Our Sourdough Starbread is a definite favorite, especially around the holidays. It’s a show stopper at every party and tastes just as good! This recipe will yield two (2) starbreads. Perfect for making one as savory and the other sweet.
Ingredients
- 250g - Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 ¼ c. - Milk
- ¼ c. - Butter
- ½ c. - Sugar
- Qty 1 - Egg, Beaten
- ½ tsp. - Salt
- 4 - 5 c. - Flour
- ¼ c. - Potato Flakes (Optional)
- Make sure potato flakes are unflavored
- Toppings of choice (savory or sweet)
- Egg Wash (1 Egg and splash of Milk)
Tools Needed
- Dough Hook
- Bench Scraper or Knife
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Kitchen Scale
- Mixing Bowl
Directions
STEP 1: Getting Started
In your bowl, using your dough hook, mix the following well:
- Sourdough Starter
- Milk
- Butter
- Sugar
Then add the Egg (beaten), Salt, and Potato Flakes (optional). You can also use your kitchen mixer for Steps 1 and 2.
STEP 2: Add Flour and Knead
Begin adding flour while mixing. Adding flour 1 cup at a time lets you gauge your progress. You’ll stop adding flour once the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough starts to clump to one side.
Continue to mix until all of the dry flour is mixed in. The dough should be tacky, but not sticky, and the sides of the bowl should be clean.
Knead dough for 10 minutes.
Cover the bowl and set aside until the dough has approximately doubled in size. This should take 4-7 hours, depending on your home’s temperature.
STEP 3: A Star is Born!
Once your dough is ready, divide it into 4 balls. We love to use our bench scraper for this. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a flat circle. Layer toppings on top of one circle, and then place another circle on top. Pinch the outer perimeter tight. Repeat with the other 2 circles. You can use the same toppings or choose different ones.
You now have 2 breads ready to become stars! Cut each circle into 16ths. On one starbread, grab two of the cut pieces and rotate each one twice in opposite directions. Continue around the circle until all are complete. You will create 8 points on each starbread.
STEP 4: Bake
Allow each starbread to rise for 1-3 hours. Prior to baking, brush on an egg wash (1 egg with a splash of milk) over the top layer.
PRO TIP: Line pan with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking
Bake at 400F/205C for 15-19 minutes until internal temp is 180F/82C.
PRO TIP: If baking a cheese flavored starbread, we like to sprinkle additional cheese on top midway through baking.
Remove the pans from the oven.
Remove the starbread from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
THE ENCORE: TOPPING IDEAS
SWEET
- Cinnamon and Sugar, with Glaze drizzled on top
- 1/3 c. packed brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, softened butter
- Spread butter on bottom circle, spread on cinnamon and sugar
- Add nuts as another option
- Chocolate Spread
- Combine 4 oz. of chocolate and 2 Tbsp. butter
- Melt until smooth and spread
- Fruit Jam
- Spread 1/3 c. of jam (flavor of choice)
- Nutella
- Spread 1/3 - 1/2 c. of nutella
- Cranberry and Orange, with Glaze drizzled on top
- Amount below is enough for 2 starbreads - halve it if just doing 1 starbread
- 8 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (2 1/2 c.), 1/2 c. (heaping) sugar, 2 tsp orange zest, 1/3 c. orange juice, 2 Tbsp butter
- Instructions: Bring cranberries, orange juice, and butter to a boil. Add sugar. Let simmer until cranberries are super soft. Add orange zest once cooled.
- Glaze for topping
- 2 c. Powdered Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Melted Butter
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 Tbsp. Milk
- Mix ingredients together and drizzle on top!
- For an Orange Glaze, substitute 2 tsp. Orange Zest & 1 Tbsp. Orange Juice for the milk
SAVORY
- Garlic Salt and Butter
- 1 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
- Melt butter and spread, add garlic. Salt to taste
- You can add parmesan cheese to this as well
- Basil Pesto and Parmesan
- 3-4 Tbsp basil pesto, 1 c. parmesan cheese
- Sun-dried Tomato Spread and Mozzarella
- 3-4 Tbsp sun-dried tomato, 1 c. mozzarella cheese