I think I've found the best recipe ever---Monkey Bread. Not just your run of the mill Monkey Bread, the best ever Monkey Bread. This takes a little more work because this is made from scratch, so long Pillsbury and Rhodes. Number One, Australia doesn't have Pillsbury and Rhodes Rolls and Number Two, why buy that when you can make your own? I must admit I've never actually made Monkey Bread until this week, and I think it's because I didn't know how to do it from scratch and now I do and you do too. Go make some. I have two variations, Orange (pictured) or Regular.
Dough:
4 T. butter, divided, 2 T softened and 2 T melted
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 plus 2 T granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
3 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1. With the 2 T of softened butter, butter a Bundt pan. Use a pastry brush or a paper towel and get inside all those nooks and crannies. Set aside.
2. In a large measuring cup, mix together the milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Mix the flour and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn the machine to low and slowly add the ilk mixture. After the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is shiny and smooth, 6-7 minutes. If you think the dough is too wet add 2 T flour at a time and mix until the dough comes together. Coat a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat lightly with the cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, 1-2 hours. If you want to make it the night before you need it, stick it in the fridge overnight to rise and then go to the next step.
3. To form the bread, gently remove the dough from the bowl and press it into a rough 8-inch square. Using a knife cut the dough into 64 pieces. I put my dough in the fridge over night then put the dough in a 8-inch square pan and cut away.
4. Roll the dough into balls and then start dipping and coating. If you'd like to make orange monkey bread, combine 1 1/2 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 T orange zest. If you'd like to make regular monkey bread, combine 1 cup packed brown sugar with 2 tsp of cinnamon. For orange monkey bread, dip the dough ball into 1/3 cup melted butter mixed with 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice. Then dip it into the sugar and orange zest mixture and start putting them in the Bundt pan in layers all the way around. If you are making traditional monkey bread, dip the dough ball in 1/2 cup melted butter then the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and start putting the dough in the Bundt pan. If you are making orange rolls, pour the remaining butter/orange juice mixture over the dough.
5. Cover the Bundt pan with plastic wrap tightly and let the bread rise until puffy and about 1-2 inches from the top of the pan. If you'd like to speed it up, preheat oven to 200 degrees then turn off the oven and put the Bundt pan in the over to let it rise.
6. Heat oven to 350 degrees. (Take out the pan if you put it there to rise.) Unwrap the pan and bake until the top is deep brown, 30-35 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes, no longer or it will stick to the pan. Turn the pan over onto a platter and let it cool about ten minutes.
7. Drizzle with glaze recipe and serve it warm. Love this!
Orange glaze: 3 T butter, juice of one orange, about 3 cups of powdered sugar. If you like your glaze thicker, you can add more powdered sugar. Start with about two cups and see what you think and you can always add more sugar.
Cinnamon glaze: 3 T butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 T milk, 1-2 cups of powdered sugar depending on how thick you like your glaze.
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe and Six Sisters Stuff
