Now of course this Star/Snowflake bread is not looks only. I wouldn't be sharing it with you if it wasn't also delicious, and it is! Picture this: Three thin layers of a sweet dough spread with Nutella and then topped with one last dough layer. Yummy yummy. Nutella is a star ingredient in this bread but it wasn't actually as sweet as I thought it would be. Just sweet enough without being overpoweringly rich or decadent.
This Snowflake Bread was a hit with my family and even my kids ate an uncharacteristically large amount. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that the four of us polished this off. That being said, if you have a large family you may want to make two.
To eat this yummy bread, simply grab a point and pull it off. So make this bread, gather the family around, and dig in!
Nutella Star Bread
Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast*
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 large egg
2 and 1/3 cups (291g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) plus more as needed
1 teaspoon salt
Nutella
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Make the dough: Place the yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Or, if you do not own a stand mixer, a regular large mixing bowl. Heat the milk on the stove or in the microwave until warm to touch, about 110°F (43°C). Pour warm milk on top of yeast/sugar. Whisk gently to combine, then loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will be frothy after 5-10 minutes.
If you do not have a mixer, you can mix by hand in this step. Add the butter, egg, flour, and salt. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes. Dough will be soft. Using lightly floured hands, form it into a ball. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-3 more Tablespoons of flour, but you want a very soft dough.
Place the dough in a greased bowl (nonstick spray is fine) and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a slightly warm environment to rise until doubled in size, around 60-90 minutes. For this warm spot, I suggest using the oven. Preheat to 150°F, then turn the oven off after preheating. Place the covered bowl inside and shut the oven door. This is your warm environment.
Prepare filling: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and grab the Nutella.
Assemble the bread: *You can watch a video of this on Sally's Baking Addiction for a step-by-step of this process. Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces and, with a floured rolling pin, roll each out into a thin 10-inch circle. (If you are having a hard time rolling it that big, set that piece of dough aside for a few minutes to allow the dough to relax and try again. Dough should be much more pliable). Place the bottom circle on prepared baking sheet. If it lost its circle shape, use your hands to form the edges back into a round shape. Top with filling, then layer the remaining circles and filling on top. The top layer does not have filling on it, so only 3 of the 4 circles will be topped with filling. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut any scraps around the edges so you have an even circle. (If you have a 10 in plate try tracing around that). Place a 3 inch round object or bowl in the center and make an indent. This is the center of the star. Now it’s time to cut strips from the edge to the center 3-inch circle. Using a pizza cutter, cut 16 even strips. Using both hands, grab two strips and twist them away from each other twice, then press the two ends together to make a point. Your star bread will have 8 points.
Cover the shaped bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Cover the shaped bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Bake the bread: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the star bread with egg wash. This ensures a beautifully shiny golden brown bread. Bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you notice the top or points browning too quickly, loosely tent the star bread with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
Dust confectioners’ sugar on top and enjoy warm. Cover and store leftover star bread at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
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