Star Bread
Someone posted a short time ago with a link to this Star Bread on King Arthur Flour. I thought it looked so pretty, and decided to give it a go to take to a family dinner last night. I changed up the layers a bit, using chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives and crumbled Asiago cheese with sweet paprika as the three fillings instead (my SIL is vegetarian so didn't want to use the salami).
For the whole wheat flour I used Rogers Coarse Whole Wheat flour, and Rogers AP flour for the white.
The recipe is a bit finicky. The biggest challenge is rolling out each ball of dough into a very thin 10" circle and keeping it quite round (and the same size as the previous circles). Here are a few tips:
- Draw a 10" circle on a piece of parchment paper, then make tick marks around the outside for the 16 segments
- Roll out the first circle on the parchment, and subsequent circles on a lightly floured counter / bench
- After placing the second (and subsequent) circles on the stack, poke all over with a fork to let out any air bubbles that have been trapped between the layers
- Lightly roll the whole stack after you've finished
- Put the glass in the centre as described in the recipe, then use a knife with a blade that is a bit longer than the distance from the glass to the edge of the dough. Place the knife to line up with the tick mark on the parchment and cut by pressing down in one smooth motion (no sawing or dragging)
It makes a lovely hostess gift when going to a dinner party, or an impressive centre piece for your own table. Tasty too!
A definite dinner table centerpiece.
Year over year for the 3 plus years I've been on TFL, the bar is continually raised on what gets posted here. Both a testament to our collective improvement as bakers as well as the collaborative know-how that we share as we all get better.
(something very octopus-ish about it. Been watching a bunch of YouTube octopus videos lately...)
Spose you've been marvelling at their camouflage and escape skills. Every so often a random topic will pique your interest - for me its chimpanzees and other great apes - can't get enough of these vids !
I agree with Alan about the bar being continually raised! I am sure it didn’t last long!
Floyd, this belongs on the front page.
Yes, I too am continuously amazed at what people are baking, learning and posting on here. I sometimes find it difficult to separate what I have learned on my own from what I have absorbed from others on this site. It seems to be a collective knowledge. Not sure if this is something to do with octopuses (octopi?) or if We Are Borg. :)
You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
=D
Looks amazing. Imagine seeing that on a dinner table!
Bet it didn't last long at all.
I wouldn't know whether to eat it or hang it on the wall.
I remember the post.. lovely bake!! Well done!!!
You are very artistic! A nice addition to a festive occasion
peter
I agree with everyone else, just stunning! you are a very talented baker...
Leslie
Love it - great job. Is this the same method you used - this is a vdeo frm a nyoo zoolander doing a sweet version with igg wash (just taking the pss out of thim kiwis) https://youtu.be/IpLuFWenVLI
on the other hand that is a great video - definitely something to try in the future. thanks for the link kendalm
kiwi Leslie
Are you a kiwi ? I'm originally from Sydney and been in USA since teen years. We just kike to harass nyoo zulanders because we secretly jealous of your beautiful country (and all want to live in middle earth)
I'm from Canada's West Coast - another beautiful country (but not Middle Earth). Actually, when we had visitors here many years ago from New Zealand they loved it here, saying it was very much like NZ. :)
Wendy the Canuck
Dunno why but maybe the L in your screen names . So a Canadian and a kiwi most excellent - you are both neighbors to bully countries. And speaking of Canada and NZ, There was a harious book by John Stewart supposedly geography for Americans that simplified the world and described new Zealand as 'Australia's Canada' (I thought that was pretty funny but again let me emphasize both Australians and Americans are jealous of both y'all's beautiful countries)
love it..
live about an hour east of film set for Hobbiton ?
we were in Canada a couple of years ago - very beautiful
Leslie
Yes ? I was in Aukland way back in the 80s and of course saw all the north island sights (rotarua, glow worms etc) and flew out of Wellington. I recall flying over the south island and being stunned by the mountain ranges. Also on a trip to Iceland several years ago was amazed how similar both countries are (including the sulfur smelling water)
Leslie, we're coming to Aus and NZ in autumn (your spring) this year. One of the places on my list of 'places to see' is Hobbiton. :)
look forward to hearing your plans closer to the time ?
and trailrunner - both of you plan to visit in next year or so. It would be totally awesome to be able to meet up with you, who knows maybe even get hands in dough... this is what happens when I get into the garden early. daytime temp at moment is around 29-30°c so garden and thinking time is early in the day... as I said, look forward to your plans
???? Leslie
... syme mithod. :) Well, except for the layering and rolling out of the circles (as I described in the post). No waste that way.
party with family and friends. Has to be tasty even without the salami. Well done!
I baked one two or three weeks ago, not near as nice looking as yours. I didn't think it was enough dough for the 10 inch so we rolled it to six inches, Big, Big mistake, LOL The stoneware that I had was I think seven (wide) by nine inches (long) so though it would do. We used a lid of I think a coffee container that was 6 inches wide and cut the excess off. Nope, it spread out and the ones that touched the sides were all scrunched up.
Spread butter then cinnamon and sugar on each layer. After it cooled I made up some powered sugar and milk and drizzled on it. It tasted good, but I am not that fond of cinnamon so we gave half to the next door neighbor.
I'm going to make another one after I get my 16 inch round stoneware and make it with apple pie jam I canned, add just a little bit more cinnamon to it. I think I will make it into two of them roll the dough out thinner and put one in the freezer. Maybe make one with another jam or jelly I made.
Am reviving an older thread, as I was inspired by the newest season of British Baking Show to try baking this bread.
I used the same recipe as OP (King Arthur Flour). My loaf included reggiano, dried tomatoes, pesto and pepperoni.
My circles came out to about 9", and I baked it about 5 minutes longer than the original recipe calls for. I found it straight-forward and fairly easy.
KAF has a good blog page about it which shows the process: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2017/11/01/cinnamon-star-bread-bakealong .
I can think of many variations to try, but will be trying the suggested cinnamon-sugar (and dried apple?) version next.
Happy Baking!