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Homemade Cranberry Orange Star Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 50 reviews

This Homemade Cranberry Orange Star Bread is a festive, beautifully layered bread featuring a tangy cranberry-orange jam filling twisted into a stunning star shape. Made with a soft, enriched dough infused with fresh orange zest and layered with a vibrant homemade cranberry jam, this bread combines bright citrus flavors and sweet-tart berries with buttery, tender bread for an impressive holiday or special occasion treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp orange zest (finely grated from fresh oranges)
  • 1 tbsp active dry yeast (Red Star recommended)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 5 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 4.25 cups all-purpose flour (preferably King Arthur)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed to 110°F)

Cranberry-Orange Jam Filling

  • 2.5 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)

Finishing

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp water
  • Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast and Begin Dough Base: Warm the milk to 110°F and combine with active dry yeast in a bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom. Meanwhile, sift the flour and whisk together with 1/2 cup sugar and kosher salt in the stand mixer bowl.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients and Begin Kneading: Add the yeast mixture, eggs, and orange zest to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms. Gradually add softened butter tablespoon by tablespoon, mixing on low each time to fully incorporate the butter. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
  3. First Rise and Cold Fermentation: Transfer the dough to a spray-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or damp towel, and let it rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until doubled. Then refrigerate the dough for 1 to 1½ hours to cold ferment, enhancing flavor and dough manageability.
  4. Prepare Cranberry-Orange Jam Filling: While dough is rising, in a saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries break down and jam thickens. Blend until smooth and cool to room temperature before assembling.
  5. Shape and Assemble the Star Bread: Divide chilled dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick on parchment paper. Place the first circle on a baking sheet and spread 1/2 cup of cooled jam over it, leaving a 1-inch border. Repeat layering with the remaining dough circles and jam, pressing gently between layers. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to press down the center of the stack without removing to create a guide for cutting.
  6. Cut and Twist into Star Shape: Remove the cookie cutter carefully. Cut the dough into 16 even strips from the edge towards the center, stopping just short of the inner circle, creating 8 pairs of dough strips. Twist each pair outward 2-3 times and pinch the ends to form star points. Cover loosely and let the shaped bread rise 1-2 hours at room temperature until puffy.
  7. Egg Wash, Bake, and Finish: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix egg with water and brush over the risen bread for a golden shine. Bake for 30-35 minutes until deep golden and a skewer comes out clean (internal temperature about 190°F). Cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Notes

  • Be sure to warm milk to about 110°F—too hot can kill yeast, too cold slows fermentation.
  • Cold fermenting the dough deepens flavor and makes shaping easier.
  • Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for the best citrus flavor.
  • If cranberries are tart, adjust sugar in jam to taste.
  • Make sure the jam is cool before spreading to avoid affecting dough proofing.
  • A warm but turned-off oven is a great spot for proofing the shaped bread.
  • Egg wash helps achieve a shiny, golden crust but brush gently to avoid deflating the proofed dough.
  • This bread freezes well after baking, just reheat gently before serving.

Keywords: star bread, cranberry bread, orange bread, holiday bread, festive bread, layered bread, sweet bread

Find it online: https://topreci.com/homemade-cranberry-orange-star-bread-recipe/