Stollen

By Lorena_321

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted/chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. grated fresh lemon peel
• salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1 cup dried cherries or other dried fruit,
• chopped
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• confectioner’s sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease large cookie sheet. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or using two knives scissor fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in ricotta, dried cherries, pecans, vanilla, lemon peel, and eggs until well combined.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently knead dough two or three times to blend. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 10x8 oval. Fold oval lengthwise, bringing top half over so that bottom of dough extends by about 1 inch.
Place stolen on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer stolen to wire rack; cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar to coat just before serving if you like.