Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread

Prep: 30 mins + rising time | Cook Time: 25 mins | Course: Baked Goods | Yield: 1 Star Bread 

Delicious enriched sourdough bread layered with cranberry-orange jam and twisted into a beautiful star. This bread is as amazing 4 days later as it was on day 1 and that is the beauty of sourdough. Inspired by McKenna @ Simplicity and a Starter https://simplicityandastarter.com/sourdough-cranberry-orange-star-bread/ 

4 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp salt

¾ cup milk

½ cup sourdough starter

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup butter, softened

Cranberry Orange Filling:

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 orange, zest & juice (or 3 cuties)

2 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp grand marnier or cointreau

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Egg Wash:

1 egg

1 Tbsp milk

powdered sugar, a dusting

Measure flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add milk, sourdough starter, eggs, vanilla, and butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed for 5-6 minutes, the dough should be elastic, smooth, and pulling away from the bowl. Transfer to a non-metallic bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel until doubled in size, about 8-12 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. 

Make the cranberry orange jam; cook cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, and orange liqueur in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the jam to cool, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and section it into 4 equal pieces. Roll a piece of dough into a 10” circle on a silpat or rolling mat, then spread with ⅓ of the jam, leaving a ½” rim on the outside edge jam-free for easier assembling, place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the next 2 dough sections and jam layers. Place the last dough circle on top of the last of the jam. Place a 3” bowl in the center of the circle. Make 4 evenly spaced slices from the bowl to the end of the circle with a sharp knife. Continue making the evenly spaced cuts until you have 16 equal strips (I like to use a lazy susan under the pan for more graceful cutting). Grasp 2 strips next to each other and twist them away from each other, then bring them together at the end and press and crimp them together. Repeat until you have 8 star points formed. Remove the bowl and cover the star bread with a tea towel for 1-2 hours or until puffy at room temperature (or in the fridge overnight).

Preheat oven to 350*. Whisk the egg and milk together and brush over the bread. Bake for 25-35 minutes, the bread will be a beautiful golden brown. Use an insta-thermometer to test that the center of the bread is a minimum of 190*. Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar if desired.