How to make Cranberry Raspberry Star Bread

This show-stopper bread is so easy to make! A simple no-knead enriched dough layered with almond and cranberry-raspberry filling, this gorgeous star bread is perfect for holiday celebrations or an everyday treat.

Cranberry Raspberry Star Bread Video Tutorial

Make the dough:

This easy no-knead dough recipe and method is by Breadin5.com. Simply add all ingredients to a 6-quart bucket and stir to combine. Cover; let dough rise on the counter for 2 hours. Then refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to 5 days) before shaping.

Shape the Star Bread:

Cut off a cantaloupe-sized dough piece (1/2 of the dough). Divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 10-inch round.

Add 1/3 of each filling to the first round. Top with next round and repeat 2 more times. Top with final round.

Use donut cutter to mark middle circle as a guide. Cut 16 equal spokes from edge to middle guide.

Twist 2 spokes towards each other, twice. Pinch edge to seal. Repeat with remaining spokes.

Pinch all seams one more time. Cover; let rise for 90 minutes.

Add egg wash to edges and middle. Sprinkle with decorating sugar.

Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Alternate filling options

Pesto & Cheese:

• 6 tablespoons pesto
• 1 cup of cheese
• 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds for sprinkling on top of egg washed star

Spread 2 tablespoons of pesto on the first round, top with 1/3 cup grated cheese, top with next round and repeat with the next two rounds of dough. Top with the final round of dough and shape the star. Brush the center and star tips with egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake as directed.

Pumpkin: use the filling from here.

Cranberry Raspberry Star Bread

This show-stopper bread is so easy to make! A simple no-knead enriched dough layered with almond and cranberry-raspberry filling, this beautiful star bread is perfect for holiday celebrations or an everyday treat.

Yield 1 large star bread

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Ingredients

Enriched Sweet Dough

• (Makes two 2-pound (907g) star breads)
• 1 3/4 cups (420g) lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon Platinum Yeast
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (170g) honey
• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted
• 7 1/2 cups (1060g) all-purpose flour (see note)

Star Bread

• (Makes one large star bread)
• 2 pounds (about 907g) Enriched Sweet Dough ( half of above recipe)
• 6 tablespoons (120g) almond paste
• 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• Egg wash: 1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water (beaten together)
• Decorator sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar (if desired)

Instructions

Make the dough

• Mixing and storing the dough: In a 6-quart container, add the water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey, melted butter and flour. Using a large spoon or Danish dough whisk, stir until ingredients are mixed and uniform. (You can also mix ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.) Cover (not airtight) and allow to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours; then store in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to chill the dough before using.
• Dough can be used as soon as it’s chilled after the initial rise, stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for later use. Refrigerate remainder in a non-airtight lidded container and use over the next 5 days. If you plan to keep the dough longer, it stores well in the freezer for up to four weeks in an airtight container. Freeze in one-pound portions.

  NOTE: When using frozen dough, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before use, then allow usual rest and rise times.

Make the Star Bread

• Make the Almond Filling: In a food processor mix together the almond paste, flour, sugar, almond extract, egg yolks and salt until it is a smooth paste. Set aside in a small bowl and clean the processor.
• Make the Cran-Raspberry Filling: Add the raspberry preserves and cranberries to the clean processor and chop until the cranberries are fine pieces. Set aside.
• Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece. If you don't have a scale, it's half of the dough. Place the remaining dough back in the refrigerator. Divide the piece into four equal pieces, dust with more flour and quickly shape them into balls by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Cover and let dough balls rest for 20 minutes to allow dough to relax.
• Roll out the dough balls into four circles about 10-inch wide. As you roll out the dough, add flour as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough shrinks back, let it rest for a few more minutes.
• Place one of the dough rounds on a piece of parchment paper. Top with 1/3 the almond filling, then 1/3 the raspberry-cranberry mixture. Cover with next round. Repeat with next two layers of dough and fillings. Top with the final layer of dough.
• Place a 2½-inch biscuit cutter, or anything that size, and round in the center of the dough. Press lightly to make an indent (do not cut the dough) or leave biscuit cutter there as a guide.
• Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut 16 equal spokes from the edge of the biscuit cutter to the outer edge of the dough.
• Twist two of the sections toward each other with two rotations, then pinch the two sections together at the end to form a point. Continue with the rest of the sections until you have 8 points. Pinch seams one more time to ensure they won't come apart during rising.
• Loosely cover the star and rise for 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Once star bread has risen, press edges together one last time. Brush the star point edges and center of star with egg wash; sprinkle decorating sugar along edges and center.
• Bake on stone or sheet pan for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and set.
• Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
• Allow to cool on a rack.

Notes

Artisan Bread in Five recipes use the scoop and sweep method for measuring flour.

Dough recipe and method by Breadin5.com.

Star Bread recipe by Zoë François

Author: Zoë François

ZOË FRANÇOIS is the author of ZOË BAKES CAKES and co-author of the best-selling Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book series. She is also the host of Zoë Bakes on the Magnolia Network. Zoë was formally trained as a pastry chef at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. Since then, she has been the executive pastry chef at several Twin Cities’ restaurants, taught baking and pastry nationally and her work has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Food52, Today Show, Cherry Bombe and Better Homes & Gardens. Zoë’s portfolio of work can be found on her award-winning Instagram account @zoebakes.