Stollen

Soak the washed dried fruit in rum and let it steep the day before baking.

Dissolve the yeast in warm milk, mix in sugar and 2 cups of flour, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Once the sponge has risen, add another 3 cups of flour, 200 g of softened butter, salt, vanilla, lemon zest, and spices, then knead into a soft dough.

Roll the dough into a ball, cover with a towel, and let rise for an hour, then punch it down and let rest for another forty minutes.

Drain the dried fruit in a sieve 10 minutes before combining with the dough to remove excess liquid.

Stretch the dough into a square, add the candied fruit and nuts, seal, and knead until uniform.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll out slabs 1.5–2 cm thick, make an indentation with the edge of your palm, and fold in half.

Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes until lightly browned, then cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes until done.