This festive Holiday Star Bread is a delightful centerpiece for any holiday breakfast or brunch. Its rich, lightly sweet dough is infused with cardamom and layered with a cinnamon-sugar filling, complemented by dried cranberries, golden raisins, pistachios, and sliced almonds. The star-shaped design adds a touch of elegance to your holiday table.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

• 1/4 cup warm water

• 1/2 cup warm milk (100 to 110°F/37 to 43°C)

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 cup melted butter

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons melted butter

For Assembly:

• 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

• 1/4 cup chopped golden raisins

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

• Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Prepare the Dough:

   • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, warm water, and warm milk. Let it sit for 15 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy.

   • Add sugar, egg, melted butter, ground cardamom, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, knead on medium speed until a smooth, very soft, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems too wet and sticky, add a little more flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time.

   • Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and with damp hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

2. Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar and Egg Wash:

   • In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar for the filling.

   • In another small bowl, whisk together the egg and melted butter for the egg wash.

3. Assemble the Bread:

   • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces.

   • Roll each piece into an 11-inch circle.

   • Place the first dough circle onto a piece of parchment paper. Brush generously with egg wash, then sprinkle with a rounded tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. Scatter 1/3 of the cranberries, raisins, almonds, and pistachios over the dough.

   • Repeat the layering process with the remaining dough circles, cinnamon sugar, and dried fruits and nuts, ending with the fourth dough circle on top.

   • Use a 3-inch pastry cutter or a glass to mark a circle at the center of the top piece of dough. With a knife or bench scraper, cut down through all layers from the outside edge of the marked circle to the outer edge of the stack, dividing the dough into 16 equal sections.

   • For each arm of the star, lift the ends of 2 sections with your fingers and twist them at least twice away from each other, then pinch the two ends together, pressing them into a point. Repeat this process for all 8 sets of cut dough strips.

   • Carefully slide the parchment paper with the shaped dough onto a baking sheet or pizza pan. Cover with a towel and let proof in a warm place until the dough puffs up slightly, about 45 minutes.

   • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the entire surface of the bread with egg wash.

   • Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

   • Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving, approximately)

• Calories: 362 kcal

• Total Fat: 14g (18% DV)

• Saturated Fat: 6g (32% DV)

• Cholesterol: 71mg (24% DV)

• Sodium: 310mg (13% DV)

• Total Carbohydrate: 52g (19% DV)

• Dietary Fiber: 3g (10% DV)

• Total Sugars: 18g

• Protein: 8g (17% DV)

• Vitamin C: 0mg (0% DV)

• Calcium: 55mg (4% DV)

• Iron: 3mg (14% DV)

• Potassium: 200mg (4% DV)