Pecan Monkey Bread

By LRay

Bon Appetit, January 2015, page 12.

Infinitely better if made with an all-butter puff pastry; we like Dufour.

Ingredients

• Pecan Monkey Bread
• Infinitely better if made with an all-butter puff pastry; we like Dufour.
• Ingredients
• SERVINGS: 6
• Crème Anglaise
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Monkey Bread And Assembly
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 package puff pastry, thawed
• All-purpose flour (for surface)
• Special Equipment
• 1 jumbo 6-cup muffin pan

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

Crème Anglaise

Place cream in a small saucepan and scrape in vanilla seeds. Heat over medium until just simmering, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk yolks and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until pale and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk half of cream into yolk mixture. Then whisk mixture in bowl back into cream in saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sauce is thickened and coats spoon, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool.

DO AHEAD:Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Monkey Bread Assembly

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.

Stir granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Bring brown sugar, butter, and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour syrup into muffin cups. Top with pecans and raisins.

Gently roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface just to smooth. For a 14-oz. package, fold sheet in half. For a 17.3-oz. package, stack sheets. Cut pastry into an 8x6 grid to make 48 squares. Roll into balls; toss in cinnamon sugar. Fill muffin cups with balls; press lightly to compact.

Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, 25–30 minutes. Let cool slightly, but unmold before caramel hardens.

Serve monkey bread, caramel side up, on a pool of crème anglaise.