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sourdough savory star bread
4.8 from 6 votes

Sourdough Savory Star Bread (with herbs and cheese)

Transform your next gathering with a show-stopping sourdough savory star bread, infused with fragrant herbs and gooey cheese, offering a perfect balance of flavor and artistry in every pull-apart piece.

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Resting time 1d
Total Time 1d 1 hr 10 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sourdough savory star bread
Servings: star bread

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Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Food scale
  • Rolling Pin
  • Cheese grater
  • Pizza Cutter

Ingredients

For the pastry dough

  • 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 24 grams (2 tablespoons) sugar
  • 3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) salt
  • 80 grams unsalted butter ((cold & grated))
  • 200 grams (1 cup) sourdough discard (cold & no more than a few days old; active starter can be used in place of discard)
  • 100 grams (1/3rd cup & 1.5 tablespoons) whole milk
  • 1 beaten egg and a splash of water (for the egg wash)

For the filling

  • 60 grams (4.5 tablespoons) softened unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 120 grams blend of mozzarella & sharp cheddar cheese (grated )

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients

  1. Place the butter in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour. sugar, and salt.
  3. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the dry mixture and cut it into the flour until it resembles coarse sand. You can use a fork or I use a dough scraper to achieve this.

Add the wet ingredients

  1. In a separate bowl mix the sourdough discard and milk together.
  2. Next, add the sourdough starter and milk to the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. 
  3. Once a dough has formed, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Return to the dough and knead it into a smooth ball by folding it into itself repetitively for 3-5 minutes (it does not need to be perfect). Use flour to assist with stickiness.
  5. Cover the dough again and let it rest for 1 hour. The dough will not rise, this is just to allow everything to solidify together.

Refrigerate the sourdough savory star bread dough

  1. After the dough has rested for 1 hour cut it into 2 equal balls. Flatten slightly into a disc shape and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place the discs into the refrigerator overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
  2. Why do we refrigerate the dough? Refrigerating the dough allows for it to ferment giving it a deeper flavor. It also hardens the butter which will burst when baked creating beautiful, flaky layers.

How to make the filling

  1. Grate the mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese and set aside.
  2. Prepare the Butter: Start with 60 grams of softened unsalted butter in a small bowl.
  3. Mix in Garlic: Add the finely minced garlic cloves to the softened butter and mix until evenly combined.
  4. Add the parsley and 3 tablespoons of Shredded Parmesan cheese and mix until combined.

How to shape sourdough savory star bread

  1. Once ready to shape the bread, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  2. On a lightly floured surface roll each disc into an 11 inch circle. Tip: To check for correct sizing and help with a perfect circle shape I place a 10 inch dinner plate over top of the dough.
  3. Clean up any edges using your pizza cutter.
  4. Place 1 disc on parchment paper and begin to spread the garlic butter over top leaving a 1/2 inch border.
  5. Generously spread the cheese mixture evenly over top of the butter.
  6. Place the other dough disc over top. Any edges that don't line up can be cleaned up with your pizza cutter. Place a small jar or circle cookie cutter in the center of the dough (about 2-3 inches)
  7. Using the pizza cutter carefully make four cuts to divide the dough into quarters making sure to stop at the jar.
  8. Make a cut in the center of each of the four initial sections, dividing the dough into 8 equal pieces. Then, carefully cut between each of these sections to create 16 evenly sized pieces.
  9. Take two adjacent pieces of dough and twist them outward, away from each other, making two full rotations. Then, pinch the ends together to form a pointed tip.
  10. Repeat this 7 more times until all 8 points of the star have been completed.
  11. After the sourdough star bread has been shaped carefully transfer it to a large baking sheet while still on the parchment paper (it should slide right on) and place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This hardens the butter and helps the star bread hold its shape during baking.

Brush & Bake

  1. While the sourdough star bread is resting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Apply the egg wash to the entire star bread using a pastry brush and bake for 30-40 minutes or until your desired golden brown.
  3. Some of the garlic butter will leak out onto the pan during baking and this is normal. You can use your pastry brush and brush it over top of the star bread after baking.
  4. Allow the bread to cool for about 5-10 minutes before enjoying warm. Feel free to top it with more Parmesan cheese and herbs of your choice. It pairs wonderfully with marinara sauce.
  5. Sourdough savory star bread is best enjoyed on the same day but can last for 1-2 days on the counter in an airtight container or plastic wrap.

Notes

Baker’s schedule: Mix the dough and allow it to rest for 1 hour, place into the refrigerator overnight to bake for the following day.

Sourdough discard: For the best flavor, use discard that’s no more than a few days old, older discard can bring an overly sour taste.

Sugar: Don’t be tempted to skip the sugar, with the overnight sourdough ferment, a little sugar helps balance the tang and keeps the dough soft, tender, and beautifully golden. The end result is not sweet at all!

Can I use active sourdough starter? Absolutely. Active sourdough starter works just as well as discard here, so feel free to use whichever you have on hand, just make sure it has been in the fridge for an hour or so. 

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