A day ahead, prepare the filling: pour boiling water over the cranberries and raisins, pat dry with a waffle towel, combine with the candied fruit, add the rum essence, and refrigerate overnight.

Make a sponge starter from the flour, yeast, and warm milk - it should be like pancake batter. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes.

Put the sponge starter and the first portion of room-temperature butter in a stand mixer bowl and mix with the hook attachment.

Add the remaining yeast dissolved in warm milk and the sugar, and mix again.

Sift in the flour with the salt, cinnamon, and ginger, add the lemon and orange zest, and knead the dough well.

Work in the second portion of butter, and at the very end the dried fruit and nuts. Mix - the dough is ready.

Divide the dough into 3 parts, shape into loaves on a floured surface, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between them. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for 1.5 hours.

Bake for 40-45 minutes in a well-preheated 180 °C oven.

While still hot, brush the stollen generously all over with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar.

Wrap the cooled loaves in parchment, then in plastic wrap, and store in a cool place for two to three weeks.