I have two Stollen recipes I make every year -- one is from my mother, written in her hand, that includes the instruction to "knead the dough until it feels smooth like a baby's popo." I haven't tried yours yet -- maybe next year! One problem I have with the foldover is that sometimes the loaf partially unfolds as it bakes, making the loaf look a little strange. It doesn't always happen, so I'm not sure what is causing that. Another tip from my mom "so that the Stollen rises up and not out" is to make a foil collar around the loaf that you take off partway during baking. The almond butter filling sounds amazing -- that makes me think I should try a sweetened pistachio butter or making a pistachio marzipan filling. Or hazelnut butter!!! Thanks for the inspiration!

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