This is something I made to celebrate the winter solstice. I’ve seen this all over the internet, but decided to go with Sally’s Baking Addiction’s version here. There are a wide variety of other fillings that you can use instead, such as jams, Nutella, Chocolate, or other spices. I just really like the combination of cinnamon and cardamom with the sugar; that combination really seems fitting for Christmas.

star bread (adapted slightly from Sally’s Baking Addiction)

ingredients

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 Tablespoons and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup oat milk or other substitute, lukewarm
1/4 cup unsalted butter, soft room temperature, not melted
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon salt

filling: 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoons cardamom and 1/4 cup granulated sugar

finish: eggwash-1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon oat milk, 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

method

In a small bowl, add the oat milk and stir in a teaspoon of sugar until dissolved, then stir in the yeast and wait 5 minutes until frothy and bubbly.

Place flour and salt in a large bowl and mix or stir with a whisk to disperse the salt evenly in the flour. Add the butter and massage it in so that there are pie sized pieces or clumps of butter in the flour mixture, similar to when making pie dough.

Add the oatmilk with the yeast/sugar and massage it in with clean hands, or stir with a spoon or spatula until a dough starts to form.

If the dough is a little sticky, add a little bit of flour, but try and not add any or just a very small amount, like 1 Tablespoon at a time. Do not add more than a 1/4 cup.

When dough starts to form, continue to knead for a few minutes to about 4 or 5 minutes. Form into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic or a towel and let rise in a warm area of the kitchen with no drafts. Give it about 1.5 hours if needed to double. It may double sooner than that.

When dough has doubled in size, divide into 4 equal pieces and roll them out into thin discs that are 10” in diameter. Use a minimal amount of flour to roll them out and place them on sheets of parchment paper.

Take the first disc and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle a third of the cinnamon/cardamom/sugar mixture.

Take a second disc of dough and carefully place it on top of the first dough, then lightly sprinkle a second third of the cinnamon/cardamom/sugar mixture. Gently use fingers to shape both doughs so that the ends and shape are matching and uniform.
Continue to layer the third disc of dough and sprinkle the last third of the cinnamon/cardamom/sugar mixture.

Top with the remaining disc of dough and also shape gently so that it is uniform with the other layers.

Take a small bowl or glass and press the rim down gently in the center so that there is a circle in the center top.

Make four cuts starting from the top of the circle in the center extending to the edge of the dough, followed by three similar cuts in each direction.

Make similar cuts from the circle extending to the edges so that you divide each quadrant into four similarly sized strips.

Starting from any direction, twist two strips in opposite direction from each other twice, then press the edges together. When completed, you should have 8 pairs of strips that have been twisted and pinched together at the ends.

Brush with eggwash and bake in an oven for about 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F., until lightly golden browned. Enjoy warm. Store wrapped and in air tight container for a few days or longer in a freezer.