First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water, and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.

After an hour, scatter the salt and sugar (or honey) on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.

TIP: Don’t be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer - the dough will split, separated by oil layers.

Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.

Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish - it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below.

After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).

Pour brandy over your dried fruit and mix to coat. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

The next day, grease and line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with a little extra olive oil.

Drain the dried fruit squeezing out as much excess moisture as possible.

Spritz clean kitchen surface with plenty of water or oil (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Take the focaccia sourdough out of the fridge. Very carefully transfer the dough onto the sprayed surface, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out slightly into a rectangle - the width of it should be slightly smaller than your baking tray.

Scatter the marzipan cubes onto the bottom half of the stretched out dough.

Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together - the marzipan needs to be sealed in in order not to leak out.

In a swift motion, transfer the dough into the prepared baking tray. Tug on the edges of the dough to stretch the dough out to fill the baking tray.

Cover it with a sheet of cling film (plastic wrap) resting on the rims of the baking tray and leave the dough in a warm spot for its second proof for 1-2 hours.

After the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Drizzle extra olive oil across the surface of the focaccia. Scatter the almonds across the surface and with oiled fingers, dimple the dough deep (touch the base of the baking tray).

Place your sourdough stollen focaccia in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes.

Dust with plenty of icing sugar and enjoy!