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 (50 ml) wai aromahana (lukewarm water)
- 2 tbsp huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 2 ½ tsp īhi Surebake (Surebake/Breadmakers yeast) OR use 1 ¼ tsp īhi tere (instant yeast)
- ¾ C (187 ml) miraka (milk)
- ¼ C paura miraka (milk powder) OR swap it for ¼ C of puehu parāoa (flour)
- 2 tsp wanira (vanilla)
- ½ tsp 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)
- 50 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ¼ C huka hāura (brown sugar)
- 1 tsp raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 2 tbsp kōkō (cocoa)
- 1 tsp wanira (vanilla)
Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei (optional)
- 20 g pata kua rewaina (melted butter)
- 2 tbsp puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 2 tbsp marahihi māpere (maple syrup)
Instructions
Sweet Dough - Pokenga Reka
- 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.
- Add in the rest of the dough ingredients. Stir it until a rough forms and then knead it. If you are using a mixer, knead for 8 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, knead it for 10 minutes.
- 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.
Hazelnut Spread - Pani Hānati
- As the dough rises, grate or cut up the tiakarete hānati (hazelnut chocolate) in to a medium bowl. Melt it gently in the microwave or over a pot of barely simmering water. Leave it aside to cool slightly.
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter) and huka hāura (brown sugar) in to a medium bowl. Whip for 2 minutes until light in colour.
- Add in the raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), kōkō (cocoa) and wanira (vanilla). Whip until incorporated.
- Fold through the tiakarete hānatai kua rewaina (melted hazelnut chocolate) and it is ready.
Assembly - Mahi Whetū
- Once the dough has risen, cut the dough in to four equal pieces.
- Trace a 26cm plate on to baking paper and flip it over as a guide for how big the pieces of dough should be.
- Roll out the first piece of dough and place it on the baking paper. Spread a third of the chocolate hazelnut mixture on to the circle, leave the outer 1cm edge free from any spread.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- Cover with a tea towel and leave on the bench to rise for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 175 °C, bake setting.
- Once the dough has risen, pinch together any of the ends that have opened up and get it in the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei (optional)
- 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!