Christmas Star Bread VMBurns #recipe #Christmas

 vmburns: I like to bake, but I've always had a fear of yeast. No idea why, but for some reason, yeast scares me. Take a packet of powdered yeast and add hot water and it is suddenly alive. Cue the Frankenstein music, "IT'S ALIVE!!!!" However, I've been trying to overcome that fear. So, I've tried a few simple bread recipes. Some have been successful. Some have not. Last year, I received a gift card for a cooking class at the Sweet and Savory Classroom in Chattanooga. If you live in the area, I highly recommend them. 2023 was a busy year and I wasn't able to use the gift card before now. Glad I waited. Christmas Star Bread and Stollen were the featured class. Here are pictures and instructions from my class. Thank you to my friend, Melinda for coming with me. I also want to thank Chef Heather and Chef Jeff. I was a bit busy so I don't have pictures from every step in the process. However, I will definitely try this again and will be more diligent about the pictures.

Christmas Star Bread

THIS WAS MY FINISHED PRODUCT

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. Flour

1 egg

2 oz. Butter, unsalted softened

1 tsp Salt

.5 oz. Sugar

1.25 oz. Sugar

7 grams Yeast

1/8 teaspoon Cardamon

6 fl oz. Milk 110 degrees

2 fl oz Water 110 degrees

7 oz. Seedless Raspberry Jam

1 oz. Butter, melted

Powdered Sugar for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place warm water in the yeast and allow it to "bloom" for about 5 minutes. (Chef tip #1: weigh all your ingredients. YES, I said weigh.)

   

    
2. Add milk, egg, butter, sugar, salt, and cardamon to the bowl of a mixer and combine using the dough hook (Chef tip #2: Beat your egg before adding to your batter).
3. Add the yeast mixture and flour. Make sure to hold back on some of the flour until you see how much you really need. (Chef tip #3: Butter and egg should be at room temperature).
4. When the dough starts to form a ball, take out of the mixer and finish kneading by hand until smooth.
5. Place dough back in the bowl and lightly oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour at room temp. (We had a proofer, so it took half the time).
6. Divide the dough into four 4 equal pieces (chef Heather recommends weighing). Lightly tuck the dough into circles.
7. Roll each piece of dough into a 12" circle. It will be about 1/8" thick. The thinner the dough gets the quicker it will proof. Use a little flour to prevent sticking. (I missed getting photos of rolling out the dough and slathering the layers with the jam. Sorry.) 
8. Roll all 4 layers before starting to assemble.
9. Start layering your dough onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper a light dusting of flour in between each layer.
10. Place 1 circle of dough on parchment, spread 1/4 cup of jam onto the dough leaving 1/2" around the edge with no jam, and place another circle of dough on top. Continue layering until you have a total of 3 layers of jam filling. DO NOT PUT JAM ON TOP OF THE FINAL LAYER.
11. Leave a 2-3" circle in the middle uncut. Cut to that circle evenly around to make 16 pieces. 
    
12. Take every 2 strips of dough, twist them away from each other, twisting 2 times, and pinch the ends together. Repeat until you have 8 twists. 
13. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough proof for approximately 30-60 minutes. 
14. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
    
15. Brush with melted butter right after coming out of the oven. Wait to dust with powdered sugar before serving and after the bread has cooled.
    
16. It can be frozen, then let thaw at room temp uncovered. Warm at 350F for 5-8 minutes.

This gorgeous star was my friend Melinda's. 

READERS: Do you have a favorite bread that you make for the holidays? Let me know in the comments.

SNIFFING OUT MURDER 

When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.

After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

BUY LINK