As crazy as it sounds, I’ve never actually had monkey bread before making it myself this week. Also, despite some quick internet research, no one seems to really know why its called monkey bread. Despite not knowing, it still is super delicious. I found this reipe through pinterest and another blog called Gastronomy [3]. It turns out that the recipe is actually from cooking light, making this monkey bread slightly less bad for you as normal monkey bread.
Just like the name indicated, its actually a bread you need to let rise a few times, though its simple, I promise. If you have a stand mixer, this will be easy, as you can mix everything in the bowl and then, after removing the dough and spraying the bowl, you can replace it, cover and wait. While this was absolutely amazing fresh from the oven, you can resurrect it later with a quick 15 second microwave blast. I made only one change to the recipe and that was swapping the orange juice, which the Vegetarian HATES, for apple cider. I doubt anyone would know the difference.
Now on to the good stuff…
Ingredients
From Cooking Light [4] and Gastronomy [5]
Bread dough:
13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
4 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup very warm fat-free milk (120° to 130°)**
1/4 cup very warm apple cider juice (120° to 130°)**
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking spray
Dipping ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tablespoons fat-free milk, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
**to heat milk and juice, add to a small saucepan together over low heat. Using a candy thermometer, monitor their temp until they reach 130.
Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; mix until combined. With mixer on, slowly add 1 cup milk, juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons butter; mix dough at medium speed 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)
Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Combine 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.
Punch dough down; divide into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll into an 8-inch rope. Cut each dough rope into 8 equal pieces, shaping each piece into a 1-inch ball. Dip each ball in milk mixture, turning to coat, and roll in sugar mixture. Layer balls in a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 dough ropes. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate upside down on top of bread; invert onto plate. Combine powdered sugar, remaining milk, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 20 seconds or until warm. Drizzle over bread.