German · Authentic-ish German
Stollen
286 kcal a serving, against 443 for the traditional version. That is 157 kcal off, or 35%, with 7.8g of protein. Serves 16. 3 hours plus cooling.
What the traditional version is
The classic Stollen is a sweet Christmas bread packed with butter, eggs, dried fruit, marzipan, and toasted almonds. It gets its iconic look from a thick coating of melted butter and a blizzard of icing sugar after baking. Every slice is rich, sweet and more about tradition than moderation.
What changed, and what each change costs
250g of butter down to 60g, and swap the remaining fat for 100g quark
The original recipe is three parts flour to one part butter, and it tastes like it. I cut back the butter to less than a quarter of the classic amount and pour in some quark for moisture.
What it costs you. There's no getting around it. This is the first thing you'll notice. The crumb isn't as rich, the crust is dull, and you'll miss that satisfying buttery chew.
200g whole milk down to 150g semi-skimmed milk
Dropping the fat here helps. It shaves off more calories and you won't notice the difference because the bread now leans on the quark instead.
What it costs you. Nobody remembers the exact taste of the milk in Stollen unless you used UHT. I'm safe here.
100g whole eggs for 50g egg white and 50g whole egg
Egg white adds a hit of extra protein without the yolk's fat load. You still need some yolk for texture.
What it costs you. The colour inside is a little paler, but unless you're slicing with a magnifying glass you won't mind.
200g raisins for 120g raisins and 80g chopped apple
The dried fruit and sugar combo is a sugar bomb. I hold back on the raisins and bulk up with a sharp fresh apple. It keeps the bread juicy but cuts the sweetness.
What it costs you. Raisin fanatics will sulk. You lose some chew and the wallop of sugar, but you save a lot.
200g marzipan for 120g marzipan and 60g blanched almonds
Marzipan is glorious, but it's just fat and sugar. I cut the amount and mix chopped almonds through the filling to keep the almond flavour, but the richness drops.
What it costs you. You know what goes. That ooze of sweet, sticky marzipan in the centre thins out. It isn't the same - it's more nutty and less decadent.
60g of icing sugar down to 20g, skip the melted butter on top
You can't in good faith dust 60g of pure sugar and a slick of butter over a 'healthy' bake. I just give it a wisp of icing sugar instead. The look suffers.
What it costs you. You lose the thick, wintry blanket on top. Nobody will be fooled.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 443 | 286 |
| Protein | 8.3g | 7.8g |
| Fat | 20.6g | 7.8g |
| Saturated fat | 8.9g | 2.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 58.5g | 47g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.9g | 2.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish German prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk, eggs, nuts, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This is not the Stollen your nan remembers. The butter and marzipan are dialled down so far, you might think someone's run off with them. There's enough richness to make it a Christmas treat, but if you try it side by side with the classic, you'll see the difference instantly. On the plus side, you can eat a slice without needing a lie down. If you want pure nostalgia, bake the original. If you want a Christmas bread you can eat after Boxing Day, this is the one.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish German, along with 54 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.