This spicy cheesy star bread is the perfect holiday centerpiece. It's packed with the flavors of gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste), hoisin sauce, and our nutty Grand Cru® cheese, and twisted into a star for a festive touch.
Recipe by: Kristina Cho, Eat Cho Food
Recipe by: Kristina Cho, Eat Cho Food
Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
- 170g (3/4 cup) warm water
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar, plus a pinch
- 135g (1 cup) wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour)
- 375g (3 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 105g (1/2 cup) canola oil
- 80g (1/4 cup) honey
- For the Bread:
- 1/4 cup gochugang (Korean fermented chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon hoisin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 (6-oz) wedge Roth Grand Cru® cheese, shredded
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
- Chopped green onions, for topping (optional)
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine yeast, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Allow the yeast to proof until bubbly, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine sugar, wheat flour, bread flour, salt, eggs, oil, honey, and yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until shaggy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and continue until a smooth and slightly sticky dough forms, 8 to 9 minutes. To knead the dough by hand, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a flexible spatula until shaggy. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand until smooth. Continue to dust the counter with bread flour, only when too sticky. A bench or dough scraper comes in handy when kneading by hand to get the dough off the counter. Form the dough into a smooth ball.
- Brush a large mixing bowl with oil and turn to coat the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow to proof until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- While the dough is proofing, mix your sauce. In a small bowl, whisk to combine gochujang, water, honey, hoisin, and sesame oil.
- Once proofed, punch the dough to deflate it and transfer to a floured work surface. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (with a digital scale if you have one) and form each portion into smooth balls. Cover and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes (this makes the dough easier to roll out into rounds).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll out the dough into a 10- to 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Spread 1/2 of the sauce over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the sauce. Roll out another portion of dough and layer. Repeat with remaining sauce, cheese, and dough. Press down on the edges of the dough to seal.
- Gently press a 2 1/2- to 3-inch cup into the center of the dough to act as a guide. With a sharp knife or pastry wheel cutter, cut 16 equal radial cuts around the center (leaving the center intact). The easiest way to cut evenly is to cut the bread into quarters and then continue to cut those portions in half. Grab two adjacent portions of dough and twist them towards each other 2 or 3 times and pinch ends of the dough together until they stick. Repeat with remaining sections of dough. Cover the dough and let it proof until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make egg wash by whisking egg and water.
- Brush the egg wash over the bread. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions over the center of the dough. Bake until golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Allow the dough to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.