Holiday Star Bread

  • Banana Bread
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This holiday star bread is beautifully rich and lightly sweet, with just the right amount of dried fruit and nuts, and will be a gorgeous centerpiece for any holiday breakfast or brunch. Chef John fully demystifies the construction—you'll find it is not nearly as difficult as you expect yet so dramatic.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup warm milk (100 to 110 degrees f/37 to 43 degrees c)
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • large egg
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup chopped golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • confectioner's sugar, as needed, for dusting

Directions

  1. For dough, combine yeast, warm water, and warm milk in a stand mixer bowl, and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Add sugar, egg, butter, cardamom, flour, and salt and knead with the dough hook attachment until a smooth, very soft, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. If dough seems too wet and sticky after a few minutes of kneading, add a little more flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and with damp hands form dough into a smooth ball. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, for cinnamon sugar, whisk cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. For egg wash, whisk egg and melted butter together in a separate small bowl.
  5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a circle, and divide into 4 equal pieces. For exact portions, use a digital scale to weigh and adjust each piece.
  6. Form 1 portion of the dough into a ball, and using just enough flour to prevent sticking, roll out into about an 11-inch circle. Transfer onto a piece of parchment paper, and use your hands to pull and stretch into a uniform circle.
  7. Brush generously with egg wash nearly to the edge of the circle, then sprinkle over a rounded tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. Scatter 1/3 of cranberries, raisins, almonds, and pistachios over dough, reaching nearly to the edge.
  8. Roll the second portion of dough into another 11-inch circle, and lightly press onto the first layer of filling. Repeat layering remaining dough and filling, for 3 total layers of filling, then top with 4th dough circle.
  9. Use a 3-inch pastry cutter or a glass to mark a circle at the center of the top piece of dough. With a knife or bench scraper, cut down through all layers from the outside edge of the marked circle to the outer edge of the stack. First divide dough into 4 equal sections, and then divide each section into 4 equal sections, for 16 total sections.
  10. For each arm of the star, lift the ends of 2 sections with your fingers and twist them at least twice away from each other, then pinch the two ends together, pressing them into a point, making sure dough is well sealed.
  11. Do this for the remaining 7 sets of cut dough strips. Carefully slide parchment onto a baking sheet or pizza pan, and trim off any excess parchment paper.
  12. Cover bread with a towel and let proof in a warm place until dough puffs up slightly, about 45 minutes.
  13. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush entire surface of bread with egg wash.
  14. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

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