Stollen Bites

5 from 2 votes

Rich, squidgy little squares packed with festive flavours and studded with marzipan and booze-soaked fruit. You get all the buttery sweetness of classic stollen, but without the yeast, making these stollen bites much quicker and easier to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Soaking Time2

Course: Afternoon Tea, Snack

Cuisine: German

Keyword: Christmas, marzipan, traybake

Servings: pieces

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Ingredients

75 g dried apricots unsulphured are best - chopped
75 g sultanas
1 clementine (or use half an orange) zest and juice
2 tbsp rum
75 g unsalted butter softened
150 g golden caster sugar
125 g full fat cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp mixed spice
1 medium egg
75 g ground almonds
250 g strong wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
50 g flaked almonds toasted
25 g candied peel (I use my homemade peel)
250 g marzipan cubed into 1 cm pieces
25 g unsalted butter melted
15 g icing sugar

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Ideally, the day before baking, place the dried fruit in a small bowl. Add the rum and finely grated zest and juice of the clementine. Stir, cover the bowl with a small plate and leave to soak overnight. It will need at least two hours, but more is better.
75 g dried apricots, 75 g sultanas, 1 clementine, 2 tbsp rum
Grease and line the bottom of a 20 cm (8 inch) square baking tin with baking paper. I used a silicone mould so I didn't need to line it.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the cream cheese and spices.
75 g unsalted butter, 150 g golden caster sugar, 125 g full fat cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp mixed spice
Break in the egg and beat that into the mix, followed by the ground almonds.
1 medium egg, 75 g ground almonds
Sieve in the flour and baking powder, then work into the cream cheese mixture until just about combined.
250 g strong wholemeal flour, 1 tsp baking powder
Add the fruit, together with any liquid left in the bowl and stir this in together with the toasted nuts and candied peel.
50 g flaked almonds, 25 g candied peel
Finally, stir in the marzipan cubes.
250 g marzipan
Set the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
Tip the mix into your prepared tin and level it using the back of a wet spoon. Push the mix into the sides and corners.
Bake in the centre of the oven for thirty minutes by which time the top should be firm to the touch, golden and have risen somewhat. These are at their best when slightly underbaked, so don't be tempted to insert a skewer to test for doneness. Dry stollen is no fun at all.
Transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool. Whilst still warm, brush the melted butter over the top, until it's all used up. This helps the stollen to keep if not eating right away.
25 g unsalted butter
Once the stollen bites are completely cool, wrap well in greaseproof paper - unless eating on the same day. The bake will keep well for five to six days.
When you're ready to serve peel off the baking paper on the bottom and dust the top heavily with icing sugar. Finally, cut into 36 squares.
15 g icing sugar

Notes

The dough is quite stiff and a bit awkward to work with by hand, so you may prefer to use an electric mixer instead.

If you make the stollen a day before needed, it will be firmer and thus easier to cut without the top cracking.

You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.

Nutrition