Okay, so I saw this puff pastry star bread thing all over the internet and thought, “I gotta try that!” It looked so impressive, but also kinda complicated. Turns out, it’s way easier than it looks. Here’s how my baking adventure went:
Gathering My Stuff
First, I grabbed all the ingredients. I needed:
- Two sheets of puff pastry (I used the store-bought, frozen kind, gotta keep it simple!).
- Some Nutella (because, duh, chocolate). You could probably use jam or something else, but Nutella is my jam.
- An egg, for that golden-brown finish.
- A little bit of powdered sugar, to make it look all fancy at the end.
Getting Started
I thawed the puff pastry sheets. I try not to let them get too soft, otherwise they are difficult to handle. Then, I unrolled one sheet onto a piece of parchment paper. This is important, because you’re gonna be cutting and twisting, and you don’t want it sticking to your counter.
The Fun Part: Spreading and Layering
Next, I scooped a generous amount of Nutella onto the pastry and spread it all over, leaving a little bit of an edge. It felt wrong to use so much Nutella, but also so right. I carefully placed the second sheet of puff pastry on top, like making a giant, delicious sandwich.
Cutting and Twisting
Now for the slightly tricky part. I placed a small glass in the center of the pastry circle as a guide. Then, using a sharp knife, I cut the pastry into 16 equal strips, starting from the edge of the glass and cutting outwards. It’s like cutting a pizza, but with more steps later.
Once it was all cut, I took two adjacent strips and twisted them away from each other. Then I pinched the ends together. I repeated this all the way around, and it slowly started to look like a star! It’s kinda therapeutic, actually.
Baking Time!
I beat the egg with a little bit of water and brushed it all over the pastry. This is what gives it that beautiful, glossy look. Then, I carefully slid the whole thing (parchment paper and all) onto a baking sheet.
I baked it in a preheated oven at around 375°F (190°C) for about 20-25 minutes, until it was puffed up and golden brown. My kitchen smelled amazing!
The Grand Finale
Once it was out of the oven and slightly cooled, I dusted it with powdered sugar. And there it was! My very own puff pastry star bread. It looked (and tasted) way more impressive than the effort I put in. Total win!
It was great sharing with my family. So good! I suggest you do it too.
