Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread
Star bread looks like a lot of work and is mostly patience. You stack four thin rounds of dough with filling between them, then cut and twist them into eight points. The cranberry and orange layers show up as red and gold stripes in every twist.
The dough is a soft enriched sourdough raised by an active starter, with an overnight chill in the middle. Cold dough is far easier to roll thin, and it splits the work across two days. If you like the flavor pairing, the Sourdough Cranberry Orange Bread uses it in a sliceable loaf.
Why You’ll Love It
- A centerpiece for Christmas morning that tears apart into 16 pieces.
- No commercial yeast. An active starter does all of the rising.
- The overnight chill makes the dough easy to roll and splits the work across two days.
- Tart cranberry and bright orange keep the sweetness in check.
Ingredients
Use an active starter that has doubled within 4 to 8 hours of feeding, at 100% hydration. Chop the dried cranberries finely so they spread in a thin, even layer and do not tear the dough when you cut the strips.
- Active sourdough starter, 100% hydration (100 g (about ½ cup)): the only leavening.
- Whole milk, lukewarm (190 g (about ¾ cup)): a soft, tender crumb.
- Egg (50 g (1 large)): richness and structure.
- Granulated sugar, for the dough (40 g (about 3 tablespoons)): a lightly sweet dough that browns well.
- Bread flour (400 g (about 3⅓ cups)): enough strength to roll thin without tearing.
- Fine salt (7 g (about 1¼ teaspoons)): seasons the dough.
- Unsalted butter, softened, for the dough (50 g (3½ tablespoons)): kneaded in last for a soft crumb.
- Unsalted butter, softened, for the filling (40 g (about 3 tablespoons)): the base of the filling paste.
- Granulated sugar, for the filling (50 g (¼ cup)): rubbed with the zest to make orange sugar.
- Orange zest (6 g (from 1 large orange)): the orange flavor in the filling.
- Dried cranberries, finely chopped (75 g (about ½ cup)): tart red flecks in every layer.
- Egg, beaten, for the wash (50 g (1 large)): a glossy, deep golden finish.
- Powdered sugar, for the glaze (60 g (½ cup)): a thin drizzle over the warm star.
- Orange juice, for the glaze (15 g (1 tablespoon)): from the zested orange.
Equipment
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- Kitchen scale: for weighing the ingredients and dividing the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl: for mixing and kneading the enriched dough.
- Rolling pin: for rolling each piece into a thin 10-inch (25 cm) round.
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife: for cutting the 16 strips cleanly.
- Small round glass or cutter, 2½ inches (6 cm): marks the uncut center of the star.
- Baking sheet and parchment paper: the star is assembled and baked on the same sheet.
- Instant-read thermometer: confirms the center is baked through.
- Pastry brush: for the egg wash.
Sample Schedule
Day 1
- Feed the starter in the morning
- Mix the dough once the starter has doubled
- Bulk ferment, 5 to 6 hours
- Refrigerate overnight
Day 2
- Make the filling
- Shape the star
- Proof 1 to 2 hours
- Bake 22 to 28 minutes and glaze
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread
Method
- Stir the starter into the milk until dissolved, whisk in the egg and sugar, then add the flour and salt and knead 5 minutes by machine or 8 by hand.
- Knead in the dough butter a tablespoon at a time, then 6 to 8 minutes more until smooth and glossy.
- Cover and rise at 75 to 78°F (24 to 26°C) for 5 to 6 hours, until about 50% larger.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 8 to 12 hours.
- Rub the zest into the filling sugar, mix in the filling butter and the chopped cranberries, and divide into 3 portions.
- Divide into 4 pieces of about 210 g, roll each into a 10-inch round and stack them with filling between the layers, leaving the top round plain.
- Mark a 2½-inch center, cut 16 strips out to the edge, then twist each pair of neighboring strips away from each other twice and pinch into 8 points.
- Proof 1 to 2 hours until slightly puffy, brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 28 minutes, until 190°F (88°C) in the center.
- Whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice, cool the star 15 minutes, then drizzle with the glaze.
Notes
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How to Make It
1Mix the dough. Stir the active starter into the lukewarm milk until fully dissolved, then whisk in the egg and the 40 g of sugar. Add the bread flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. Knead for 5 minutes by machine on low or 8 minutes by hand until the dough is firm and fairly smooth.
2Knead in the butter. Add the 50 g of softened butter a tablespoon at a time, then knead for another 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and glossy and passes the windowpane test. Aim for a dough temperature of 76 to 78°F (24 to 26°C).
3Bulk ferment. Cover and let the dough rise at 75 to 78°F (24 to 26°C) for 5 to 6 hours, until it has grown about 50%. It does not need to double, since it keeps rising slowly in the refrigerator. In a South Florida kitchen around 80°F (27°C), check it at 4 hours.
4Chill overnight. Press the dough down gently, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate it for 8 to 12 hours. The cold firms up the butter in the dough, which is what lets you roll it thin tomorrow without it springing back.
5Make the filling. Rub the orange zest into the 50 g of filling sugar with your fingertips until the sugar turns damp and fragrant. Mix in the softened filling butter to make a paste, then stir in the chopped cranberries. Divide the paste into 3 equal portions of about 57 g.
6Roll and stack. Divide the cold dough into 4 pieces of about 210 g. Roll the first piece into a 10-inch (25 cm) round on a sheet of parchment and spread it with one portion of filling, leaving a thin bare rim. Roll the second piece, lay it on top and spread with filling. Repeat with the third piece, then top with the fourth round and leave it plain.
7Cut and twist. Press the small glass gently into the center of the stack to mark a 2½-inch (6 cm) circle. Cut from the edge of that circle to the outer edge, first into 4 quarters, then each quarter in half, then each piece in half again, for 16 strips. Take two neighboring strips, twist them away from each other twice, and pinch their ends together into a point. Repeat around the circle to make 8 points.
8Proof and bake. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet, cover loosely and proof for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough looks slightly puffy. Keep it short, since a long proof blurs the shape of the points. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), brush the star with the beaten egg and bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until deep golden and 190°F (88°C) in the center. Tent with foil if the points brown too fast.
9Glaze and serve. Whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice into a thin glaze. Let the star cool for 15 minutes, drizzle the glaze over it in thin lines, and serve warm. Guests pull it apart point by point.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Filling leaked out of the twists: the layers were spread too thick or the cranberries were left whole. Chop them finely and keep each layer thin.
- Points lost their shape: the star proofed too long. In a warm kitchen it may be ready in 1 hour, so check early.
- Dough springs back when rolling: it warmed up. Put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes and roll again.
- Center underbaked while points are dark: the oven runs hot. Tent with foil at 15 minutes and bake until the center reads 190°F (88°C).
How to Store
To store: Star bread is best the day it is baked. Wrap leftovers and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, and warm pieces in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
To freeze: Freeze the baked, unglazed star wrapped tightly for up to 1 month. Thaw it at room temperature and warm it before glazing.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated per piece, for 16 pieces, and will vary with the exact ingredients used.
210
CALORIES
35
CARBS (G)
5
PROTEIN (G)
6
FAT (G)
3
SAT. FAT (G)
1
FIBER (G)
14
SUGAR (G)
180
SODIUM (MG)
Desi’s Notes
This recipe is Research-backed and has not been through a Bake-Keeper kitchen test yet. The shaping follows the standard star bread method, with 4 stacked rounds cut into 16 strips and twisted into 8 points, on a sourdough timeline built around an overnight chill.
The twist is the step to slow down on. Two twists per pair is plenty, and every pair should twist in the same direction so the star looks even.
Before You Bake
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