Christmas Stollen

Directions

Pour milk into a saucepan.

Heat to scalding.

Turn off heat; stir in ½ cup of the granulated sugar and the salt.

Let mixture cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the ½ cup warm water; let mixture rest for 5 minutes.

Pour lukewarm milk mixture into yeast solution.

Stir in 1 cup of the flour.

Beat dough with electric mixer or egg beater until smooth.

Cover bowl with cloth towel; let dough rise in a warm place 1 hour and 30 minutes or until double in bulk.

Punch down dough in bowl; fold in citron, cherries, almonds, lemon rind and raisins.

Add eggs, ¾ cup (1½ sticks) of the softened butter and the nutmeg.

Stir in 3 more cups flour; mix dough until smooth.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead, working in enough of remaining flour to make dough smooth and elastic.

Divide dough into halves; roll each portion into an oval, about ½ inch thick.

In a small saucepan, melt remaining butter; brush it over ovals.

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; sprinkle mixture over ovals.

Fold ovals in half, lengthwise.

Place them on buttered baking sheet.

Twist ends of each oval toward each other to form a crescent.

Loosely cover ovals with wax paper and a cloth towel.

Let Stollen rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).

Bake Stollen 45 minutes or until golden.

In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with enough of the hot water to make a thick icing.

Dribble icing over hot Stollen; let Stollen cool before slicing.