VANILLA STAR BREAD

Step 1: Lets make your own vanilla star bread. Combine warm milk and yeast in a mixing bowl. Let stand until very foamy, about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Add the melted butter, sugar, egg, vanilla paste and flour. Mix on low speed using the dough hook. Increase speed to medium-low, and continue kneading until a sticky and elastic dough is formed, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 4: To make the filling beat the cream cheese and caster sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add vanilla paste and egg and mix until combined.

Step 5: Place the dough onto a floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls.

Step 6: Roll out one ball into a 28 cm circle. Place on a baking tray with parchment paper. Add two tbsp of filling onto the dough and spread thinly.

Step 7: Roll another dough ball into the same size circle and place on top of the first. Top with two tbsp filling.

Step 8: Repeat layers again.

Step 9: Mark a 7 cm circle in the middle with the back of a round cookie cutter or a cup.

Step 10: With a very sharp knife, cut the dough into leaving the circle in the middle untouched.

Step 11: Cut each quarter in half, and then each of those in half again. (You should end up with 16 little triangles connected at the center.)

Step 12: Take two dough strips and twist them 3 times away from each other.

Step 13: Press the end together to form the star point. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should end up with 8-star points.

Step 14: Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.

Step 15: Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Step 16: Beat 1 egg with a tablespoon of milk. Brush over the top of the star bread and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Step 17: Decorate your vanilla star bread with a dusting of icing sugar and pomegranate seeds before serving it warm or let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.