Monkey Bread

By ldelmas

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 package (2-1/4 tsp) yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• OR
• 2 cans refrigerator biscuits
• Coating/Filling:
• 4-oz butter, melted
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 4-oz chocolate chunks (optional)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries (optional)
• 4-oz white chocolate chunks (optional)
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:
To make dough from scratch: Sprinkle yeast over the warm water and let it sit for at least 5 minutes to be sure it is active. Combine warm milk, melted butter, and egg in a glass measure. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or large mixing bowl if making by hand. Pour the milk and water into the flour, mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough until it is elastic and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for an hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Shape into a flat shape, less than one inch thick. Cut the dough with a knife or board scraper into pieces less than one inch wide. Roll these pieces into small balls.

Melt the butter for the coating and place in a bowl. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl. In batches, toss the balls of dough in the butter and then roll around in the cinnamon and sugar. Place the coated balls into a 10'' nonstick sauté pan, scattering in any of the optional ingredients. Cover with plastic and let the dough rise for another hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover and bake the bread in the oven for 35 minutes. Let the bread cool a little before inverting it onto a plate and covering with pecan caramel sauce.

To make using refrigerator biscuits: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the biscuits from the can and cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll the quartered dough into balls. Melt the butter for the coating and place in a bowl. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl. In batches, toss the balls of dough in the butter, and then roll around in the cinnamon and sugar. Place the coated balls into a 10'' nonstick sauté pan, scattering in any of the optional ingredients.

Bake the bread in the oven for 35 minutes. Let the bread cool a little before inverting it onto a plate and covering with pecan caramel sauce.