Christmas Stollen

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Mix the milk, granulated sugar, salt, butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the dissolved yeast, beat thoroughly, and add 1½ cups of the flour, beating until well blended. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Add enough of the remaining flour so that the dough is easy to handle. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead with the lemon rind, almonds, and candied fruit for a few minutes. Pat dough into an oval ¼ inch thick. Fold the dough in half lengthwise bringing the upper half not quite to the edge of the lower half and press down along the edge to secure. Place on buttered cookie sheets, cover, and let double in bulk. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake stollen for 35 minutes. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, and water and glaze the cake while it is still warm. Decorate with garnish of candied fruit and nuts.

VARIATION

Ruth's Coffee Cake (one l0-inch tube cake):

Prepare the dough for Christmas Stollen, omitting the lemon rind, almonds, and candied fruit. Roll it into a long cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Cut off l-inch pieces and form them into balls. Dip each ball into melted butter and then into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, using 1 tablespoon cinnamon to ½ cup sugar. Arrange the balls in two layers in a buttered lO-inch tube pan, sprinkling each layer with chopped nuts and/or raisins. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes.