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1
Soak your raisins and sultanas in your chosen liqueur, set aside, for about 30 minutes
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2
Preheat oven to 180C
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3
In a smallish bowl mix your flour and baking powder well.
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4
Add the chopped hazelnuts and the ground almond.
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5
Add the orange peel, cherries( if using ) and soaked sultanas and raisins without the soaking liqueur, set the liquid aside .Stir the flour/fruit and nut mixture thoroughly.
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6
In a larger bowl whisk the softened butter with the sugar, add the eggs whisk until light and creamy
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7
Add the flavourings, vanilla,orange blossom and rum aroma.
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8
Then add the quark.
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9
Stir thoroughly.
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10
Add the flour/fruit and nut mixture to the butter/egg mixture a spoon at a time.
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11
Until almost all gone, pour in half of the soaking liquid, then add the remainder of the flour mixture ensuring it gets well combined.
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12
If it is to wet add a little extra flour.Flour a table or cake board and flatten the dough into a oval shape this dough is not pliable it is more loose but you can still get hold of it in one go .
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13
If you are using the marzipan, roll it about little finger width size into a sausage shape that is almost as long as the oval shape and lay it onto the dough about two thirds up .
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14
Now roll the smaller top over the marzipan and fold onto the Lower part.
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15
Make sure the marzipan is folded in well or it may run .The loaf should be a little thicker at one end as it is meant to resemble a sleeping baby.
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16
Slightly curve the loaf .
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17
Carefully move onto your flat baking tray.
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18
Cover lightly with baking or parchment paper or use a thin silicone liner put into oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
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19
Immediately after the Stollen comes out of the oven brush it with the 2 tablespoons of butter all over and leave to cool.
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20
When cooled down dust with icing sugar .
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21
This can be made up to about 6 -8 weeks ahead to achieve a so called ripening, if you do , wrap the Stollen securely into tinfoil and keep in a very cold room or space, we put it in the garage , but not the fridge, because of moist and odour from other food items
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22
This Stollen is good to eat from day one of you like
