Bolzano Zelten

Wash the orange thoroughly, finely grate the peel and squeeze out the juice.

Wash the raisins and sultanas well and let them drain. Pit the dates and chop them small. Cut the dried figs into small cubes.

Cut the orangeat and citronat into thin flakes or fine strips.

Chop the hazelnuts, pine nuts and almonds with skins on as finely as possible (do not grind).

Put all the fruits and nuts into a large bowl, moisten with the orange zest, orange juice and brandy, sprinkle with a little sugar and leave covered to soak overnight.

The next morning add the rum, cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice and ground star anise to the fruit-and-nut mixture and mix well.

Finally add the bread dough and knead everything very thoroughly until the fruits and nuts are evenly distributed in the dough.

Preheat the oven to 220 °C (top/bottom heat) and lightly oil a baking sheet.

Shape the dough into elongated or round Zelten about 3–4 cm thick and approximately 20 cm long, and place them on the baking sheet.

Decorate with peeled, split almonds and halved nuts, pressing them in lightly.

Bake at 220 °C for about 60 minutes, brushing several times with honey or sugar syrup, until the Zelten are nicely browned.

Remove the Zelten from the baking sheet immediately after baking and let cool completely.

After cooling, decorate with candied fruits and wrap each Zelten in cellophane.