A gift of Stollen, very disappointing!

try it with some custard on ok not traditional but custard always cheers things up to my mind

Doodledog

I have done extensive research into this issue (), and IMO Lidl stollen bites are the best, with M&S and Aldi runners up. I've never had one from Dresden (or anywhere else in actual Germany), as opposed to imported ones, though.

Husband and I have also sacrificed ourselves to the extensive research and agree wholeheartedly, Lidl is definitely the winner Aldi's and Marks decent runners-up. I did have an elderly German friend many years ago who always served stollen she brought back from Germany every November.... it was dry and always disappointing.

Damn! We don’t have Lidl here but plenty of ALDIs.

I agree that a little butter improves a dry stollen.

I further agree that the ones from Germany are often drier … but none the less enjoyable.

I will add one to my pre Christmas grocery order.

I made stollen one year. It was quite a faff but was good. Yes a lot drier than out brandy laden cake. But wasn't that nice that they wanted to give the gift and something from their own culture.

Sorry you were disappointed, Witzend.

As Sodapop said they vary greatly in our shops but the best are delicious. My favourite is Sainsburys ‘taste the difference hand decorated fruit and nut stollen’. It is expensive but every Christmas we treat ourselves. It is the very opposite of dry! Do give it a go!

Just finished making 2 stollen. I’ve made them every Christmas since I lived in Switzerland and acquired a taste for them. I’ve tried a new recipe so hoping it’s as good as my old style.

Toast it and put butter on it. silverlining48ooh I'd love a piece of barmbrack now with a cuppa

Lidl’s deluxe with Rum are gorgeous £2.99 for 12. We love them

Reminds me of this-

I'm not a lover of stollen but Aldi's slices are very nice and not too stodgy.

I love Stollen from either Lidl or Aldi, I think the small bites are the best.
I agree that continental cakes and pastries are often disappointingly dry, can’t stand Panattone for that reason.
I think the German and Austrian desserts and cakes are the exception. Some if those chocolate, fruit and nut confections are scrumptious.

I always find the bites and slices much better. A large stollen is always a disappointment. I didn't even like them when we lived in Germany.

ooooh - thanks for reminding me! I loved stollen bites. If I remember rightly, have had delicious ones from Tesco in the past - very moist and moreish!!

A few years ago there was such a run on stollen bites in Aldi messages were going back and forth on my dd local group if any were spotted in other branches.

Oh yes those cake shops/ fancy tea rooms in Germany and Austria and France too, fab u Lous !

We love Stollen but can't find it anywhere this year. Even Waitrose and Marks and Spencer are out of it. I would have bought it from you!

I've lived in Germany for many years now and have tried quite a few different Stollen. Personally I've found most of them too dry so never bother with them nowadays. I don't know if you can find them in the UK but another Christmas speciality is Lebkuchen which are not at all dry and are much nicer in my opinion.

Whitewavemark2

Bought one from Betty’s this year.

It arrived. Tiny and frankly I could and have done better myself.

Our Betty's order has just arrived! Crikey we have Stollen Bites included and I'm sure we got it last year and loved it. I hope they haven't changed the recipe. However no matter how it is, I know I couldn't have done better myself, I'm a rubbish baker/cook.

Iceland do a fabulous Stollen as well, really moist and moreish.

Béebée it’s easy to find Lebkuchen in the UK. I get it most years. Obviously Aldi and Lidl always do it and other shops too. They are gingery rather than marzipanny, the dark chocolate is a pull, but I prefer marzipan. Lübeck born, it’s a given.
Sorry for your name turning out French, oo la la ! Retried but it’s insistent.

I'd probably say Lebkuchen are spicy (with cinnamon etc.) rather then gingery but in any case there are so many different types these days it's easy to find one to your taste. Lübeck is beautiful and my husband loves the marzipan from there. Incidentally, I quite like Béebée - perhaps I should keep it! Schöne Weihnachten!

Stollen vary, as do most cakes. You have definitely been unlucky in getting a dry one - the ones I buy whether here in Denmark or in Germany have nearly always been beautifully moist.

I don't know if there are regional differences though.

They really do vary immensely, and I always feel there is not enough marzipan in most. It does tend to be drier/less moist than say a Simnel Cake, which is one of my favourites around Easter.

I usually make ours, you can toast and butter it if its dry.