Ingredients:
For the bread:- 3 1/2 cup flour (separated)
- 1 packet of yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 egg at room temperature
For the filling:- 3.5 oz of chopped 50-70% dark chocolate (or chocolate chips)
- not quite 1/4 cup of butter, melted (less than half of a stick)
- chopped walnuts (optional)
- You can substitute the filling for Nutella instead
Directions:
Making the dough:1. Combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and stir so that everything is mixed
2. Heat the milk to a simmer or in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add the milk, butter, and egg to the flour mixture in the stand mixer and mix until incorporated
3. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour, switch to the dough hook attachment and let the mixer knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes on high until an elastic, tacky but not sticky dough is achieved
4. Once the dough is ready, either cover the stand mixer bowl with a kitchen towel, or transfer the ball of dough into another bowl, and let it proof for 40 minutes, until it has doubled in size. To check if the dough is well-rested, push down on it with two fingers -- if the dough does not bounce back wait five more minutes.
Filling and assembling:5. To make the chocolate filling, melt the butter and chocolate together either in a bain marie or in the microwave, or use Nutella
6. Once your dough is ready, transfer it to a well floured surface and divide it equally into 4 pieces.
7. Begin to roll one of the four pieces out into a circle, as thin as a tortilla or as wide as you want your final star to be. Place the rolled out piece of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Spread some of the chocolate ganache onto the dough, leaving a 1/2" margin at the edges. Here is where you can sprinkle some chopped walnuts or extra chocolate chips to your liking.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for the rest of the dough, however do not spread chocolate on top of the last layer of dough.
10. Once your bread dough is layered with chocolate on your baking sheet, it is time to cut and shape the dough. First, place a round cookie cutter in the middle of the circle of layered dough (or you can use an upside-down glass) and gently press down just to make a mark. Leave it sitting on the dough to help you as you cut.
11. Take a rotary cutter or a chef's knife to cut the dough into four -- making a cross from the edges to the edge of the cookie cutter or cup in the middle of your dough (this way a circle in the middle of the dough keeps everything connected)
12. Now, add 4 more cuts in the middle of the 4 sections to make 8 slices.
13. Finally, slice again in the middle of each section to make 16 slices in total.
14. You are finished cutting and it's time to shape your bread into a snowflake! Take two adjacent slices of layered dough and twist outward 2-3 times and join the two pieces at the end, do this for the rest of the slices.
15. Once your bread is shaped and twisted, cover it loosely with plastic wrap so that it doesn't dry out and let it proof again for 25 minutes.
16. Before placing the bread in the oven, brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle some granulated sugar over it
Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes
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