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This rich buttery Stollen is studded with raw cashew pieces and Kirsch soaked Dried Cherries. The resulting luscious dough is wrapped around marzipan. Shape it into a heart and bake until golden. Brush with melted butter while still warm and finish with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar.
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These Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts contain homemade marzipan. However, the store bought version works just as well and saves a bit of time. Not the much because, honestly, it takes no time at all to make your own marzipan. Additionally, it is more economical. A recipe for homemade marzipan is included below.
Stuff it:
Press the marzipan into a 2+1/2 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place the marzipan heart in the middle of one part of the dough. Then, cover it with another portion. Use your hands to seal the dough around the marzipan. Shape into a heart, brush with butter and bake.
Alternately, make one larger Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Heart by dividing the dough into two pieces. Then, use the entire four ounces of marzipan to fill it.
This Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts recipe makes two stollen about 6 inches in diameter. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Pat each part flat. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
Accentuate Valentine’s Day of this Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts recipe. Tint one or both of the marzipan hearts pink or red for a cute surprise. If you are a purist, leave the marzipan raw.
Stollen is a yeasted dough. Consequently, the dough for this Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts has three separate rise times.
Soak the dried cherries in Kirsch or cherry brandy for at least two hours or overnight before adding to the recipe. If you are alcohol averse, substitute water for the brandy. Or skip this step entirely.
Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- Kirsch or cherry brandy for soaking
- 2+1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 package of active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
- 3/4 cups chopped cashews
- 4+1/2 ounces marzipan
- pink or red food coloring (optional)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Soak the dried cherries in cherry brandy for about 2 hours.
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Mix together flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
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Melt butter, add milk and pour into dry mixture.
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Knead until a shiny dough forms. Cover with a dishtowel and leave for 30 minutes.
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Drain dried fruit. reserve the liquid for baking or to use in cocktails if you wish.
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Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.
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Evenly sprinkle the brandy infused dried fruit and chopped cashews over the dough them, fold and knead them into the dough.
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Let rise for 15 minutes.
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If you want to tint the marzipan, do it now, adding a few drops of food coloring at a time.
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Divide the dough in half. Divide the marzipan in half. I pressed each piece of marzipan separately into a 2+1/2 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to shape it.
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Divide each dough half in half again.
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Pat out each half until it is bigger than the marzipan heart.
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Place the marzipan heart on one half. Lay the marzipan heart on top in the center.
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Cover with the other dough pieces and use your hands to shape the entire piece into a heart.
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Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the other half.
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Cover with a clean dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350 F.
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Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush it over the stollen.
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Place them in the oven and Bake for 25 minutes or until they turn golden around the edges.
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Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Place the wire rack back over the parchment lined baking sheet.
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Melt the remaining butter if it has solidified.
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While the stollen is still warm, brush the tops and sides of each stollen heart with butter and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
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Plate and cut on the diagonal when serving.
Homemade Marzipan Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup blanched ground almonds**
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- Light corn syrup and extra powdered sugar to adjust consistency if needed
- ** Blanching almonds Instructions below
Instructions
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If you are using almond flour, skip the next two steps.
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**To blanch raw almonds, boil them in water for one minute, rinse immediately in a colander with cold water and squeeze the skins off with your fingers. They will slip off easily.
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Pulse the blanched almonds and a tablespoon of powdered sugar in a food processor until they are completely pulverized. The powdered sugar will prevent the almonds from becoming a paste.
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Add the almond flour and powdered sugar to the food processor and pulse until combined. I like to take out the blade and use a whisk to break up any lumps that have formed and then replace the blade and pulse a few more times.
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Add the pure almond extract and the rosewater and pulse until combined.
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Add the egg white and pulse until the mixture becomes smooth.
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Remove the mixture from the processor. If the mixture is too wet and sticky, sprinkle powdered sugar over the mixture a bit at a time to knead it in and make the marzipan stiffer. If the mixture is too dry, knead in a few drops of the light corn syrup.
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Wrap tightly in plastic cling film, place in a ziplock bag to store.
Like these Cherry Cashew Marzipan Stollen Hearts? Try some of these other sweet Valentine’s Day Heart-Shaped Recipes:
