September, 2019
1/4 cup warm water
(just above body temperature)
3 tsp dry active yeast
3 tbsp white sugar
1/2 cup warm whole milk
(just above body temperature)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
12 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nutella
1 beaten egg white (for glazing)
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Add the milk, salt, beaten eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and mix until combined. Next, stir in 3 1/2 cups of flour until the dough comes together. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it into a smooth ball (about 5 minutes), adding up to 1/2 cup extra flour if the dough is too sticky to knead comfortably. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and let it rise for 1.5 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350˚F, and line a large pizza pan with parchment paper. Next, divide the risen dough into 4 equal pieces. Lightly flour each piece, and roll the first piece into a circle the size of a dinner plate. Place the circle on the -parchment-lined pan, and spread 1/3 of the -nutella over it. Repeat 3 more times, spreading nutella between each layer—but not on the top layer. Next, invert a dinner plate atop the -assembled dough, and trim around the edges to even out the circle.
Using a small glass, make a faint imprint to mark the centre of the dough. Next, use a knife (and the imprint as your guide) to divide the circle into 16 equal parts radiating from the outer edge of the glass imprint (see photo). To create a twisted star pattern, take a section in each hand and twist them in opposite directions. Repeat with all pairs to form an 8-armed star. Let rise 20 minutes, brush with a beaten egg white and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes and dig in.