Almond Rum Stollen Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1 cup hot water to cover
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Stollen

• 3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm whole milk
• 2-1/2 cups bread flour, divided, plus more as needed
• 10 tablespoons (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, well softened, plus more for the bowl
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Grated zest of 1/2 orange
• 1/4 cup (1/3-inch) diced dried apricots
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup (1/3-inch) diced dried pears
• 1/3 cup (1-1/4 ounces) toasted and coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) toasted sliced almonds

Coating

• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions

Prepare the rum raisins

1. The night before making this cake, prepare the rum covered fruit.
2. Place raisins in a heat proof bowl, and add hot water to cover, and let stand for 40 minutes.
3. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Return to the bowl. Add the rum and vanilla and toss together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day

1. Sprinkle the cake yeast over the warm milk in a bowl.
2. Let stand 5 minutes, then whisk to dissolve the yeast. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir well to make a thin, sticky dough.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 20 minutes.
4. Add the remaining flour, the butter, sugar, salt, almond extract, lemon zest, and orange zest.
5. Mix on medium-low speed just until the dough comes together.
6. Knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth, adding more flour if needed.
7. Add the rum raisins, apricots, cherries, pears, pecans, and almonds, and mix until they are incorporated into the dough. Gather up the dough and shape into a ball. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.
8. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in voluje about an hour.
9. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough in half. Very gently shape each portion into a ball — do not knead the dough, as you want to retain its light texture.
10. Place the balls on the floured work surface and cover each with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand in a warm place until the dough looks puffy but not doubled, about 45 minutes.
11. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Press one ball into a thick round about 7-1/2 inches in diameter.
12. Fold the dough in half from top to bottom. Starting about one-third from the bottom, using your thumbs, firmly press a deep semicircular trough in the dough, reaching almost through the dough.
13. Repeat with the second ball. Transfer each to a prepared pan and cover with the towels. Let stand in a warm place until the dough looks slightly larger but not doubled, about 30 minutes.
14. Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Uncover the loaves and bake, switching the positions of the pans from top to bottom and front to back, until deep golden brown, about 35 minutes.

To make the coating

1. Combine the superfine sugar and slivered almonds on a half-sheet pan.
2. Brush the hot stollen twice with warm melted butter. Roll each loaf in almond/sugar to coat well.
3. Return to the pans and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Cool completely.
4. Generously sift confectioners sugar on top.
5. Store at room temperature, air tight for up to 3 days.