Stollen Wreath

Perfect if you fancy a change from the usual Christmas cake

85g raisins
50g dried cranberries, plus extra to decorate
100g carton mixed peel
4 tbsp dark rum
550g strong white bread flour
2 x 7g sachets easy-bake yeast
50g golden caster sugar
pinch nutmeg
zest 1 lemon
85g butter, cut into pieces
250ml milk
1 egg, beaten, plus extra beaten egg to glaze
50g pistachios, peeled and chopped, plus extra, sliced, to decorate
300g marzipan (bought or homemade)
100g fondant icing sugar
holly sprig, to decorate

• Mix the raisins, cranberries and mixed peel in a bowl 
• Pour over the rum, then leave to soak while you make the dough. 
• Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in ½ tsp salt, the yeast, sugar, nutmeg and lemon zest. 
• Rub the butter in until the mix is like fine crumbs. 
• Warm the milk to hand-hot, then mix into the egg. 
• Pour the milk into the flour mix 
• Stir with a round-bladed knife to make a soft dough, adding a drop more milk if needed to mop up any dry crumbs in the bottom of the bowl. 
• Gather the dough into a ball, then knead for 3-4 mins on a lightly floured surface. 
• Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl 
• Cover with cling film and leave until the dough has risen to double the size (about 45 mins-1 hr). 
• Knead the dough 2 or 3 times, then roll out to a rectangle about 37cm x 17cm. 
• Stir the chopped pistachios into the soaked fruits 
• Spread one-third of the fruit mix down the centre of the dough, leaving all the edges uncovered. 
• Fold each side into the centre to overlap slightly. 
• Press the edges with the rolling pin to seal. 
• Turn the dough, then repeat the rolling out and spreading of the fruit twice more. 
• Roll out to a final rectangle that is 55cm x 16cm. 
• Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape, so it’s slightly shorter than the length of the dough. 
• Place it down the centre. 
• Roll the dough over the marzipan, then turn the dough over so the join is underneath. 
• Lift onto a buttered baking sheet, then curl the dough round a buttered 12cm round cake tin 
• Brush the ends with a little beaten egg and pinching them well together to seal.
• Cover and leave to rise for 30-45 mins or until puffy and doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5. 
• When the dough has doubled, brush with beaten egg and bake for about 25 mins until golden. 
• Cool on the baking sheet briefly, then transfer to a wire rack.  
• Make up the icing. Stir 2-3 tsp water into the fondant icing sugar and 
• When the stollen has cooled, drizzle the icing over. 
• Scatter over the extra cranberries and pistachios and decorate with holly.

 hint :  If you don't have a 12cm round cake tin for making the central hole in the stollen, 

          use an 800g empty clean food can (the hole will be slightly smaller).

Recipe : Good Food magazine,