Stollen

I created this recipe for Stollen this Christmas and I wanted to make sure I recorded it before I forgot!

1 cup currants
1 cup candied melon, cherries and pineapple (or similar combination)
1/2 cup amaretto
1/4 cup lukewarm water
5 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 cup plus a pinch of granulated sugar
1 cup blanched almonds
5 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Finely grated zest of one lemon
2 large eggs, room temperature
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch bits and softened, plus 3 tablespoons melted

1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese

1. Combine currants, candied fruit and amaretto in a bowl. Soak at least 1 hour, stirring occcasionally.
2. Pour water into a small bowl; sprinkle with yeats and a pinch of sugar. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes; stir to dissolve yeast completely. Set aside mixture until it doubles in bulk (about 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, drain fruit, saving amaretto; return fruit to bowl; add almonds. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flower. Toss; coat evenly. Set aside.
3. In a heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and salt. Heat until warm. stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer liquid to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; add reserved amaretto and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Stir in yeast mixture and eggs. Gradually add 5 cups of flour; beat until well combined. Beat in softened butter until well incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Flour hands if dough gets sticky. Knead in one-third of the fruit mixture. Brush a large bowl with 1 teaspoon melted butter; add dough. Brush top of dough with 2 teaspoons melted butter; drape a kitchen towel over bowl and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours).
4. Preheat oven to 375 fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Punch dough down; roll into a rectangle about 16 by 24 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle remaining fruit over pastry. starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long thin cylinder. Carefully transfer dough to a baking sheet; join ends together.
5. Using sharp kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle in 2" intervals, cutting two thirds of the way through the dough. Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape with all the segments overlapping. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
6. Cover pastry with a clean kitchen towel; set aside to rise for 30 min. dough will rise only a little. Bake until golden brown and crusty, about 45 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool before icing.
7. Mix powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and cream cheese. Drizzle over cooled stollen.

* The more traditional, MUCH easier way of serving stollen is spread all the fruit on the inside of the stolle and roll it like a yule log and bake it like two loves of bread. Delicious and simple! Serve it the other way for an impressive crowd pleaser.