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Delicious chocolate hazelnut spread wrapped in this eye-catching star bread, this wholewheat star bread is sweet on the spot and has been eaten mostly by my father, which, I believe, has told you how good it is! And it’s vegan!
I know it might not be the perfect time to share this because I had wanted to make it before Christmas last year. But still, I think there’s no reason to hinder my passion for baking, so here is the Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Star Bread.
I remember the first time I saw a star bread (or some people call it “flower bread“), I was besotted with its amazing look and beautiful patterns. And honestly, I was a bit afraid of TRYING to make it because it looked hard.
But after reading the instructions from a few recipes, I realized that it’s not hard. I mean, not as hard as I expected. So please take a minute or two to read and I think you will find it less frightening than it looked.
This recipe is inspired by the recipe I read on This Vibrant World, but, as usual, I tweaked it a little bit. Instead of cinnamon, I choose chocolate hazelnut as the featuring flavour.
And in all honesty, it’s due to the fact that I got a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread that I need to use up before it passes the expiration date. (I think everyone can relate to this, right?)
Ingredients You Need
Despite its complicated look, this bread doesn’t call for a lot of ingredients. Just:
- Plant-based milk
- Extra-virgin coconut oil
- Organic sugar
- Instant yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Wholewheat flour (wholemeal flour)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (storebought or homemade)
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Star Bread
So, take a breath, let’s start.
In a small pan, add plant-based milk, coconut oil, and sugar. Place the pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Just make sure it’s warm enough to let the oil and sugar dissolve. Let it cool down to body temperature (~35°C).
Then once the mixture has cooled down a bit, add the yeast to the mixture and whisk to combine. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour and most of the wholewheat flour. Mix a little bit. Then add the oil-milk mixture. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine all ingredients evenly. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it sit for about 1 hour.
Then add the rest of wholewheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix and beat the dough until it’s almost smooth.
If the weather is warm, cover the dough and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. If it’s cool and chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 30~45 minutes until the dough has risen to 1.5~2 bigger. Then transfer the dough onto the floured surface and use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
Divide the dough into 4 equal sizes and roll each out into 6-inch flat disks. Use a bowl or a baking pan to measure and cut out the exact circle for each disk.
Spread some chocolate hazelnut spread on one of the circles evenly, then place another circle on top. Smear another layer of chocolate hazelnut spread on top of the rolled-out dough again, and layer another one on top. Repeat until the last circle is one top without the chocolate hazelnut spread.
Place a 7-8 cm (3-inch) bowl or jar in the center of the layered circles to make an indent. Then use the middle circle as a center to cut out 10 even-sized strips with a sharp knife. (See the photos above)
Group two strips together and twist both strips outward against each other. Press the ends to let them stick together. We’ve cut out 10 strips so there will be 5 points in the end. (Make it like a star!)
Cover the dough and let it sit for another 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F.
Bake it in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown.
Let it cool down on a wire rack before cutting or pulling apart. Optionally you can sprinkle some powdered sugar/icing sugar on top to make it look even more gorgeous. Best served warm so I would recommend reheating it a little bit before serving!
How to Store Chocolate Hazelnut Star Bread
It’s similar to most bread, so it’s best to be enjoyed it on the same day when you make the bread. But if you have leftover, you can put it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it. Warm it up in the oven before serving.
Questions You Might Have
Are baking powder and baking soda necessary?
I would say it’s best to add baking powder and baking soda because they make this bread fluffier.
Can I use other oil instread of coconut oil?
If you want to find a substitution, I would recommend using vegan butter for replacement.
Can I just use all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can. But you might need to add a bit more plant-based milk to form the dough. It depends on the humidity of the environment you’re working with and how absorbent the flour you use.
Final Words
That’s it! I know it looks like a lot of work with the mixing and proofing. But after it’s baked and I see the final bread, it really makes everything worth it, at least for me. So I hope you could find a time to give it a try and let me know how it goes!
If you make your bread or any other recipes, you can tag me on Instagram (@barrelleaf) or Facebook. I would love to see your results! And if you have other questions, you can leave comments down below and I will reply as soon as I can.
Happy baking!
More vegan baking recipes:
- Vegan Fruit Loaf Cake (Gluten-free)
- Vegan Mushroom Quiche (gluten-free)
- Vegan Tiramisu Chia Pudding (7 Ingredients)
Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Star Bread
Ingredients
For the dough
- 120 ml plant-based milk, I often use soy milk or oat milk
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil, *
- 2 Tbsp organic cane sugar
- 1/2+ 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 70 g all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 75 g wholewheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the filling
- 3 Tbsp Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, **
Instructions
- Prepare the oil-milk mixture for the dough: In a small pan, add plant-based milk, coconut oil, and sugar. Place the pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Don't let the mixture bowl. Let it cool down to body temperature (~35°C).
- Once the mixture has cooled down a bit, add the yeast to the mixture and whisk to combine. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour and most of the wholewheat flour. Mix a little bit. Then add the oil-milk mixture. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine all ingredients evenly. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it sit for about 1 hour.
- Then add the rest of wholewheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix and beat the dough until it's almost smooth.
- 1st Proofing: If the weather is warm, cover the dough and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. If it's cool and chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 30~45 minutes until the dough has risen to 1.5~2 bigger. Then transfer the dough onto the floured surface and use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
- Shaping the dough: Divide the dough into 4 equal sizes and roll each out into a 6-inch flat disk. Use a bowl or a baking pan to measure and cut out the exact circle for each disk.
- Apply the filling: Spread some chocolate hazelnut spread on one of the circles evenly, then place another circle on top. Smear another layer of chocolate hazelnut spread on top of the rolled-out dough again, and layer another one on top. Repeat until the last circle is one top without the chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Place a 7-8 cm (3-inch) bowl or jar in the center of the layered circles to make an indent. Then use the middle circle as a center to cut out 10 even-sized strips with a sharp knife. (See the photos above)
- Group two strips together and twist both strips outward against each other. Press the ends to let them stick together. We’ve cut out 10 strips so there will be 5 points in the end. (Make it like a star!)
- 2en Proofing: Cover the dough and let it sit for another 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F.
- Bake: Bake it in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until it's golden brown.
- Cool: Let it cool down on a wire rack before cutting or pulling apart. Optionally, sprinkle some powdered sugar/icing sugar on top to make it look even more gorgeous. Best serve warm.
Notes
- *Extra-virgin coconut oil: You can also use vegan butter to replace coconut oil.
- **Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: You can either use store-bought or homemade ones. (Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread recipe)
- Storage: It’s best served on the day you make it. But if you have leftover, put it in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer. It could last about 2 weeks. Before serving, reheat it in the oven so it can get soft and fluffy again.
- Inspired by This Vibrant World
