Star Bread - Parāoa Whetū
A delicious, soft dough encasing a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread and folded in to a star for the extra wow factor.
Servings 1 large star (8 servings)
Ingredients
Sweet Dough - Pokenga Reka
- ⅓ C (85 ml) wai aromahana (lukewarm water)
- 2 tablespoon (30 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 2 ½ teaspoon īhi Surebake (Surebake/Breadmakers yeast) OR use 1 ¼ teaspoon īhi tere (instant yeast)
- ¾ C (185 ml) miraka (milk)
- ¼ C (35 g) paura miraka (milk powder OR swap it for ¼ C of puehu parāoa (flour)
- 2 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
- ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
- 2 ¾ C (410 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
- 60 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
Hazelnut Spread - Pani Hānati
- 100 g tiakarete hānati (hazelnut chocolate, this can be swapped for any other flavoured chocolate)
- 50 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ¼ C (50 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 2 tablespoon kōkō (cocoa)
- 1 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei (optional)
- 20 g pata kua rewaina (melted butter)
- 2 tablespoon puehu huka (icing sugar) or the same amount of marahihi māpere (maple syrup)
Instructions
Activate the Yeast:
- Add the wai aromahana (lukewarm water), huka hāura (brown sugar) and īhi (yeast) in to a large bowl. Stir and leave it for 5 - 10 minutes until the yeast has risen to the top and is slightly foamy.
Add the remaining Ingredients:
- Add all of the remaining ingredients in to the activated yeast.
Knead the Dough:
- Stir it until a rough forms and then pokepokea te pokenga (knead the dough).
- If you are using a stand mixer, add it to a mixing bowl and knead it for 5 - 7 minutes with a dough hook on medium speed.
- If you are kneading by hand, knead it for 7 - 9 minutes on a lightly floured bench until soft and stretchy.
First Rise:
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a bowl cover or a tea towel.
- Leave the dough to rise for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours. It is ready when the dough has doubled in size.
Prepare the Chocolate for the Filling:
- As the dough rises, grate the tiakarete hānati (hazelnut chocolate) in to a medium, heat-proof bowl. No need to grate it if your tiakarete (chocolate) does not have whole hānati (hazelnuts) in it, just chop it finely.
- Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. This should take a minute or just over.
- You can also melt it gently in a heat-proof bowl that is sitting over a pot of barely simmering water (around 3cm deep). Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Stir it occasionally until it is melted.
- Once completely melted and smooth, remove from the heat and leave the tiakarete (chocolate) to cool for 5 minutes.
Whip the Butter and Sugar:
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter) and huka hāura (brown sugar) in to a medium bowl.
- Tāwhiuwhiua (whip it) for 2 minutes until light in colour.
- Add in the raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), kōkō (cocoa) and wanira (vanilla). Whip for 30 seconds or so until it is all incorporated.
Add the Chocolate:
- Fold through the tiakarete hānatai kua rewaina (melted hazelnut chocolate) and the filling is ready.
Prepare the Baking Tray:
- Trace a 26 cm plate on to baking paper and flip it over as a guide for how big the pieces of dough should be.
Divide the Dough:
- Once the dough has risen, cut the dough in to four equal pieces. I just eye-ball it but you can also weigh each piece if you want.
Add the First Layer of Dough and Filling:
- Roll out the first piece of dough and place it on the baking paper, stretching the dough to be the same size as the guide line.
- Spread a third of the chocolate hazelnut mixture on to the circle, leave the outer 1 cm edge free from any spread.
Add the Second, Third and Fourth Layer:
- Roll out and lay the next circle of dough on top and spread over another third of the filling. Repeat this process with the remaining two pieces but keep the fourth circle of dough clear of filling.
Cut the Dough:
- Place a 6 cm cup in the middle of the circle.
- Cut the dough in to 16 equal pieces, cutting from the edge of the cup to the outer edge.
Twist the Dough:
- Take two pieces of dough, twist them outwards two times and squeeze the ends together.
- Repeat this with the remaining strands, creating eight twisted points.
- A star is created! Take a moment to step back and look at what you have made! Te mutunga mai o te ātaahua - how beautiful!
Second Rise:
- Cover the tray with a tea towel and leave it on the bench to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C, bake setting or 170 °C, bake setting.
- Once the dough has risen, pinch together any of the ends that have opened up and place the tray in to the oven.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden.
Add the Finishing Touches:
- Brush the parāoa whetū (star bread) with pata kua rewaina (melted butter) and sift over the puehu huka (icing sugar). Or if you want a more glossy finish, mix the pata (butter) and marahihi māpere (maple syrup) together and brush it over the hot bread. Eat warm!
Storing the Chocolate Star Bread:
- This parāoa (bread) is always going to be at its best fresh from the oven.If you have any left, store in a plastic container or bag for a day or so. Warm it gently in the oven or air fryer to bring it back to life.
- Anything beyond a day, store the parāoa (bread) in a plastic bag and freeze it. Gently toast or reheat it when you are ready.