I’ve been struggling for days now with what to write about this Bavarian Walnut Spelt Stollen. It started out all happy and joyful until I realized that what I was writing was not in alignment with how I felt. To be honest, the past few weeks have been rough.
Between the ups and down of home and work life, the absolute insanity that has been going on in our world has taken quite the toll. I’ve swung back and forth through despair and emptiness to hope and love so many times I’ve lost count. I continue to hold high hopes for our world and in the meantime I’m allowing myself to feel the despair and the sadness and I let it move through me as a squish my fingers deep into dough.
Never before have I realized with such acuteness that baking has become my solace. Baking gives me the space to process and heal. When I’m checking and mixing ingredients, folding dough and watching the transformation take place in my oven, it’s just me and the recipe, me and the dough. There are no worries or to-do lists running through my head. It’s just me and my hands, infusing love into everything I bake.
“In a dark hour may all our ovens be lit with a light of mercy and peace.” – Tara Jensen
Side note: I have a total girl crush on Tara and wish I could whisk myself away to North Carolina for all her workshops.
Traditionally speaking this Bavarian Walnut Spelt Stollen is baked at Christmastime and it’s one that my Mom has made for many years. However, it didn’t end up in my baking roster last year amongst the plethora of spelt Christmas cookies I made.
As most of you will already know, I’m one heck of a traditionalist so making this stollen in January felt a little strange to me, but my Mom requested it for her birthday so to heck with tradition! 😀
Something about braided sweet breads always makes me feel deserving of an afternoon kaffeeklatsch with a good cup of coffee, cute dishes and someone special to share it with… or a couple slices for breakfast on a lazy weekend morning!
Recipe and photos updated January 12, 2025: While I make this stollen almost every Christmastime, this year I finally got around to taking new photos and I updated the recipe (including precise gram measurements) and method slightly.
Happy baking!
If you liked this recipe you are going to love these ones!
Whole Grain Spelt Banana Bread
Cinnamon Raisin No Knead Spelt Bread
Vanilla and Chocolate Spelt Marble Cake
Bavarian Walnut Spelt Stollen
Ingredients
Sweet Dough
- 4 ½ cups organic all purpose, unbleached spelt flour (also called white spelt flour) or 4 1/2 cups (540g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar 50g
- 1/8 tsp anise seeds optional
- 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1 cup golden raisins 150g
- 2 large eggs whole
- 2 large eggs yolks and whites separated
- rind of 2 lemons
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 115g
- 1 cup homogenized milk 250ml
Walnut Filling
- 2 egg whites from separated eggs above
- 2 eggs yolks and whites separated
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 130g
- 1 ½ cups finely ground walnuts 150g
- 2 cups coarsely ground walnuts 200g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Egg Wash
- 2 egg yolks from separated eggs above
- 2 tbsp milk
Icing/Topping
- 1 cup icing sugar 130g
- 2 tbsp hot water
- walnuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
Make the Dough
-
In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, anise seeds if using, yeast and raisins. Stir to combine and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, egg yolks, lemon rind, butter and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until completely combined. Knead gently (I like to use the slap and fold technique here as the dough is very sticky) for approx. 5 minutes until the dough it smooth, it will still be tacky. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled.
Make the Filling
-
While the dough is rising, make the filling. In a large saucepan, mix the 4 egg whites, sugar, nuts and cinnamon together over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and the nuts are completely coated. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit at room temperature until completely cooled.
Assemble the Stollen
-
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and milk together for the egg wash and refrigerate until needed. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
-
Generously flour a work surface and then gently empty the dough onto it. Flatten the dough slightly with your hands. Roll the dough out to approximately 22" x 12". Use additional flour if needed to keep the roller from sticking to the dough. Drop spoonfuls of the filling evenly on top of the dough then use a large spatula to spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1 inch gap around all the edges.
-
Roll one long edge of the dough towards the other long edge to form a log. Generously flour the work surface that the log will be rolled onto. Just before you get to the end, brush a little egg wash along the exposed long edge of dough before rolling closed.
-
Cut the log in half using a sharp knife and transfer each half to the baking sheet leaving ample space between each log. I like to place them both on an angle on the baking sheet (see main image). Working with one log at a time, tuck the uncut edge underneath itself to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half leaving 1 inch uncut where you tucked the edge under. Gently lift each cut half, turn each half so the nut filling is facing up and twist them together. When you get to the end, twist the ends under so the nut filling is facing down. Repeat with the other log. Let rise again uncovered until doubled and puffy (approximately 45 - 60 minutes depending on your room temperature).
-
Near the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove and brush the exposed dough with egg wash. Bake for another 10 minutes, remove and brush the exposed dough with egg wash again. Bake for 5 -10 more minutes or until deep golden brown on top. Remove then drizzle icing on top, and sprinkle with additional walnuts. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before serving.
Hello this looks like a nice recipe but what cup size are you using US or UK do have any gram measurements ?
Hi Ute, I use US cup sizes. Unfortunately I have not tried converting this recipe to gram measurements. I hope you give it a try anyways. Happy baking!