Finishing a Wildcraft Stollen ❄ Gluten and dairy free!
Channel: Wildcraft Bakery
Date: 2021-12-05

The first question we had after our Christmas range launched this year was "Where's the stollen?" Given that we sell the only proper, yeast raised Stollen in the whole of the UK this wasn't that surprising to be fair....but part of us was hoping that nobody would notice! Not because we don't love our stollen, but because every year it is the one product that kicks my butt more than any other. On the face of it, it seems simple right? We already do so many other yeasty things that clearly I must know what I'm doing and what's one more? But not so much. Because the only thing people seemed to want more than Stollen was a DAIRY FREE stollen.

By far the largest issue I was facing is that sooooooooo much of the flavour profile of Stollen comes from the butter both inside the dough and brushed over the top of it before coating in icing sugar. So I felt bad for making a product that just didn't taste as rich for the people who could have dairy. The snobby baker in me was basically like "No! I will not compromise! GIVE ME THE BUTTER!!!!" and kept getting talked down by the other part of me who knows how hard it is to not be able to have dairy and have to watch your family indulging. It was always heartbreaking to see my daughter crying because she couldn't eat all the lovely things that her sisters could. And I had an epiphany!

Even if it was dairy free, it would still be the best Gluten Free Stollen you could buy anywhere in the UK. But what if it was Dairy-Optional instead? So this year, instead of supplying our stollen pre-sugared, it will be going out in its natural state for you to brush with either melted unsalted butter or melted unsalted plant butter (we love the Flora Vegan Butter that comes in blocks) before slathering in icing sugar. That way, nobody misses out and everyone has something wonderful to look forward to!

Finishing instructions:

1. Remove your stollen from its protective wrapping and place on a lined oven tray
2. Bake in a 180C oven for around 10 minutes until it's nice and warm.
3. While you're waiting, melt 75g of butter.
4. Once the stollen is out of the oven, brush it liberally with the butter until it's absolutely slathered. If you want to be really decadent, the stollen can absorb up to 125g of butter (I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for the plant butter as it could get a bit overwhelming. But with the dairy stuff? Knock yourself out! Everyone knows Christmas calories don't count.) 
5. Coat it liberally with icing sugar until it's got a nice thick layer. Leave it for 5 minutes for the first layer to dissolve slightly before coating in icing sugar a second time. Then enjoy!

📝 Read our blog for the rest of the Stollen development story:
https://wildcraftbakery.com/blogs/wild-news/gluten-dairy-free-stollen

⛄ Order yourself a Stollen on our website:
https://wildcraftbakery.com/collections/christmas/products/stollen-1

👇 Follow us on socials for more drool worthy GF bakes 
http://www.instagram.com/wildcraftbakery
http://www.facebook.com/wildcraftbakery

Music: Holiday Gift by Kai Engel - www.kai-engel.com