Sourdough German Stollen

* Take sourdough starter out of refrigerator the night before and mix with 2 cups water, 2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover. Let set overnight. Next morning put original amount of starter back in refrigerator and use the rest for the stollen.

In small pan combine milk, butter and sugar. Place over medium heat and bring mixture to scalding, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs into the cooled mixture; add this mixture to the 2 cups of sourdough starter, beat until well blended.

Add salt, almond flavoring, lemon peel and 3 cups of the flour. Mix until well-blended. Stir in orange peel, raisins, currants and almonds. Add enough flour to knead.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Turn dough over in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. Punch dough down; divide in half.

On a lightly greased baking sheet shape the dough, each half, into a 7x9-inch oval, about 1 inch thick. Brush the surface with some of the egg-white mixture, then crease ovals and fold them lengthwise, but not all the way over leaving a 2 inch lap on bottom. Brush top with egg-white mixture. Cover and let rise until double in size.

Bake in 375 degrees F oven for 40 minutes or until richly browned. Brush top with melted butter and sift the powdered sugar over top.

Return Stollens to oven and bake 3 minutes longer to set sugar. Cool on wire racks.