1. Start with the dry fruits and cut them into small pieces. Transfer in a glass jar or plastic container you can close. Add raisins, nuts, and rum and mix. Close and let soak for at least 4 hours – better overnight.

2. Heat the milk until lukewarm. Add honey and yeast and mix until completely dissolved. Let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean by cutting it lengthwise and scratching out the seeds. Wash the lemon with hot water and grate the lemon zest. Sift the flour in a large bowl, add quark (curd cheese), butter in small pieces, sugar, vanilla seeds. lemon zest, salt, and the yeast mix and knead all until you get a nice smooth dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour.

4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175°C). Add the fruit mix to the bowl with the dough and knead in the fruits. Transfer to a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle with 12×18 inch (ca 30x45cm) and form a “stollen” (see pictures). Let rise for another 20 minutes (you can form a little barrier out of tinfoil to prevent the stollen to lose its form). Bake for 50-60 minutes. If the stollen gets too dark, cover with tinfoil.

5. Melt the butter. Brush the hot stollen with butter and dust with confectioner’s sugar – then brush again with butter and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Do so until all butter is gone. Cover with an extra layer confectioner’s sugar and wrap in tinfoil and store it in a dry place for at least 3-4 weeks before serving.