Monkey Bread

I was just going through some of the foodie pics I'd taken for this blog and I can't believe I never posted this recipe!  It was soooooo good!  I must admit, it was a heck of alot of work...at least more than I'd ever been used to when baking goodies for myself before, but it's so worth it!

I made this a few months ago back when I was baking several times a week and sending most (or half) of what I baked off to work with Chris.  Hahaha, that was before I realized my clothes were miraculously shrinking from this British climate.  It's the climate I tell you!  Don't argue with me, let me dream.

So this Monkey Bread recipe is from the Brown Eyed Baker blog.  I think her recipes are just fantastic and I do them so frequently that I've given her her own label on this blog. 

I must apologize for the photos coming up.  I have a big sweet tooth and I'm still relatively new at this blogging thing that I often start eating my goodies before realizing I hadn't taken a photo yet!  Ha Ha!  So you'll probably notice photos of many half eaten treats on this site!  Chris got into devouring this as well before we took photos!

 

They are so gooey and delicious!  I think I'll be making these again very soon!  I've been told tonight that Chris's colleagues are literally begging for another batch of these!!  Thank you, Michelle for this heavenly recipe!!!

Monkey Bread
from the Brown Eyed Baker blog



Dough:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, 2 tablespoons softened and 2 tablespoons melted
1 cup milk, warm (about 110 degrees F)
1/3 cup water, warm (about 110 degrees F)
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 package instant yeast
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
2 teaspoons salt

Brown Sugar Coating:
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk

1. Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.

2. In a large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar and yeast. Mix flour and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, round ball. Coat large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free area until dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.

3. For the sugar coating: While the dough is rising, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Place melted butter in second bowl. Set aside.

4. To form the bread: Gently remove the dough from the bowl, and pat into a rough 8-inch square. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 64 pieces.

5. Roll each dough piece into a ball. Working one at a time, dip the balls into the melted butter, allowing excess butter to drip back into the bowl. Roll in the brown sugar mixture, then layer balls in the Bundt pan, staggering seams where dough balls meet as you build layers.

6. Cover the Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in draft-free area until dough balls are puffy and have risen 1 to 2 inches from top of pan, 50 to 70 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the pan and bake until the top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a platter and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

8. For the glaze: While the bread cools, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and milk in a small bowl until the lumps are gone. Using a whisk, drizzle the glaze over the monkey bread, letting it run over top and down the sides of the bread. Serve warm.

*Note: (This is the method I used) To make without a stand mixer: In step 2, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, then add the milk mixture to the well. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the dough becomes shaggy and is difficult to stir. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead, incorporating the shaggy scraps back into the dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Shape into a taut ball and proceed as directed.