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Stollen


eatrustic

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After having my fill of Panettone and Fruit Cake I've settled on Stollen as my favourite Christmas "cake".The dry, stale kind you buy in the European delis were all I ever tried and until I had a fresh one I never understood their appeal.

So far Thomas Hass' version with a layer of homemade almond paste down the center has been my hands down favourite.

This year though the small size (not quite the size of a pound of butter) is $17. (ouch) at Senses. It's probably a bit cheaper from Thomas' shop in North Van but I don't get over there much this time of year.

Patisserie St. Moritz on W. 10th makes a fresh one but they use electric red candied cherries as an ingredient, not a good sign.

I've heard that the Four Seasons makes a mini version for $10. that might be good but are there any other artisan versions in Vancouver worth checking out?

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If you take a peek at my food blog (General Food Topics) in its latter stages, you'll see the stollen production line at Haas. Short of going to Munich, it's by far the best I've found locally, and compared to what you'd pay in Germany, very reasonable.

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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i've had a really good one from choices if you can believe it. now, i'm not sure how authentic it is, but i've been told that it is, from a german friend of mine who's dad is a baker.

it's chock full of nuts and raisins with a bit of peel, the marzipan is more real almondy rather than almond essence-ish, and it's covered in icing sugar. :wub:

Quentina

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i've had a really good one from choices if you can believe it.  now, i'm not sure how authentic it is, but i've been told that it is, from a german friend of mine who's dad is a baker. 

it's chock full of nuts and raisins with a bit of peel, the marzipan is more real almondy rather than almond essence-ish, and it's covered in icing sugar.  :wub:

I second the Choices nomination; they look very much like the real deal to me, and have the prerequisite coating of butter to keep the icing sugar on!

John

"Venite omnes qui stomacho laboratis et ego restaurabo vos"

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I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but if it's the brioche loaf filled with almond paste and ground poppy seeds (and drizzled with icing) it's sold at the Polonya (sp?) bakery on east Hastings at Nanaimo. I don't know how much it is cuz I've just eaten samples but it's very good.

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If you are willing to make your own, there is an excellent recipe complete with beautiful photos in an older December issue of Waitrose Food Illustrated, circa 2000. I haven't tried searching their website for the recipe, but if it is not to be found and you would like it, I will post it. I have made these as gifts and they are always well received.

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Here's the link to the sction of the blog regarding Thomas Haas and his stollen moments.

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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I picked up a Stollen from Choices today on the above recommendations and it is very good value for the $$ (as far as Stollens go). The small size is $6.50 and the large is $11.50 (or close to that). They are currently 10% off as well!

The Stollen from Thomas Hass is still the better product. Somewhat more refined in taste and presentation but the Choices Stollen for less than half the price is definitely worth buying. Thanks for the suggestion.

Next will be Four Seasons version.

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I guess that's it for the Stollen hunt. Popped into Four Seasons today to pick up one of their Stollens.

Thought I had died and gone to heaven when I was told that they were just cooling off in the kitchen and one of the staff offered to go get one for me.

Alas, back she came with the news that everything left was spoken for and there will be no more this year! I was able to taste a tiny slice that had been set out for sampling and it was good ..... but I need at least a half log to be sure! It was more like the Thomas Hass version with a slightly bitter flavour.

Oh well, perhaps I'll make my own next year.

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Mmmm... must get some stollen now. I noticed that on VanEats they recommend Andy's Bakery (935 Commercial, 604 251-5657) - $12.95 for large .

http://www.vaneats.com

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

~ Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Tara Lee

Literary and Culinary Rambles

http://literaryculinaryrambles.blogspot.com

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So......off I went to Andy's on Commercial. (Ive been feeling guilty about not doing any Christmas shopping yet so now I have a great excuse to put it off some more!)

The place is tiny with not a lot of particularly interesting baked goods, although there were a couple of authentic looking rye breads.

I picked up the 1 lb. Stollen $9.50 and home I went to give it a try. As it lacks the powdered sugar on the outside it looks a sugar donut that has been wrapped in plastic (which this was). Kind of sticky with granulated sugar.

Although the style is authentic this was not that inspiring. There were lots of raisins in a somewhat dry dough and a tiny eye of almond paste that was almost definitely commercial grade and not very tasty (unlike Thomas Hass' which is homemade) . Overall kind of bland and third behind Choices and T. Hass.

That's it, I go into production next year!

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Have you tried www.viennatreasures.com? She makes Stollen. Cost according to her website is $8.50.

I purchased her linzer tarts and cookies at the Steveston Craft Market and they were very good. Her cookies were light, spongy and tasty.

She was at the Heritage Hall Craft Fair.

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PICA does one, down on granville island, but phone first, as I'm not sure when they close for the season. Otherwise, the European Bakery/Konditerei on Fraser, at about 50th has a wall of stollen. I haven't tried it and I find their baking oversweet, but you never know-might be good!

Zuke

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

--Mae West

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Bought a stollen from Caper's Community Market. I believe they bake it themselves. Never had a good stollen because I don't know what is considered a good stollen. This one was a hefty size and costs about $10. If Caper's stollen is okay then I guess I'm not a fan of stollen.

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I totally screwed up my post by trying to edit it...anyways, I was asking for the Haas recipe but a quick google provided this link.

Edited by CanadianBakin' (log)

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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I must be nuts to keep on the Stollen trail but I was up on W. 10th and decided to try the Stollen from Pane Formaggio. Bad idea.

It looks very nice, costs $17. and is claimed to have homemade marzipan inside. After trying it I guess it must be homemade because any commercial producer would not be able to call it marzipan. It is almost pure icing sugar in the shape of a nice big eye of almond paste. It totally dominates an otherwise bland and uninspired piece of work.

I should have tried Mix instead! At least their product line doesn't look like an exact copy of another bakery in town.

Thanks for the recipe links!

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eatrustic, if you slather the stollen with Poplar Gove Blue Tiger cheese and have it with a glass of port, the flavour may improve a bit. :wink: failing that, you could make it into very decandent french toast!

Zuke

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

--Mae West

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