I have to share this slice. Not only does it taste amazing, but it just looks delicious, with colours that fit in nicely at Christmas. This recipe is so much easier to make than the traditional “yeasted bread” type of stollen.

The recipe looks long and hard but it’s simple really. It has everything in it that an almond or marzipan lover could want.

Cherry stollen slice

We made this new slice during one of our Bake Club sessions at the cooking school. For the first time (ever?) it hadn’t finished baking when everyone had to leave. No foul really, as I got to keep it. It gave me the opportunity to take some photos and to stash a bunch of it in my freezer for midnight treats I mean when people drop in. 😉

Cherry Stollen Slice becs-table.com.au Cherry Stollen Slice is so much easier to make than the yeasted bread type of Stollen. Brilliant for marzipan lovers, and lovely for Christmas. Pin Recipe Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 40 mins Total Time 55 mins Difficulty Medium Course Christmas, Snack Cuisine German Servings 12 Method Thermomix and Conventional Equipment Thermomix or Food Processor Ingredients 1x 2x 3x For spreading on the base: 250 g cherry jam pick a good thick consistency

½ tsp cinnamon or Bec’s Sweet Warming Spice Blend For the Base: 2 egg yolks

100 g unsalted butter cut into small cubes

150 g plain flour

100 g caster sugar

50 g toasted flaked almonds

50 g Granita biscuits or similar For the topping: 100 g caster sugar

100 g unsalted butter chopped

1 tsp almond extract

2 egg whites

50 g ground almonds almond meal

150 g plain flour

100 g Philly cream cheese

½ tsp Bec’s Sweet Warming Spice or mixed spice

1 orange zest and juice

1 lemon zest and juice

100 g dried sour cherries or cranberries if cherries are hard to find

50 g toasted flaked almonds

50 g slivered almonds

125 g marzipan finely diced Instructions Thermomix Method: For the base: Heat the oven to 180°C fan and line a 22cm square tin with baking paper.

Weigh all the base ingredients into the TM bowl and mix 10 seconds/ speed 6.

Press the dough evenly into the base of the tin, then bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool while you prepare the rest, but leave the oven turned on. For the middle layer: Add the cinnamon (or spice blend) to your jam and stir to combine. If your jam is runny, add some cornflour and mix well 1 – 2 tsp should be fine. Make sure there are no lumps in the cornflour though. This mixture needs to be spread over the cooled base just before adding the topping (set it aside until you’re ready) For the topping: Weigh the caster sugar, butter, almond extract, egg whites, ground almonds, flour, soft cheese, mixed spice and citrus zest into the TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds/ speed 4, or until a smooth batter forms. Remember to check to see if there is any butter stuck to the bottom of the TM bowl: if there are still lumps (it will depend on how cold your butter and cheese is) scrape down and mix again until there are no lumps.

Mix the lemon and orange juices together then add 30 g of this juice to the mix above. Stir to combine 5 seconds/speed 4

In a separate bowl or small jug, add the remainder of the juice mix and the cherries (or cranberries), half the flaked almonds and slivered almonds and chopped marzipan to it.

If you haven’t already done so, spread the cherry jam over the cooled base then add the filling ingredients a spoonful at a time. Carefully spread the mix evenly over the base without mixing up the jam underneath too much.

Add the juice, mixed fruit and nuts mix to the top in dollops, then scatter over the remaining almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and firm on top.

This recipe will firm up when it cools. If the top starts to brown too much, add a baking paper-lined foil cap and continue cooking. The inside temp should be 85°c when checked. If you use a skewer to check it may still come out a little sticky if you hit jam and marzipan. Conventional Method: For the base: Heat the oven to 180°C fan and line a 22cm square tin with baking paper.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to a smooth-ish mix.

Press the dough evenly into the base of the tin, then bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool while you prepare the rest, but leave the oven turned on. For the middle layer: Add the cinnamon (or spice blend) to your jam and stir to combine. If your jam is runny, add the cornflour and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps in the cornflour. This mixture needs to be spread over the cooled base just before adding the topping (set it aside until you’re ready). For the topping: Beat the caster sugar, butter, almond extract, egg whites, ground almonds, flour, soft cheese, mixed spice and citrus zests together until a smooth batter forms.

Mix the lemon and orange juices together then add 30 g of this juice to the mix above and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl or small jug, add the remainder of the juice mix and the cherries (or cranberries), half the flaked almonds and slivered almonds and chopped marzipan to it.

If you haven’t already done so, spread the cherry jam over the cooled base then add the filling ingredients a spoonful at a time. Carefully spread the mix evenly over the base without mixing up the jam underneath too much.

Add the juice, mixed fruit and nuts mix to the top in dollops, then scatter over the remaining almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and firm on top. Notes Bec’s Tips:

This recipe will firm up when it cools.

If the top starts to brown too much, add a baking paper-lined foil cap and continue cooking. The inside temp should be 85°c when checked.

If you use a skewer to check it may still come out a little sticky if you hit jam or marzipan.

Want to know more?

Here a are few more Christmas favourites. Christmas Plum pudding and Honey Jumbles

Or, maybe you’d like to know more about Bake Club Online?