Star Bread
Star bread, also known as snowflake bread is a beautiful and unique type of bread that gets its name from its stunning shape, which resembles a star. It`s soft, fluffy, and layered, often filled with sweet or savoury ingredients. This bread is perfect for special occasions, gatherings, or a simple family treat. It adds a decorative touch to your Christmas table. With its eye-catching design and delicious taste, star bread will surely impress anyone who tries it.
It is a type of pull-apart bread that’s typically made with a sweet or savoury filling. Commonly, it’s filled with cinnamon, chocolate, jam, or even cheese for a savoury twist. The dough is usually enriched with butter, milk, and eggs, making it soft and tender. The star shape is achieved by stacking dough layers with filling, cutting the stack into segments, and twisting them outward to form the star’s points. Once baked, the layers and twists give it a beautiful, intricate look.
Origins and Popularity
Star bread has gained popularity across the world, especially around the holiday season. Its beautiful appearance and delicious taste make it a favourite for festive gatherings. Although there isn’t a specific origin for star bread, it shares similarities with other layered or twisted breads found in various cultures. Its charm and unique look have made it a popular baking trend, especially on social media platforms where bakers showcase their versions of this stunning bread.
Why You’ll Love Star Bread
Star bread isn’t just about looks; it’s incredibly tasty, too. The bread itself is light and fluffy, while the filling adds a burst of flavour with every bite. The pull-apart design makes it easy to share with family and friends, adding a fun twist to any meal or snack time. Plus, star bread is versatile. You can make it sweet with cinnamon sugar or chocolate, or go savoury with pesto, cheese, or herbs. This flexibility allows you to customize star bread to fit any occasion or taste preference.
How to Make Star Bread
Making star bread may look complicated, but it’s actually quite simple once you understand the steps. First, prepare a soft dough by mixing flour, yeast, milk, eggs, butter, and a bit of sugar. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Then, divide the dough into sections and roll them out into equal circles. Spread your chosen filling between each layer, stack them, and cut the stack into segments. Twist each segment to form the star shape. After another short rise, bake the bread until golden and fragrant. The result is a warm, fluffy, and flavour-filled bread that looks as good as it tastes.
The star bread dough is divided into 16 equal sections, ready to be twisted into a beautiful, intricate design.
The star bread, intricately shaped with twisted layers, rests beautifully on the tray, ready to proof before baking.
Tips
Making star bread can be easy with a few tips. Make sure your dough is smooth and elastic before shaping, as this will ensure a fluffy texture. When layering and twisting the dough, be gentle to avoid tearing. For a beautiful golden finish, brush the bread with an egg wash before baking. After baking, dust with powdered sugar for a sweet touch or sprinkle with fresh herbs for a savoury option.
Serve and Enjoy
Serve it warm and fresh from the oven. It’s perfect on its own or paired with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Enjoy the soft, flavourful layers and share this delightful treat with loved ones. Whether it’s a holiday celebration or a cosy weekend at home, star bread brings warmth and joy to any occasion.
Love festive bakes? Don’t miss our classic Fruit Cake, delightful Raisin Cinnamon Bread and creamy Danish dessert Risalamande! —perfect complements to your holiday spread!
Star Bread
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3 ¾ cups or 450 gms of All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup or 50 gms of Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Instant yeast
- 130-160 ml of Luke Warm milk
- 30 g Butter melted
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
For the Filling:
- 3 tbsp of melted Butter
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon powder
- ½ cup or 75 gms of sugar or more to taste
For the topping:
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
- Powdered sugar optional, for dusting
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, melted butter and eggs. Mix well.
- Gradually add lukewarm milk, mixing until a dough forms. Knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic (you can use a stand mixer or knead by hand).
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
- Mix the sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl to create the filling.
Shape the Bread:
- Once the dough has risen, divide it into 4 equal portions.
- Shape each portion into a ball. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll each portion into a circle (about 12 inches in diameter).
- Place one circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush with melted butter, leaving about ½-inch border.
- Spread 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar filling evenly on top, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge.
- Place the second dough circle on top and repeat with the melted butter and filling. Do the same with the third circle. Place the final dough circle on top, but don't add filling on the last layer.
Create the Star Shape:
- Place a small cup or round object in the centre of the layered dough to mark the middle.
- Starting from the edge of the centre mark, make 16 evenly spaced cuts around the dough, like cutting a pizza, leaving the centre intact.
- Take two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other thrice, then pinch the ends together to form a point. Repeat for all pairs of strips to form an 8-point star.
Second Rise:
- Cover the shaped star bread and let it rise for 30 minutes.
Bake the Bread:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Brush the bread with the egg wash.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Place a foil on the top after 10 minutes if the bread is browning too quickly.
- Let the bread cool slightly before dusting it with powdered sugar if desired.
Serve:
- Slice and enjoy the beautiful layers of cinnamon-flavoured bread! It’s perfect with coffee, tea, or as a festive treat.
Notes
- Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, which usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Well-kneaded dough makes for a light, fluffy bread.
- When rolling out each layer, try to keep the thickness and diameter consistent to create uniform layers. This will help the star shape look symmetrical and bake evenly.
- Avoid overfilling to prevent leaks during baking. Spread a thin, even layer of filling to ensure a clean star shape and keep the layers intact.
- Press the edges of each dough layer together firmly before cutting and twisting. This helps prevent the filling from oozing out and keeps the star’s shape intact.
- If your star bread is browning too quickly in the oven, cover it with aluminium foil to prevent it from burning while allowing the inside to bake properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Star bread is a soft, pull-apart bread shaped like a star and filled with sweet or savoury ingredients like cinnamon sugar, chocolate, or pesto. It’s visually stunning and popular for holiday gatherings.
Common fillings include cinnamon sugar, chocolate spread, Nutella, jam, or savoury options like pesto and cheese. You can experiment with various spreads and flavours based on your taste.
No special tools are needed! A rolling pin, knife, or pizza cutter to shape the bread, and parchment paper for baking are sufficient.
The dough is layered with filling, rolled into rounds, then cut and twisted to create the star shape. It’s simpler than it looks and comes together with a few basic cuts and twists.
Yes, you can prepare and refrigerate the dough overnight, then shape and bake it the next day. Alternatively, you can bake it in advance and reheat it slightly before serving.
Star bread stays fresh for about 1-2 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it or freeze for up to a month.
Yes, baked star bread freezes well. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Reheat it in the oven to refresh before serving.
Use a light hand with fillings that may melt and leak, like chocolate spread or jam. Sealing the edges of the dough layers can also help reduce leakage.
Serve them warm, and you can simply pull apart the star “petals” to enjoy! It’s perfect for sharing and makes a festive centrepiece for any gathering.
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