Brian Bacher’s stolle de noel 

2 cups warm milk (100 degrees) 
½ cup sugar 
1  1-ounce fresh yeast cake 
6 to 6 ½ cups unbleached bread flour 
1 tablespoon fine sea salt 
2 teaspoons ground cardamom 
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into  
pieces 1 cup sliced almonds (with their skins on) 
 
 ½ cup chopped candied orange peel 
½ cup chopped candied lemon peel 
½ cup chopped candied ginger 
1 cup dried currants 
¾ cup almond paste 
3 to 4 egg whites 
1 egg yolk beaten with a teaspoon of milk for glaze 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for brushing 
Sifted powdered sugar, for dusting 

     In a large bowl with a whisk or the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine milk and sugar.  Crumble yeast and sprinkle it over the top.  Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with 2 cups flour and beat until smooth.  Beat 2 minutes on medium speed.  Add salt and cardamom.  Add butter a few pieces at a time, beating after each addition.  Add another cup of flour, almonds and candied dried fruits; beat to combine.  Continue to add flour ½ cup at a time to form a dough that tears and just clears the sides of the bowl. 
     Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and springy, about 2 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon flour at a time as necessary to prevent sticking.  Press back any fruits that fall out of dough while kneading.  Wrap dough ball in a deep plastic container, cover with two layers of plastic wrap that touches the dough, and let  
rest overnight (8 to 12 hours) in the refrigerator. 
 
     The next morning, line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment.  (If you use an 11-by-17 inch pan, you can use one.  Otherwise, you will need two; bake one pan at a time.)  Using an electric mixer, combine the almond paste and 3 egg whites until creamy and spreadable (adjust consistency with the last egg white; the spread will not be runny). 
     Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Roll or pat into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle; ¾ inch thick.  Use only enough flour on the work surface to keep the dough from sticking.  Spread half the almond paste mixture lengthwise down the center of each loaf.  Make a crease down the center and, without stretching, fold long side over to within ¾ inch of the opposite side, forming a long, narrow sandwiched loaf and covering the almond paste.  Press the top edge lightly to seal.  Repeat to form the second stollen.   
     Place the stollens on the baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let rise at warm room temperature until almost double the bulk, 1 to 1 ½ hours.  Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.   
     Brush tops with beaten egg.  Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned and tops sound hollow when tapped with your finger (turn baking pans around halfway through baking).  If tops are browning too fast, cover loosely with aluminum foil; do note overbake.  Remove from oven and immediately brush liberally with melted butter.  Remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack.  Wrap in plastic and store overnight.  Dust with powdered sugar before serving.  Makes 2 large loaves. 

My quick almond stollen   

¾ cup blanched silvered almonds 
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour   
2/3 cup sugar 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
½ teaspoon baking soda 
½ teaspoon ground mace 
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg 
½ teaspoon salt 
½ cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature 
1 egg 
2 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur 
½ teaspoon vanilla extract 
¼ teaspoon almond extract 
¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots 
1/3 cup finely chopped dried pineapple 
1/3 cup dried cherries 
½ cup golden raisins 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for brushing 
Sifted powdered sugar, for dusting 

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine almonds and 1 cup of the flour in food processor.  Process until fine.  Combine remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.   
     In bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add egg, liqueur, vanilla and almond extracts; beat until smooth.  On low speed add dried fruits.  Add almond-flour mixture ½ cup at a time and mix until stiff batter is formed. 
     Turn batter out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times to pull it together; pat into thick oval 10 inches long and 8 inches wide.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Make a crease down the center of the oval with a chopstick or blunt edge of a knife and, without stretching, fold the long side over to within ¾ inch of opposite side, forming a long, narrow loaf  with tapered ends.  Press top edge lightly to seal. 
     Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Immediately upon removing from the oven, brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cool on baking sheet.  Dust with powdered sugar again before serving.  Makes 1 large loaf.