I do love Christmas. My mum made it very special for us as when she grew up as a misplaced war orphan, Christmas was anything but special. She worked ultra hard for her own family to remember Christmas as a magical time spent in cooking and preparing, wonderful traditional foods from all over the world together. I have such fond memories of those days.
Then there were my years spent in the USA whose melting pot cultures outdo the entire world when it comes to Christmas traditions. SO...that is my excuse for all the excesses I go to during my favourite time of the year!
This is German Christmas bread and is completely divine when fresh and still warm. The marzipan in the middle is the key, and homemade is the only way to go! It works very well with butter for a few days, then toasted is just as delish!
Merry Christmas my lovelies, I hope you enjoy this one!
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Need
- 80 Grams raw caster sugar BUY
- 150 Grams butter BUY
- 1 egg yolks
- 2 Teaspoons dried active yeast
- 300 Grams milk
- 540 Grams bakers or strong flour
- 1 Pinch pink salt flakes BUY
- 1 lemons zest only
- 1 orange, zest only
- 150 Grams dried cherries
- 1 Batch Marzipan freshly made Recipe
- Plenty of melted butter and lots of icing sugar as shown in the video
- glace cherries for decoration if desired
Do
- 1
Place sugar, butter, egg yolk, milk and yeast into the Thermomix bowl and mix 3 sec/speed 6. Warm 2 min/37°C/speed 2.
- 2
Add flour and salt and mix 10 sec/speed 6.
- 3
Tip out onto floured Silpat mat. Add the zests and dried cherries, completing the kneading by hand as you form into a tight ball, wrap and allow to rise until doubled.
- 4
Preheat oven to 160°C.
- 5
Roll the marzipan out on a Silpat mat to a large rectangle (you can mess around with this later, but it's handy to have it ready.)
- 6
When dough has risen sufficiently divide into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a flat rectangle. Lay a piece of marzipan across the dough and roll up into a log shape, tucking in ends of dough to seal. Place onto flat baking tray, seam side down and allow to rise a second time. Repeat with other pieces of dough.
- 7
Bake for ? minutes until just golden on top.
- 8
Remove from the oven and cool slightly, before brushing with loads of melted butter, you will need to repeat the brushing a couple of times as it will soak into the dough. Dredge with icing sugar. Leave for 30 minutes and dust with more icing sugar, adding the cherries for garnish if you wish. Wrap and store in the fridge, though best served warm. It toasts really well too.
