Monkey (Bread) Business

Ladies and gentlemen. The time has come. I finally made Monkey Bread. Behold the doughy, sugary goodness in all of its glory. The best part: you can prepare it the night before and bake it in the morning. I do declare, this is a great treat for a Monday morning. My car smelled like Cinnabon the entire way to work. YUM!Lately, I have been craving french toast. There is something so yummy about dough, lightly kissed with cinnamon-sugar. I have wanted to make this recipe for months now. Monet (Anecdotes and Apple Cores) made a savory version of this bread that inspired me. In all honesty, despite the fact that I have worked in a bakery, making bread dough from scratch intimidates me. I don’t have a stand mixer and it seems like a lot of work. I’m always up for a challenge. Let’s get cooking. Add 1 packet of active yeast to 1/4 cup warm water. Wait a few minutes until it is foamy.Mix in 1 cup of flour, 3 TBS sugar, 2 TBS melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 cup warm milk to the yeast until smooth. Put the dough hook on your electric mixer and slowly add another 2 cups of flour. Allow dough to rest. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.On a lightly floured surface, press dough out into about 1/2 inch thickness. Melt 1 stick of butter and combine 2 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 TBS cinnamon and 1/2 tsp all spice in a separate bowl.Cut dough and roll into about 1-inch balls.With a fork, dip the balls of dough in butter. OH YEA BABY!Evenly coat in the cinnamon brown sugar mix. You may have to use your hands.Place coated dough balls in an oiled 10-inch bunt pan. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. You can bake it then or place it in the refrigerator overnight. If you decided to place it in the refrigerator, remove about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature.It will look like this when it is ready to go! Place in the oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes.You will know that it is done when you poke the dough and it is springy. Remove from oven and rest in pan for 10 minutes. Flip on to a platter and serve warm. I brought this to work in a aluminum pan that I tented with foil. It kept warm!!

Monkey Bread

(recipe inspired by The Brown Eyed Baker)

• 1 packet active yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 3 TBS Sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup warm milk (I used 2%)
• 2 TBS+ 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 TBS cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp all spice

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 and oil a 10-inch bundt pan.
2. In a mixing bowl add 1 packet active yeast to 1/2 cup warm water. Allow to foam, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in 1 cup of flour, 2 TBS melted butter, 3 TBS sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 egg and 3/4 cup milk until smooth.
4. Put the dough hook on an electric mixer and slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
5. Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes until it has doubled in size.
6. On a floured surface, spread dough into about 1/2 inch thickness.
7. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups of light brown sugar, 1 1/2 TBS cinnamon and 1/2 tsp all spice.
8. Melt 1 stick of butter.
9. Cut dough and roll into 1-inch balls. With a fork, dip in butter and coat well with the sugar mix.
10. Evenly place in bundt pan. Cover and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
11. Bake for 30-35 minutes. You will know it is done when you poke it and it springs back.
12. Rest in pan for 10 minutes. Turn on to a platter and serve!

Enjoy,

Nora