Sourdough Eggnog Star Bread

Dec 4, 2024

3 min read

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This festive sourdough star bread is infused with cozy eggnog flavors—nutmeg, cinnamon, and a hint of rum—making it perfect for holiday gatherings. The dough is enriched with browned butter for depth, and the filling features a luscious cinnamon-sugar blend. A glossy rum glaze drizzled over the golden, twisted layers forming a gorgeous snowflake makes it a showstopper on any table.

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Sweet Starter (Night Before)

Baker's schedule (9:00 PM- Day 1)

• 15g ripe sourdough starter

• 37g water

• 75g bread flour

• 20g granulated sugar

Instructions:

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until combined. If it's too stiff to mix with a spoon, need with hands a minute. Cover loosely and let rest at room temperature (78–80°F) overnight, about 8–12 hours, until doubled.

Dough Ingredients

Baker's Schedule (8:00 AM- Day 2)

• 1/2 cup (125g) sweet stiff starter (50% hydration, doubled)

• 4 tbsp (57g) browned butter, cooled

• 3/4 cup (180g) warm milk

• 1 tbsp (15g) rum or 1/2 tsp rum extract (https://amzn.to/3VmMBo4)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 3 1/2 cups (425g) all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp (10g) sea salt

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

• 4 tbsp (45g) melted butter

• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Rum Glaze

• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar

• 1 1/2 tbsp (20 g) rum (adjust to taste) or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract

• 1–2 tsp cream (optional, for consistency if you want to thin glaze)

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

Dough Preparation

1. Mix the Dough: Combine the sweet starter, browned butter, milk, rum, vanilla, spices, sugar, and egg in a large bowl. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Knead: Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Dough will be tacky to touch. Allow dough to rest covered for 30 minutes, and perform one set of stretch and folds.

3. First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 8 hours at 78-80 degrees. Dough won't double, but should show signs of puffing and fermenting.

Baker's Schedule (5:00 PM- Day 2)

Optional Overnight Refrigeration: If you’d prefer, after the first rise, cover the dough and refrigerate overnight. Bring it to room temperature for 1 hour the next day before shaping.

Shaping the Star Bread

Baker's Schedule (8:00 AM- Day 3)

1. Roll Out Layers: Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into a 9-inch circle.

2. Add Filling: Brush the first circle with melted butter, then sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edge. Repeat step by layering with rolled out dough, then adding butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture with the next layers, leaving the top plain. Trim edges to form a clean circle with a sharp knife or pastry cutter.

3. Shape the Star:

• Place a small round cutter in the center as a guide (I used my smallest cookie cutter from this set https://amzn.to/3ZH56GI) and make 16 equal cuts outward from the center. I started this by cutting 4 sections, and making each section into 4 smaller sections with a sharp knife.

• Twist two adjacent sections outward two full turns and pinch the ends together to form a star point. Repeat with all sections to create an 8-point star. See shaping below.

Second Rise: Cover the shaped bread and let rise for 2-3 hours until puffy at 78-80 degrees.