Description
This Star Bread Style Recipe is a visually stunning and delicious pull-apart bread perfect for breakfast or dessert. Featuring layers of soft, fluffy dough filled with your choice of jam, Nutella, or cinnamon sugar, this star-shaped bread is both festive and flavorful. It combines an easy-to-follow dough preparation with a unique twisting technique that creates a beautiful star pattern, making it ideal for holiday baking or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm milk (110°F/43°C)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- ½ cup jam, Nutella, or cinnamon-sugar
Topping
- 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt until evenly combined. Add in the warm milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes by hand or 5–6 minutes with a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the star layers: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll one piece into a 10-inch circle and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of your chosen filling over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Repeat the process for the next two dough pieces, layering each with filling and stacking them on top of each other. Place the fourth piece rolled out into a circle on top without any filling.
- Cut and twist the star: Place a 2–3 inch round object (such as a glass) in the center of the stacked dough layers as a guide. Using a sharp knife, cut 16 equal strips from the edge of the center circle to the outer edge. Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice, then pinch the ends together to seal. Continue this twisting pattern around the dough to form a star shape.
- Second rise: Loosely cover the shaped star bread and let it rise for an additional 20 minutes while preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the star bread: Lightly brush the bread with milk to help it brown beautifully. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bread to cool slightly on the baking sheet. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Enjoy warm for the best taste, reheating as desired later.
Notes
- You can use any filling you like—cinnamon sugar, fruit jam, or chocolate hazelnut spread all work beautifully.
- For a savory version, try a combination of pesto and cheese as filling.
- Star bread is best enjoyed warm but reheats well in the oven or microwave.
- Use a sharp knife to ensure clean cuts for twisting the strips without tearing.
- Ensure the milk used for brushing is room temperature to avoid collapsing the dough during baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European-Inspired
