By Nicolas Boussin - Maxime Guérin

Recipe Chocolate Christollen

To make this dish

Ingredient list

  • MACERATED FRUIT FOR CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN
    65 g Candied orange cubes
    65 g cubes de citrons confits
    65 g currants
    65 g golden raisins
    120 g noisettes brutes
    110 g dark rum
  • CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN INSERT
    180 g pâte d’amande 50%
    18 g cacao pâte
    18 g Cream Cheese Elle & Vire Professionnel®
    65 g dried apricots
    65 g Candied orange cubes
  • CHRISTOLLEN IMBIBING SYRUP
    100 g water
    100 g sugar
    1/2 vanilla pods
    60 g dark rum
  • POOLISH
    170 g plain flour (T55, approximately 11% protein)
    40 g yeast
    85 g whole milk
    35 g Lescure UHT Cream 35% fat
    25 g poudre de lait écrémé
  • CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN DOUGH
    420 g plain flour (T55, approximately 11% protein)
    115 g egg
    340 g Lescure Unsalted 250g butter Roll 82% fat
    2 g lemon zest
    1 g vanilla powder
    1/2 g cardamome verte
    1 g cinnamon
    55 g honey
    8 g salt
    45 g cocoa powder
    350 g poolish
  • CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN COATING
    170 g chocolat noir
    30 g Lescure Unsalted 250g butter Roll 82% fat
  • CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN FINISHING TOUCHES
    80 g chocolate chips
    Qs icing sugar
    Qs cacao powder
    Qs vanille poudre

The recipe, step by step

  1. 01

    MACERATED FRUIT FOR CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN

    Roast the raw hazelnuts in a 150°C convection oven for approximately 15 minutes. Rehydrate the raisins and currants in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and combine with the candied fruits, chopped roasted hazelnuts and dark rum. Let macerate for 4 hours (ideally overnight) and drain at least 2 hours before using

  2. 02

    CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN INSERT

    Cut the dried apricots into 5-mm cubes. Melt the cocoa paste and combine with the cream cheese. Add the almond paste and finish with the addition of the candied orange peel cubes and dried apricot cubes. Divide into 80-g pieces and roll into 20-cm logs. 

  3. 03

    CHRISTOLLEN IMBIBING SYRUP

    Bring the water, sugar and vanilla bean to the boil. Add the dark rum and set aside. 

  4. 04

    POOLISH

    Heat the milk and cream to 25°C and dissolve the yeast. Pour over the powdered milk and flour, then knead using the dough hook to obtain a smooth, homogenous dough. Let rise for 20 minutes at 28°C.

  5. 05

    CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN DOUGH

    Work the flour, cocoa powder, honey, salt, spices and lemon zest with the butter cut into pieces. Add the eggs and combine to obtain a homogenous mixture. Add the poolish then knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes on speed 2 of the stand mixer. Incorporated the previously drained macerated fruit mixture. Let rise for 30 minutes, punch down and refrigerate overnight. 

  6. 06

    CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN COATING

  7. 07

    CHOCOLATE CHRISTOLLEN FINISHING TOUCHES

  8. 08

    SHAPING AND BAKING

    Divide the dough into 450-g pieces then roll out each into 15 x 23 cm rectangles. Make a depression in each using a rolling pin and place the insert in it. Sprinkle each with 20 g of chocolate chips. Fold the dough over the insert, seal the extremities, shape the christollens and return to the refrigerator. Let rise for 2 hours at 26°C. Bake in a 160°C convection oven for approximately 40 minutes. As soon as the stollens come out of the oven, brush them with the syrup and let cool. Brush them with the chocolate coating and let crystallize. Roll in the vanilla sugar and sprinkle with icing sugar and cocoa powder. 

    Chef's Tip

    Be careful to shape the Stollen properly so it will not deform while cooking.