Christmas Stollen cake

Place the dried mix fruit, almonds, and glace cherries and mixed peel into a small bowl and pour over the rum. Stir the fruit, then cover the bowl and leave the fruit for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Next start to make the dough. Combine the warm milk ( about 25˚C) with the yeast and a tsp of caster sugar and set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast.

In the meantime, in a mixing bowl set with a dough hook, Combine the flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spices, butter, egg and egg yolk. Add the milk mixture and mix together to form a soft dough. Knead for 3-4 minutes on low. If using your hands only, combine the mixture in a bowl then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 5-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add the soaked fruit and combine into the dough. Place in the bowl and cover with cling film.

Leave to proof for 1 hour in a warm place. Knock back with your fist, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll out the dough in a rectangular shape 20cm long X 15cm large.

Roll the softened marzipan into a 20cm long sausage shape and place in the middle of the dough, and then fold the dough over it to enclose the marzipan.

Transfer the dough onto a non-stick baking tray or baking tray fitted with non-stick baking paper, and cover it very loosely with a lightly oiled cling film for 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Place the stollen into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until hollow sounds when lifted off the baking sheet and tapped underneath.

Remove from the oven and slide it onto a wire rack. Immediately brush over the melted butter and heavily sprinkle it with icing sugar. Leave it to cool. Dust again with icing sugar before serving.