Holiday Star Bread Recipe 🌟🍞✨

[𝐀 𝐋 𝐄 𝐗 𝐈 𝐔 𝐒]

Get ready to impress with this stunning Holiday Star Bread! It’s as delicious as it is gorgeous, combining soft, buttery dough with warm spices, dried fruits, and crunchy nuts. Perfect for festive gatherings, this pull-apart bread is sure to steal the show and delight everyone at the table! ​

Ingredients:
Dough:

• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• ½ cup warm milk (100 to 110°F / 37 to 43°C)
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

Cinnamon Sugar:

• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Assembly:

• ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
• ¼ cup chopped golden raisins
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios
• Confectioner's sugar, as needed, for dusting

Instructions:
Make the Dough:
In a stand mixer bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and warm milk. Let sit for 15 minutes. Add sugar, egg, butter, cardamom, flour, and salt. Knead with the dough hook until smooth, soft, and elastic (about 5 minutes). If sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Form into a ball, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until doubled in size.

Prepare Fillings & Egg Wash:
Whisk together cinnamon and sugar in one bowl. In another, whisk egg and melted butter for the egg wash.

Shape the Dough:
Turn dough onto a floured surface, pat into a circle, and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll one portion into an 11-inch circle, place on parchment paper, and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar and ⅓ of the dried fruits and nuts over the surface. Repeat layering with two more dough circles and fillings. Top with the fourth circle.

Create the Star:
Mark a 3-inch circle in the center of the dough stack. Cut from the marked circle to the outer edge to make 16 sections. Twist each pair of adjacent strips away from each other twice, then pinch ends together to form star points.

Proof and Bake:
Transfer the bread (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Cover and let proof for 45 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the bread with egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Finish & Serve:
Cool completely on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy the festive vibes and delicious flavors!

This bread is perfect for holiday breakfasts or dessert! ​

 

[benzie]

I think adding a little cinnamon and sugar would make it extra festive, though I’d recommend not overfilling the dough!