from step 11 carefully to a wire rack. Let it cool for a few minutes until safe to handle while still very warm for coating.

    Uses all fully baked stollen from step 11

13. 13

    Step 13: Brush the 28 g melted butter over the very warm loaf from step 12. Sift powdered sugar from the available 16 g dusting supply over the buttered loaf to coat the top.

    Uses all warm baked stollen on the rack from step 12 · 28 g melted finishing butter · powdered sugar from the available 16 g initial dusting supply

14. 14

    Step 14: Let the coated stollen from step 13 cool completely. It yields one large loaf, approximately 8–10 slices. If wanted, dust with additional powdered sugar as the first coating absorbs. It can be served once cooled and tastes better the next day. Wrap the cooled loaf in parchment or waxed paper and then a sealed bag or foil; refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.

    Uses all buttered and sugar-dusted stollen from step 13 · optional additional powdered sugar for later redusting, as wanted