Star Bread Recipes

STAR CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Heat 200ml of milk and butter together in a microwave or saucepan until temperature reaches 110°F or 45°C (warm to the touch). Add the yeast and let stand for 10 minutes, until frothy on top.
• While yeast is activating, combine flour, sugar and salt in a separate bowl.
• Create a well in the centre of the flour. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks and vanilla into the well. Mix into the flour until combined.
• Knead by hand for 10-12 minutes until dough is soft and elastic. If the dough is too dry: warm up the extra milk, create a well in the dough and add in half of the milk. Knead and if you still feel it's still too dry, add in the remaining amount of milk.FOR A STAND MIXER: Mix for 5 minutes on medium speed until dough is soft and elastic.
• Lightly oil a large bowl with a pastry brush or your fingertips. Place dough into bowl, turning once to coat in the oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for about 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.(To check if dough is ready, gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, dough has not risen enough.)
• Punch dough down, cover and let rest for an additional 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
• While dough is rising, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Get your butter ready, make sure it is softened and spreadable. Then, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
• When dough is ready, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Lightly flour a clean work surface and use a rolling pin to roll one ball out into a 12 inch/30 cm disc.
• Place a plate on top and cut away any excess dough around the plate with a sharp knife. Remove the plate. Place dough disc onto prepared baking sheet.
• Spread dough with 1/3 of the softened butter and 1/3 of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. This is your bottom layer (the base).
• Roll out the second ball of dough, like above, and place on top of the bottom layer. Spread with 1/3 of the butter and brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.Repeat with the rest of the dough, layering each with butter/sugar/cinnamon. (The top dough will not have any butter or brown sugar/cinnamon on it.)
• Place a small cup in the middle of the layered dough and very lightly mark a ring in the centre to use as a guide.
• Cut the dough first with four lines: 3 o'clock, 6o'clock, 9o'clock and 12 o'clock. Cut each quarter into 2 pieces, then cut each of those into 2 pieces so you end up with 16 strands connected to the middle circle.
• Take 2 strands that are side-by-side and twist them away from each other two times. Connect the two strands at the end, pinching the ends together to form a point. Do this with all of the strands and create a star flower!
• Cover star bread loosely with a damp cloth or towel and let rest one more time for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat egg whites leftover from the yolk and brush whites evenly over the surface of the bread.
• Bake bread for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and golden.
• Decorate with powdered sugar (confectioners sugar or icing sugar), and a little ground cinnamon.Serve warm!

STAR BREAD

Steps:

• Add milk to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add cubed unsalted butter to the hot milk, stirring until the butter melts completely. Pour the hot milk mixture into a stand mixer bowl and set it aside to cool to below 110°F.
• When the milk mixture is cool enough, stir in the instant yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt, stir to distribute evenly. Transfer the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl with the warm liquid mixture, and knead with the dough hook on speed 2 for about 7 - 10 minutes. The dough should start pulling away from the side of the bowl.
• Oil a glass bowl and your hands. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl and shape it into a ball in your hands and place it in the oiled bowl. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 - 2 hours until at least double in size.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal portions. Shape into balls.
• Roll one dough ball out into a circle about 9"-10" in diameter. Place it on a piece of parchment paper and spread 2 tablespoons of apple butter over it. Roll another dough ball out to the same size as the first one and place it on top, spread another 2 tablespoons of apple butter over it. Repeat for the 3rd and 4th dough ball. You should end up with 4 layers of dough and 3 layers of apple butter.
• Mark a 3" circle in the middle with the back of a round cookie cutter or a cup. Cut the dough into 16 sections leaving the 3" circle in the middle untouched.
• Twist two sections away from each other and press the end together to form the star point. You should end up with 8-star points. Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Beat 1 large egg with a tablespoon of milk to make the egg wash. Lightly brush egg wash over the top of the bread and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

CHRISTMAS STAR TWISTED BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water until foamy. In another bowl, combine milk, egg, butter, sugar and salt; add yeast mixture and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 4 portions. Roll 1 portion into a 12-in. circle. Place on a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Spread with one-third of the jam to within 1/2 in. of edge. Repeat twice, layering dough and jam, and ending with final portion of dough., Place a 2-1/2-in. round cutter on top of the dough in center of circle (do not press down). With a sharp knife, make 16 evenly spaced cuts from round cutter to edge of dough, forming a starburst. Remove cutter; grasp 2 adjacent strips and rotate twice outward. Pinch ends together. Repeat with remaining strips., Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. (Watch during final 5 minutes for any dripping.) Remove from oven; brush with melted butter, avoiding areas where jam is visible. Cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

GARLIC-AND-HERB STAR BREAD

Steps:

• Stir the warm water and sugar together until dissolved, then stir in the yeast; set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and fine salt in a large bowl.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture and work it in with your fingertips until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely moistened and the dough looks like a shaggy ball, switching to your hands and gently kneading to bring the dough together, if necessary. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When the dough is almost ready, make the filling: Combine the cheese, chiles, parsley, thyme and lemon zest in a small bowl. Mash and stir together with a small rubber spatula until smooth and spreadable. Set aside.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and briefly knead until smooth, three or four times. Pat until about 1 inch thick, then fold into thirds like a letter and pat until 1 inch thick again. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat folding and patting two more times. Divide into 2 equal pieces.
• Lightly butter an upside-down rimmed baking sheet (or a rimless baking sheet). Roll out 1 piece of dough into an 11-inch round on a floured surface and transfer to the pan. Spread with the filling, stopping about 3/4 inch from the edge. Roll out the second piece of dough into an 11-inch round and place on top of the first. Pinch and press the edges of the dough together to seal.
• Center the rim of a drinking glass (about 3 inches in diameter) in the middle of the dough; gently press to mark the center. At the 12 o'clock mark, cut through the dough with a very sharp knife from the glass to the edge, leaving the center circle uncut. Repeat at the 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock points on the circle to make 4 quarters. Halve each quarter to make 8 equal wedges; halve those to make 16 wedges.
• Lift the edges of 2 wedges that are next to each other and twist them away from each other twice. Pinch the ends together to make a pointed tip. Repeat with the remaining pairs of wedges. Remove the glass and cover the dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the filling is firm and the dough has puffed and risen slightly, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Uncover the dough and re-pinch any ends that came apart. Brush all over with the beaten egg and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until golden brown all over, especially around the center circle, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully slide onto a rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

PESTO STAR BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, egg, butter, sugar, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 4 portions. Roll each into a 12-in. circle. Place 1 circle on a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Spread with half the basil pesto to within 1/2 in. of edges; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Place second circle of dough on top; spread with sun-dried tomato pesto and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with third circle of dough, remaining basil pesto and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan; top with final portion of dough., Place a 2-1/2-in. round cutter on top of the dough in center of circle (do not press down). With a sharp knife, make 16 evenly spaced cuts from round cutter to edge of dough, forming a starburst. Remove cutter; grasp 2 adjacent strips and rotate twice outward. Pinch ends together. Repeat with remaining strips., Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven; brush with melted butter, avoiding areas where pesto is visible. Cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese and basil before serving; serve with pesto or marinara.