Description

This Sourdough Chai Spice Star Bread recipe is a soft, fluffy, and flavorful bread infused with warm chai spices and layered with a spiced sugar filling. Shaped into an elegant eight-point star, it’s a festive and fun bread perfect for holiday breakfasts or special occasions, blending the tang of sourdough with the warmth of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and more. The bread is enriched with coconut milk and vegan butter for a tender crumb and finished with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar for a beautiful presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Chai Spice Blend

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
1 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dough

100 g active sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
250 g full fat coconut milk (1 cup)
24 g raw honey (2 tablespoons)
14 g extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon)
13 g vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
6 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
300 grams all purpose flour (2-1/2 cups)

Filling

100 g whole cane sugar or coconut palm sugar (2/3 cup)
16 g chai spice blend (2 tablespoons from above)
58 g melted vegan butter (1/4 cup)

Finishing

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)
Additional melted vegan butter for brushing

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Instructions

Make the chai spice blend: Add all the listed spices for the chai blend into a jar, cover tightly, and shake well until fully combined. Store this blend in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, measure and combine the active sourdough starter, coconut milk, raw honey, olive oil, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and all-purpose flour. Stir or mix by hand to form a rough dough.
Knead the dough: Using the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, knead the dough on low speed for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft, smooth, and pulls away from the bowl forming a ball. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour until it reaches the right consistency. Alternatively, knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes.
Bulk ferment: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise at room temperature in a warm spot until doubled in size and very soft and pillowy, about 8-10 hours (overnight is ideal). In cooler environments, the ferment may take longer.
Prepare filling: Once the dough has completed the bulk ferment, mix the sugar and 2 tablespoons of the chai spice blend in a small bowl. Melt the vegan butter and have it ready in a separate bowl with a pastry brush.
Shape the bread layers: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Turn the risen dough out onto an oiled surface; divide it into four equal portions. Roll out each quarter into a round circle about 1/4 inch thick.
Assemble the layers: Transfer one rolled dough round onto the parchment-lined pan. Brush it generously with melted butter, then sprinkle one-third of the sugar and spice mixture evenly over it. Repeat layering with the remaining dough rounds and topping each with butter and sugar-spice, ending with a plain top dough layer.
Cut and twist: Place a small upturned glass in the center of the top dough layer. Using a sharp knife, cut through all layers from the rim of the glass to the edge of the dough, splitting the dough into sixteen equal segments by cutting quarters, then eighths, then sixteenths. Press the glass down slightly to create an indentation in the center and remove the glass.
Create star points: Take two adjacent cut pieces and twist them away from each other fully; this forms the first star point. Repeat twisting pairs on all segments to form an eight-point star shape. Pinch the ends of each point to seal.
Proof the shaped bread: Brush the top of the twisted dough with melted butter, then cover with a kitchen teatowel. Set the bread in a warm place to proof for about 1 hour or until it puffs up noticeably.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the star bread for 20 minutes at this temperature, then reduce the heat to 350°F (177°C) and bake another 10 minutes, or until the bread is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool and finish: Remove the bread from the baking sheet and cool on a rack. Before serving, brush the top with additional melted butter for a glossy finish and dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy the festive flavors.

Notes

This bread is soft and fluffy with a delightful chai spice flavor, similar in texture and taste to a giant cinnamon roll.
The intricate star shape is easier to create than it looks and adds a festive touch to any table.
For best results, use an active sourdough starter and allow sufficient bulk ferment time for a light, airy crumb.
If you don’t have vegan butter, you can substitute with regular butter if not vegan, but flavor and texture may vary slightly.
Adjust sweetness or spice levels to taste by varying the sugar or chai spice blend quantities.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease transfer to baking sheet.
Make sure to proof the shaped bread adequately before baking to ensure lightness in texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 piece
Calories: 170 kcal
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 172 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg