Sourdough Star Bread

Mix together ripe sourdough starter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and water. Knead the levain until it forms a cohesive ball. Set in a liquid measuring cup or glass jar and cover for 10-12 hours until the levain has doubled in size and the top is rounded.Note: Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain if desired.

Warm the milk in the microwave (about 1 1/2 minutes full power) or on the stove. It should be around 90-100 degrees F, no warmer than that. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the ripe levain, warmed milk, melted butter, egg, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and potato flakes.

Turn on the dough hook and knead for a few minutes. The dough should be tacky, not overly sticky, and should all cling to one side of the bowl (or away from the edges, depending on your mixer). Knead for a total of 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add a little extra flour, a Tablespoon at a time. If it's too dry, add a little extra milk to the dough, a Tablespoon at a time.Note: If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough for 12-15 minutes by hand.

Bulk Fermentation: Put the dough in a container and cover. Set the dough in a warm, 78-80ºF place for 4 hours. Take the temperature of the dough as needed to make sure it stays right around 78-80ºF. This temperature is the optimal fermentation.At the end of about 4-5 hours, the dough should be puffed up and feel very elastic. If it doesn't feel this way, let it bulk ferment for another half hour and check again. It will not have doubled in size, but will feel aerated and smooth.

Overnight Refrigeration: At this point, after the bulk fermentation has finished, cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator. Proceed with the recipe the next day, shaping and proofing the star bread before baking. This allows you time to serve the sourdough star bread for breakfast or brunch. If you prefer to shape the star bread and bake it the same day, skip the overnight refrigeration and proceed with the recipe.

Mix up the Filling: Near the end of bulk fermentation, mix up the star bread filling. To a small bowl, melt the butter. Set it aside. Mix together the brown sugar, white sugar, ground cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

Shaping: Cut the dough into 3 or 4 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough out into an even 10-inch circle. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the first circle of dough on top of the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the butter until it is covered. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the butter. Place the next circle of dough on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Stretch it out a little bit if it's shrunk so it is the same size as the bottom layer. Repeat the process of brushing with butter and then sprinkling with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place another circle of dough on top of the mixture, stretching it out as needed. Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Top with the last piece of dough. Pinch the edges closed. Place a 3-inch circular cup or jar in the center of the dough and press down lightly. Take a sharp knife and cut the dough into quarters, barely cutting into the area marked by the cup. Cut the quarter sections in half and then cut in half again until you have 16 equal cut sections of dough.Take two pieces of dough that are next to each other and twist 3 or 4 times in the opposite direction (one counter-clockwise and one clockwise). Pinch the ends together and set them down to form a point. Repeat with the other sections of dough until you have an 8-point star.

Proofing: Cover the star bread with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the sourdough star rest in a warm (80ºF) place for about 3-4 hours until puffed up, light, airy and almost doubled in size. Do not bake this unless it has puffed up and is very soft and aerated.

Pre-heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Egg Wash: Right before baking, whisk together the egg and milk. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash.

Bake: Bake at 375ºF for about 18-20 minutes until golden and the internal temperature registers 190-195ºF.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!