I would like to hug my friend, Kayte, for getting me back into bread baking. Especially for making me work on finishing The BBA Challenge. There were actually two groups working on The Challenge. One did a bread each week. We, Slow and Steady BBA, did one every other week. And the last one I did was The Basic SourDough (June 2011). It did not turn out very well, I was discuraged and simply quit making bread, completely. NOW I back in Bread Mode and ready to make more. And when Kayte said she was making Reinhart’s Stollen I knew I had to join in.
As I was writing this post I realized I had actually made this Stollen before (December 2010) as part of MKMW Germany but it was before I joined BBA. It didn’t hurt to make it again. And this time instead of a Batard I used the ‘blanket-in-the-manger’ method.
It was much prettier.
Shape into a rectangle.
Roll the rectangle flat in the center.
Fold the dough over onto itself and shape it into a cresent.
It made a beautiful package with some extra citrus zest and sliced almonds stuffed into the side.
It did ‘come undone’ some while baking but it was a lovely bread with a lovely sweet citrusy taste.
I may have put a wee bit too much powdered sugar on top. 
In the end, it was a delicious bread. Visit Kayte for her Stollen. 
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January 7, 2012 at 7:19 AM
Good for you two!! Bread baking is so much fun.
Your stollen looks great with all the almonds and zest peeking out!
January 7, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Oh, this looks great, I love that you used Method 2 for the shaping as I wasn’t sure which one I wanted to do and then just opted for the Method 1 as it was first…lol. I like the looks of yours very much. Thanks for baking with me…always more fun to bake with someone, especially when that someone is you! xo
January 7, 2012 at 12:56 PM
I make stollen for Christmas every year. It wouldn’t be the holidays without it. My New Year’s resolution is to bake more bread this year.
January 7, 2012 at 9:46 PM
I have yet to make stollen–another recipe to put on my cooking bucket list! It is full of so many yummy ingredients it has to be good.
January 8, 2012 at 12:35 AM
Wow! We made stollen for Daring Bakers a year or so ago and I know it’s definitely a challenge. I love how yours turned out (lucky for me Kayte hasn’t figured out I’ve fallen off the BBA wagon!)
January 11, 2012 at 10:28 AM
No such thing as too much powdered sugar. =) The Stollen looks great. I may climb back on the BBA wagon to bake along with a few of the recipes, but I don’t think I’m going to finish them all. But I’m okay with that. =)
January 14, 2012 at 1:14 AM
[...] I are still working our way through Reinhart’s Bread Bakers Apprentice. Last week we made the Stollen. This week we made Limpa and Tuscan Bread. Swedish Rye aka [...]