Christmas Stollen (Quick-Bread Variety)

Try something new for your Christmas dinner with this delicious bread made with almonds, cream cheese, golden raisins and brandy.

Yields:	1 servings
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	Preparation	45 minutes
	Cooking	45 minutes
	Ready In	90 minutes

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Ingredients

2 1/2	cups	flour, all-purpose
2	teaspoons	baking powder
3/4	cups	sugar
1/2	teaspoon	salt
1/2	teaspoon	mace
8	each	cardamom pods	seeds, removed, crushed
3/4	cups	almonds	blanched, ground
1/2	cup	butter	soft
1	cup	cream cheese	softened
1	each	egg
1/2	teaspoon	vanilla extract
1/2	teaspoon	almond extract
2	tablespoons	brandy
1/2	cup	currants
1/2	cup	golden raisins
1/3	cup	lemon zest	candied, chopped
1/4	cup	butter	melted
1/4	cup	sugar	powdered

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, mace, and crushed cardamon seeds. Stir in the ground almonds. Cut in the soft butter until the mixture looks something like coarse sand. In a blender, cream the egg with the cream cheese, vanilla, almond extract, and brandy. Pour it into a bowl and stir in the dried fruit. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until everything is is well blended. Work the dough into a ball and turn it out on a lightly floured board. Knead it for a few minutes until it is smooth, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. (You can store the dough in the refrigerator for several days, then take it out to bake when ever you like.) Shape the dough into a flat, oval loaf, about 10 inches long and eight inches wide. With the blunt edge of a knife, crease the loaf about 1/2 inch off center, down the length of it. Fold the smaller side of the creased loaf over the wider side. Brush the top of the folded loaf with the melted butter.

Place the stollen loaf on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until it starts to turn brown on the outside. Remove and allow to cool a little bit. Dust lightly with powdered (i.e., confectioner's) sugar.