Cherry Stollen

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cold (I use Smart Balance stick)
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese ( I used part-skim)
• 1/2 cup red candied cherries, coarsely chopped (or mix w/green candied cherries)
• 1/2 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped (I use dried cranberries or cherry flavored dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup dried pineapple
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk 
• Confectioners’ sugar, (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease large cookie sheet. In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. With spoon, stir in ricotta until moistened. Stir in candied cherries, dried cherries, pecans, vanilla, lemon peel, egg, and egg yolk until well combined.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; gently knead dough 2 or 3 times to blend. With floured rolling pin, roll dough into 10″ by 8″ oval. Fold lengthwise almost in half, letting bottom dough extend about 1 inch beyond edge of top dough. (I usually make two of these by dividing dough in half)
3. Place stollen on prepared cookie sheet. Bake stollen 1 hour or until toothpick inserted (or less if making two instead of one) in center comes out clean. Remove stollen from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar to serve, if you like.  (I Like!)