Meghana HarikumarBengaluru: A couple of decades ago, Christmas in Bangalore and Mysore meant one thing: the classic buttercream cake from your local Iyengar bakery. The soft, spongy cake topped with a sugary, pastel-hued frosting was the staple dessert at every household celebrating Christmas. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find the city’s tables adorned with something far more sophisticated, not to mention a little more international: Stollen. This traditional German bread, known for its rich, buttery texture and fruity, spiced flavor, has rapidly become a Christmas and New Year tradition, not just in Christian households, but across diverse communities in both cities.
For many years, Christmas celebrations in India were largely confined to Christian households. The gleaming Christmas tree, the twinkling lights, and the aroma of freshly baked plum cake (the quintessential festive treat) were something we only experienced when invited into a Christian home. But over the last decade or so, Christmas has transcended religious boundaries, with people of all backgrounds coming together to embrace the festivities. The spirit of the holiday has sparked a new food revolution, where people from all walks of life are now indulging in holiday-specific delights, from mulled wine to gingerbread cookies.
Amid this changing landscape of Christmas foods, one bakery has become a shining beacon of festive excellence: Sapa Bakery in Mysore. For those unfamiliar with the magic of Sapa, the bakery has become an institution in its own right, crafting some of the finest stollen in the country. Dina Weber, the visionary behind Sapa, recalls how stollen, a once-foreign concept to India, quickly became a favorite with the masses. “So many people across India always ask us what we can send to them in other cities. But our pastries are very delicate and don’t travel well at all, and since stollen is a beautiful traditional, regionally protected product from Germany and it travels super well for weeks, it was the perfect choice for a seasonal special to send across,” Dina shares. What started as a seasonal offering has turned into a full-blown holiday tradition for many families in Bangalore and Mysore.
The History of Stollen Bread
But before it became a festive favorite in India, stollen had a much longer and richer history in Europe. This iconic bread hails from Germany, where it was first created in the 14th century, particularly in the region of Dresden. Initially, stollen was a simple bread made with flour, water, and oats, and it was baked to symbolize the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, hence the bread’s characteristic shape. The bread was originally made without butter, as it was forbidden by the church during Lent. It was only in the 15th century, when the Pope gave permission to use butter, that the modern version of stollen began to take shape. With butter added, the bread became richer and more flavorful, incorporating spices, dried fruits, and nuts.
Over the centuries, stollen evolved into a decadent, festive treat, particularly enjoyed during Christmas. By the 19th century, stollen had become so popular that Dresden established an annual Christmas market dedicated to it. The Stollen Festival, held every December, celebrates this historical bread, and to this day, the city is known for producing the finest stollen in Germany. The bread’s reputation spread throughout Europe, and eventually to other parts of the world, as a symbol of Christmas and festive cheer.
When Dina first introduced stollen to the Indian market, the concept was met with curiosity and excitement. Four years ago, it was a rarity in India. But today, it’s become a staple on Christmas tables. “There were hardly any trained bakers that knew how to deal with high-hydration doughs or slow fermentation,” Dina recalls. “We had to train people from scratch in most cases.” And despite the many challenges, including limited access to international ingredients, the team at Sapa has perfected the art of stollen, making it a showstopper every holiday season.
Sapa’s stollen stands out due to its careful attention to detail and the complexity of its flavors. The process involves creating multiple types of dough, including a roux for moisture and an overnight infusion of butter with almond flour and spices for maximum flavor. “A perfect stollen should be very, very layered in flavor, because there’s that much going on—from almond flour to long rum-soaked fruits, vanilla, and citrus peel,” says Dina. This results in a stollen that is not just a loaf of bread, but an experience—a delicious, moist, and rich treat that has quickly become a holiday favorite. “I love my stollen very buttery and rich in texture but also a well-developed and fermented dough that’s not baked for too long,” Dina adds. This approach has won the hearts of stollen lovers across the region, with many people secretly admitting to finishing an entire loaf in a day.
But the stollen revolution goes beyond just the bread. It represents the way food has evolved in our cities. Christmas, once a festive occasion marked by a singular set of traditions, is now a grand celebration that brings people together over shared meals, new flavors, and memories. A few years ago, most of us wouldn’t have imagined seeing a loaf of stollen in a non-Christian household. But today, it’s not uncommon to find the bread in homes across Bangalore, Mysore, and beyond. This shift in the way we celebrate the season has brought with it a deeper appreciation for culinary traditions from all over the world, and stollen has taken its rightful place at the table.
What makes the stollen from Sapa Bakery even more special is the community connection it fosters. Dina takes immense pride in her local Mysore roots, often collaborating with local artisans like Varnam, who creates traditional Channapatna toys, to decorate the bakery for the season. “It’s all about coming together,” she says. This spirit of collaboration and celebration of local culture adds a unique South Indian touch to the festive traditions, making Sapa Bakery not just a place for delicious food, but a hub of community spirit.
Sapa’s stollen is so beloved that people from across the world have started to crave it. Dina mentions how she receives messages from Berliners longing for a taste of her stollen or how families in New Zealand, Singapore, and New York request their relatives to send them a loaf. “A lot of my friends secretly curse me because they can’t stop eating the loaf once opened and finish a whole loaf in one day,” she laughs. It’s this infectious love for Sapa’s stollen that has made it a part of the global Christmas food conversation, and a tradition for countless families.
The rising popularity of stollen in Bangalore and Mysore is also a reflection of how food trends are evolving in India. Once dominated by cakes, sweets, and heavy fruitcakes, the holiday spread now incorporates more complex flavors, textures, and international influences. The trend toward regional specialty breads and baked goods from across the world shows how adventurous the Indian palate has become, embracing global flavors with open arms.
As Christmas celebrations continue to evolve, one thing is clear: stollen is here to stay. It’s a beautiful, delicious, and festive addition to the holiday table, one that brings people together across cultures and communities. And thanks to Sapa Bakery, the tradition of stollen has been seamlessly woven into the fabric of Bangalore and Mysore’s Christmas celebrations. Whether it’s enjoying a slice over mulled wine or sending a loaf across the globe, stollen has become a symbol of both tradition and transformation, making this Christmas season one to remember.
Editor
Meghana Harikumar
