In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and instant dry yeast.

Make a well in the centre then pour in the melted butter and beaten egg.

Stir to start bringing the mixture together, gradually adding enough milk to create a wettish but still firm dough. Stir well to thoroughly combine the ingredients, making sure there's no bits of dry flour.

Tip: as the size of eggs varies, and different flours absorb different amounts of liquid, you may not need all the milk or you may need a splash more.

Cover the bowl or place in a large reusable polythene bag and leave to ferment for 12-14 hours at room temperature.

Tip: If you want to slow fermentation down (e.g. if the room is warm or it's more convenient) do the fermentation in the fridge or leave at room temperature for a few hours then put in the fridge overnight.

The enriched overnight dough should have risen and spread out but is unlikely to have doubled: this is normal due the egg and butter. However, underneath you should see small bubbles (see image in blog post): if not, leave for longer. If it's been in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature before proceeding.

If using alternative doughs. Get to the stage where it has completed its fermentation or first rise then continue as below.

Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized frying pan over medium heat.

Break up the skinned sausages and when the oil is hot add them to the pan. Cook the meat, stirring, turning and breaking it up further with a spatula, until it is all cooked through, browned and crumbled into small pieces.

Push the meat to one side of the pan, tilt so the fat goes to one side, then remove the cooked sausage to a piece of kitchen paper to cool and drain.

Put the pan back on the heat and add the chopped onion, seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until starting to soften and colour.

Stir in the garlic, dried herbs, fennel seeds, red pepper/chilli flakes if using and cook until the garlic softens.

Transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to cool and drain.

Stir together the sausage and the onion mixture then set aside.

Stir together the Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses then set aside.

Very lightly flour your work surface, ideally covered with a silicone mat to reduce sticking, and turn the risen dough onto it. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, using digital scales for accuracy.

Lightly knead each piece into a ball then set aside to rest for 15 minutes or so, covered with the upturned bowl. This will relax the dough and make it easier to roll out.

Meanwhile

- Put a piece of baking paper on a tray or board: it should be large enough to fit a circle 24 - 26 cm in diameter. You will assemble the star bread on this paper.

Roll out the dough

Take a ball of dough and roll it out onto a lightly floured work surface, ideally covered with a silicone mat to reduce sticking, into a circle approximately 25 - 26 cm in diameter.

Tip: if the dough shrinks back a lot, put to one side to relax a little more.

Put the circle to one side, then roll out the remaining balls of dough, stacking them on top of each other with a little flour between them to prevent sticking.

Layer and fill the dough

Take a circle of dough and place it on the baking paper on the tray or board.

Sprinkle over one third of the sausage and onion mixture, leaving a bare edge all around. Sprinkle one third of the cheese over the sausage.

Place the second circle of dough over the top and press all around the edge to seal it to the first.

Sprinkle over another third of the sausage mix, again leaving a bare edge, followed by another third of the cheese.

Repeat with the third circle of dough and the remaining sausage and cheese.

Top with the fourth circle of dough and press all around to seal.

Cut and twist to make the star shape

USE THE IMAGES IN THE BLOG POST TO GUIDE YOU.

To create a perfect circle: place a 24 - 25 cm round plate or similar over the stack and cut around it, going through all the layers. (Discard the trimmings or see suggestion in the blog post for using them up).

Use a 4 - 5 cm round cutter to mark a circle in the middle of the dough. Press lightly and don't go through the dough: it's just your guide for cutting.

Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut the dough into 16 equal sections, starting from the perimeter of the central circle. Be sure to cut through all the layers, but don't cut through the paper.

Pick up two sections which are next to each other and twist in opposite directions, turning them over twice. Pinch the ends together so they form a point.

Repeat with the rest of the sections, two at a time.

Cover the bread or place in a large reusable polythene bag.

Leave in a warm place for 30 - 40 minutes or until when a finger is gently poked into the dough, it slowly springs back but leaves a slight indentation.

If the dough springs back quickly then it's not yet fully proofed: leave another 5-10 minutes and check again.

Meanwhile

- Preheat the oven to 200°C /180° fan /Gas 6 / 400°F.

- On the middle shelf put in a baking tray to preheat: it should be large enough to easily fit the bread and also have a lip to prevent any juices leaking into your oven.

When the bread is ready to bake, brush all over with beaten egg.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds then lightly brush over with more egg.

Take the preheated baking tray from the oven then lift or slide the star bread, still on its paper, onto the hot tray.

Put in the oven and bake until golden and cooked through: 20 - 25 minutes.

Tip: after 15 minutes you can add another layer of beaten egg for a deeper glaze.

Transfer the bread, still on its paper, to a cooling rack.

When cool enough to handle, remove from the paper and place directly on the rack.

Best eaten while still warm or can be reheated in a microwave, air fryer or low oven.

Eat within 3 days or can be frozen whole or in sections.