Christmas Stollen

“Also called ‘Christmas Coffee Cake’, my Mom would make this for Christmas morning. It’s a nice coffee cake to make for somebody at the holidays because it has a very nice presentation.” – Calla Ferre

Christmas Stollen

Course: Coffee Cakes, Yeast Breads
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

  • 2 Packages (2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
  • 1/4 Cup Warm Water
  • 3/4 Cup Milk Scalded & Cooled
  • Grated Rind of 1 Lemon
  • 4 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Butter
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs Beaten
  • 1/2 Cup (4 Ounces) Candied Citron, Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup (4 Ounces) Candied Orange Peel, Chopped
  • 1 1/2 Cups Raisins
  • 3/4 Cup Blanched Almonds Chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
  • Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) in large bowl. Stir in milk, lemon rind and 1 1/2 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Cover with clean towel and let rise in warm place 45 minutes.
  • Cream sugar, butter and salt. Add yeast mixture, eggs and remaining 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Turn out dough on lightly floured board. Press into ball. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic adding only enough flour to keep from sticking.
  • Sprinkle candied citron on dough; knead in. Continue to add and knead in candied orange peel, raisins and almonds. Let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
  • Roll half the dough into oblong, 3/4-inch thick. Brush with melted butter and fold over in pocket book shape and press together. Repeat with other half of dough. Cover with clean towel and let rise 45 minutes.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar

Recipe – Jean Hansen

Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread

“My choir buddy, Leslie, with whom I have sung for many years in the UC Davis University Chorus, Davis Chorale, and University Covenant Church Choir, brought these to one of the Chorale’s Christmas Concert receptions. She got it off the back of one of her kids’ children’s books. Now, I have a similar Cranberry Fruit-Nut Bread, but these are a little lighter and a little more moist. They are great as finger food when made in extra tiny muffin tins.” – April Ferre

Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread

Course: Quick Breads

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/4 Cup Butter
  • 1 Egg Beaten
  • 1 Teaspoon Orange Peel Grated
  • 3/4 to 1 Cup Orange Juice
  • 1 1/2 Cup Light Yellow Raisins
  • 1 1/2 Cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries Chopped

Instructions

  • Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
  • Combine beaten egg, orange peel, and orange juice; add to flour mixture all at one time. Stir just until mixture is evenly moist; do not over mix. Fold in raisins and cranberries.
  • Spoon into greased loaf pan or muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

2010 Recipe – Leslie Cooper – From Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

Gingerbread

“My mother always set a proper English Tea in the afternoon. This was one of her staples.” – Jean Hansen

“Yum!” – Calla Ferre

“This made a bit more batter than my loaf pan could hold, so I made some extra muffins and they came out great!” – April Ferre

Gingerbread

Course: Quick Breads

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 Cups Bread Flour
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cloves
  • 1 Teaspoon Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup Water Boiling
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Molasses
  • 1/2 Cup Shortening Melted

Instructions

  • Mix dry ingredients. Combine liquids. Put two mixture together. Add shortening last. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Early 1900s Recipe – Calla Stacker

Cranberry Fruit Nut Bread

“I scheduled this quick bread on day 2 of my 4 day bake-a-thon in preparation for the 1997 Santa Cruz County Fair Home Arts Competition. I hadn’t even tried it before, but it was an immediate success, wining first prize in its class that year. In 2000, I was a committee member in the Home Arts Department, and assisting the cookie judge during the adjudication process. It was also my first time as an exhibitor in the Senior Home Arts Departments (previously, I was in the Junior divisions). From across the room, the breads and cakes judge asks out loud ‘Does anybody know who April Ferre is?’ Marie Skov proudly pointed me out. All judging stopped, and the judge called me over. She was probably the most strict and most knowledgeable baked goods judge in the state, and she told me it was the most perfect quick bread she had ever judged, and she had not only given it first place in its class, but Best of Division, and Best of Show (e.g. the best baked goods item in the entire fair that year.) It was perhaps one of my proudest fair moments.” – April Ferre

Cranberry Fruit Nut Bread

Course: Quick Breads

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries Coarsely Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Nuts Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Orange Peel Grated
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 Tablespoons Shortening
  • 3/4 Cup Orange Juice
  • 1 Egg Well Beaten

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and lightly flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
  • Prepare cranberries, nuts and orange peel. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Cut in shortening. Stir in orange juice, egg and orange peel just to moisten. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon into prepared pan.
  • Bake 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf.

Notes

Dried cranberries may also be used.

1997 Recipe – April Ferre – From the Ocean Spray Cranberry Company