One Down...Christmas Stollen makes Good Study Food

I just finished the first of four exams!  I am thrilled to say that by this time next week, I will be finished for the semester, and can ponder the season without worrying about how much studying I need to do or what chapters I need to finish reading.  I absolutely love what I am learning; it is life-changing!  I even love how exams bring 12 weeks of classroom material and makes it "stick," in distilled form.  However, the plight of school is the never-ending to-do list that is always rumbling in the back of our minds until that last exam is submitted, and so until these tests are done I'll probably grumble and complain about them.  Thankfully, semesters end and the break ushers in a restful reprieve, and much more appreciation for my professors and their assignments!

As a teacher or student, sometimes it is hard to enjoy the Advent season and to enjoy those festivities which lead up to Christmas day because there is so much to do scholastically with final papers, exam prep, studying, and those pesky exams.  So we take our holiday cheer and make traditions where we can, even during study sessions.  I had some classmates over yesterday for a study session and decided to make a loaf of Christmas stollen for our brunch meeting. 

I'll be honest; stollen is far from traditional Christmas fare for me.  I had never made nor tasted it and none of my study-mates had even heard of it, so I cannot attest to its authenticity.  But that didn't keep us from immensely enjoying the loaf of fruit-studded and marzipan stuffed bread.  And it certainly didn't keep my husband from devouring the few leftover slices, while talking in a pseudo-"German" accent.  Authentic or not, we may have just added a new tradition to our holiday study time!

Christmas Stollen

Adapted from Cooking Light, November 1999

Give yourself plenty of time when making this.  While the hands-on time is relatively short and the work easy, there is a lot of resting time in this recipe (several hours plus an overnight rise, and cooling time after baking).  

3 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon cherry juice
1 cup mixed dried cherries, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and currants
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 package)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
3 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
7 oz. box of marzipan 
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the brandy, cherry juice, and dried fruit.  Stir and let the fruit marinate for 1 hour. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and warm water.  Let this sit for five minutes, or until bubbly.  Turn the mixer on low and strain the liquid from the fruit into the bowl, then add 1 1/2 cups flour, milk, sugar, butter, salt, and egg.  Increase the mixer to medium-low speed and mix for 2 minutes, until combined.  Add the fruit, almonds, zests, cardamom, and an additional 1 1/2 cups flour and continue to mix for 6 minutes.  With the mixer still on, add up to 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. 

Transfer the dough to a second metal bowl that has been lightly greased.  Turn the dough to coat the top.  Cover with a clean towel and set the dough in a warm, draft free place to rise for two hours.  The dough will not double, but an indentation should remain when you push two fingers into the dough when it is ready.  Punch the dough down and let it rest for five minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a greased baking pan and stretch the dough into a large oval, about 13 x 8 inches.  Cut the marzipan in half length-wise and put the two pieces end-to end in the center of the dough.  Fold the two long sides over the marzipan, seal the ends, and flip the loaf over, reshaping it as needed (it should now be about 12 x 4 inches oval).  Cover with a layer of saran wrap and a towel, and refrigerate overnight. 

In the morning, take the baking pan out and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the loaf for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes, then brush with butter and sift powdered sugar over the top of the bread. 

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Knock, knock, is anybody there? Plus, Whole Wheat, Oatmeal and Fruit Muffins

After a long summer hiatus, a good and challenging few months at home in the South, we have returned to our home up North and are now in the midst of the fall semester.  I cannot believe that I let so much time go by, but rather than give excuses or all the details of the summer, I'm just going to settle back into what we're doing (and eating) now. 

Although we miss being home with our family and friends who are there, we are happy to be back in "our own space" and schedule.  It is so good to see friends from school and church here after the summer, too!  However, we didn't have much time to make that transition and before we knew it, school was in full swing. 

My husband is taking an incredibly full load this semester, so my job is to make sure he is well-fed and has what he needs to function.  Tough job, no?  Well, add on top of that my own classes, and it is a little more than I had expected.  So far, neither of us have gone without a meal nor have we missed an assignment, so I would say we're doing okay. 

One thing my husband has learned this semester is the wonder of oatmeal.  He had only ever tasted the sugary instant oats from a packet, and had never really cared much for those.  So when I made several days worth of banana raisin oats, he was wowed and won over, and has even learned how to make them himself!  I've come in the kitchen the past few mornings to see all of the ingredients lined up next to the stove, ready to be thrown together for a quick and delicious breakfast. 

He'll have a little surprise tomorrow morning, though.  Today, I made him an equally hearty, yummy, grab-and-go breakfast to help him through his long days of studying!  These are perfect for a school morning.  Even if they are frozen, all that is needed is a short time in the microwave or in the toaster for a quick, healthy breakfast. 

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal and Fruit Muffins

adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons wheat germ

2 tablespoons wheat bran

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped dried fruit (the original recipe calls for raisins, cranberries and dates)

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup boiling water

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, the oats, and the dried fruit.  In a small bowl, lightly whisk the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.  Stir in the boiling water and let the batter sit for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Divide the batter between 12 lined or greased muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan half way through.  Cool the muffins on a rack. 

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