This Matcha Star Bread is a festive and fun way to showcase tender pull-apart buns filled with a homemade Matcha Hazelnut Spread.
What is star bread?
It is a bread dough that is shaped into star or snowflake, usually served at Christmas time.
Typically, it is is filled with a combination of cinnamon sugar, or brown sugar.
However, there are savoury versions as well using pesto or tomato sauce.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe yields a smaller 8-9" Star Bread, perfect for feeding a few people.
It is filled with my Matcha Hazelnut Spread, a green tea spin on Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Gianduja)/Nutella which is commonly used as a filling.
The yeasted bread is soft and fluffy, with hints of green tea and hazelnut woven throughout.
It only requires a few ingredients to make at home.
Ingredients you'll need
- whole milk: warmed, or any non-dairy alternative
- active dry yeast
- granulated sugar: or any sweetener, adds a little sweetness to the dough
- bread flour or all-purpose flour
- sea salt: balances out the flavour of the dough
- vegetable oil: adds a little moisture to keep the buns soft; or softened butter
- vanilla extract: use a good quality pure vanilla extract, adds a little flavour to the dough
- Matcha Hazelnut Spread: or you can substitute with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
How to make it
Make the dough
Combine the warmed milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl and give it a stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast is bubbly and active.
In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the flour and sea salt.
Add in the yeast mixture, oil and vanilla extract and knead until the dough is soft and shiny, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
Leave it to rest in a warm location, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Assemble
Divide the dough into 4 equal balls.
On a large work surface, with a rolling pin, roll each dough ball out into an 8-9" circle.
Place the rolled out dough onto a piece of parchment paper and transfer to a large baking sheet (Step 1 above).
Add 2 tablespoon of Matcha Hazelnut Spread to the dough and use an offset spatula to spread it over the surface, leaving about 1" border from the edge of the dough (Step 2 & 3 above).
Place another rolled out dough over top and repeat with spreading the Matcha Hazelnut Spread, leaving the top layer blank (Step 4 above).
Use a round 1.5" lid to make an imprint in the center of the dough. (This acts as a guide). (Step 5 below)
Use a sharp bench scraper or cutter to make 4 cuts (North, South, East, and West), working from the exterior of the centre imprint (Step 6 below).
Then, make 3 additional cuts in each quarter so you end up with 12 pieces total (Step 7 below).
Take two pieces of dough and twist twice opposite of each other, and pinch the ends together.
Repeat until all the dough sections have been twisted (Step 8 below).
Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm location, until the bread is puffy.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.
Bake the Matcha Star Bread at 350F for 17-20 minutes, until lightly golden. If the bread is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil halfway through.
Transfer the star bread to a wire rack to cool.
How to store
Store the Matcha Star Bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Place into the fridge for up to 1 week.
How to enjoy
Similar to pull-apart bread, you can pull off each "star tip" and enjoy.
Serve the Matcha Star Bread at room temperature, or reheated for approximately 20 seconds in the microwave.
Other filling ideas
Feel free to try a different filling such as:
Or try adding chopped nuts, candied ginger, orange zest, or lemon zest.
For a savoury version, try adding herbs and spices like garlic, basil pesto or tomato sauce.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Matcha Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)
Mini Wool Bread Buns with Purple Sweet Potato
Matcha Raspberry Cream Cheese Rolls
Matcha Milk Jam/Green Tea Milk Spread
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Matcha Star Bread
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 130 ml whole milk warmed
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 160 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
- pinch of sea salt
- 30 g vegetable oil or butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
Instructions
- Combine the warmed milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl and give it a stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast is bubbly and active.
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment, add in the flour and sea salt.
- Add in the yeast mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and knead until the dough is soft and shiny, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Leave it to rest in a warm location, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal balls.
- On a large work surface, with a rolling pin, roll each dough ball out into an 8-9" circle.
- Place the rolled out dough onto a piece of parchment paper and transfer to a large baking sheet.
- Add 2 tablespoon of Matcha Hazelnut Spread to the dough and use an offset spatula to spread it over the surface, leaving about 1" border from the edge.
- Place another rolled out dough over top and repeat with spreading the Matcha Hazelnut Spread, leaving the top layer blank.
- Use a round 1.5" lid to make an imprint in the centre of the dough. (This acts as a guide).
- Use a sharp bench scraper to make 4 cuts (North, South, East, and West), working from the exterior of the centre imprint.
- Then, make 3 additional cuts in each quarter so you end up with 12 pieces total.
- Take two pieces of dough and twist twice opposite of each other, and pinch the ends together.
- Repeat until all the dough sections have been twisted.
- Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm location, until the bread is puffy.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
- Bake the Matcha Star Bread at 350°F/177°C for 17-20 minutes, until lightly golden. If the bread is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil halfway through.
- Transfer the star bread to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your gorgeous pull apart bread would literally become the star of any dinner. I especially love the fun color that the matcha adds to the bread!
Healthy World Cuisine
Just stunning! Decorate the house with delicious baked goods instead of ornaments. We are all about that! Thank you for all of those very helpful step by step photos to make this matcha star bread.
Raymund | angsarap.net
Another bread perfection Michelle, really impressive
David @ Spiced
Wow, this is so fun! I've never come across star bread before...which is shocking since I (1) love to bake and (2) love cinnamon rolls. This matcha version is really fun. I wonder if you could incorporate some red in there for the holidays somehow? Maybe sugared cranberries?? Would that work?
Michelle
Thanks David! Sugared cranberries would be a fantastic addition 🙂
Linsey
Beautiful and very festive. Looks yummy too.
2pots2cook
Such a clean work and festive treat. Pinned to Christmas!!!!!