Expert: Heinz Henze - 11/26/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have been making this for over thirty years and even though it tastes delicious, I still have the same problems.
Here is the recipe:
 2 pkg. dry yeast (not rapid rise)
 dissolve the yeast in 1 cup cold milk and 1/2 cup sugar
 5 cups flour
 1 pound margarine
 3 eggs--well beaten
Mix flour and margarine (as for pie crust) Use electric mixer
Add eggs
Add yeast mixture
(dough will be rather soft)
Cover and refrigerate overnight
Divide dough into fifths
roll out each about 1/4 inch thick
sprinkle with finely chopped nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon
roll up tightly, pinching seams together
Let rise about 2 hours
Bake about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
    MY PROBLEMS
1.  yeast is hard to dissolve in cold milk
2.  stollens  rise somewhat, but have a flattened look
    more than rounded
3.  stollen usually cracks in several places while baking

I tried to use cake yeast once, but that did not solve my problems.
The frosting and decorations do a lot to cover up--
Please advise me.
Thanks so much!


ANSWER: Hi Margaret,

Well let's see what we can figure out with this.

1) Yes the yeast will be hard to dissolve in the cold liquid, but since you want to refrigerate the dough over night then you really don't want to warm the liquid because it will activate the yeast and you want to keep it as dormant as possible.  The yeast not dissolving in the liquid shouldn't be that much of a problem, but you could always heat the milk to between 110-120 degrees, add the yeast and sugar and let it cool before adding it to the dough.

2) The stollen dough is cold and will take quite a while to rise, the yeast needs to warm up in order to start making CO2.  You can try letting it sit for another half hour.  The rise time can vary depending on what the ambient temperature in your kitchen is.  The warmer the kitchen the shorter the rise time and vice versa.

And as for the flattened look, the recipe says that the dough will be soft.  The softer a dough the less shape it will have.  You could try adding a little more flour, maybe about 2 tbs.  This will add more gluten to the dough and help it to hold it's shape a little better.  But most of the stollens that I've seen are a little flat looking and don't look like regular loaves of bread.

3) Now for the cracking.  That could be a few things, I would need more info to be sure, but if the cracking looks like the dough has had a little blow out the it is probably due to a lack of proofing and will be taken care of by adding that 1/2 hour of proofing time. Also you might need to mix the dough a little longer to develop the gluten in the dough.  Gluten is a protein in all wheat flour that gives dough it's elasticity and ability to hold it's shape once it's baked.  By not developing the gluten enough the dough won't be as elastic and then might crack when baked.

I hope that this was some help to you, let me know if you have any other questions and happy baking.

Have a great day,

Heinz

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Heinz, I have a follow up statement/question pertaining to the cracking of stollen loaves while baking.
The cracking is not a little blow out--it is usually a couple of cracks the length of the bread. Could oven temperature be too high?(I don't think so) I am wondering if the filling in the roll up could be the cause.
Thanks for your opinion.

ANSWER: Hi Margaret,
I have a few more questions as to the method of preparation that you are using when you are making these.  When you mix the dough what type of mixer are you using, a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer?  If you are using a stand mixer which attachment are you using to mix the dough, a paddle or a dough hook?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Heinz,
i am using a stand mixer and the paddle. I have a dough hook---should I use that instead?

Answer
I would use the paddle to mix the flour and margarine, and then switch to the hook when you add the liquid.  I just took the ones I made out of the oven and there was no cracking.  I would also dissolve the yeast in warm milk (110 degrees)and cool it to 90-100 degrees before adding it to the flour mix. I think that the cracks were due to a lack of gluten development.  I would also increase the rest/proof time to 2 hours and 30 minutes.  Now using the dough hook might change the texture a little bit due to the gluten being developed.  I mixed mine for about 6 minutes, it doesn't develop the gluten much, but I think it should be enough to keep it from cracking yet also keep it tender.  The loaves flattening is definitely due to how soft the dough is, there just isn't enough gluten to give it the dough enough structure.  I hope that this helps you out, and feel free to experiment with the recipe, that's half the fun of baking. Even if it doesn't turn out perfect you still get to eat it and then there is a reason to try again.  Happy baking.

Have a great day,

Heinz