Classic Monkey Bread

The classic American Monkey bread is small pieces of sweet milk dough dipped in cinnamon flavoured sugar and placed next to each other in a bundt tin. A sweet mixture of butter and brown sugar is placed on top before being baked. Monkey bread is similar to donuts in flavour and is also known as puzzle bread, bubbleloaf, golden crown and monkey brains. It is traditionally served hot for breakfast and the baked segments are easily taken with the fingers.

Ingredients make 1 loaf serve 8 - 10

560 g plain white flour

1 packet instant yeast (8 g)

90 g caster sugar

1 tsp salt

250 ml milk

40 g butter

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar mix

¼ cup caster sugar (55 g)

1 tbls ground cinnamon (10 g)

Brown sugar mix

½ cup butter (125 g)

½ cup brown sugar (110g)

Method

Place flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl and blend evenly. Place milk and butter in a small pot and warm over medium heat while stirring until butter is melted. Add the milk mixture, egg and vanilla to the flour mixture and combine. Knead the dough by hand or machine until smooth and rest covered for approx. 60 minutes. Spray a Bundt tin with cooking spray. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured kitchen table. Flatten the dough and form an even square shape. Cut the dough in 8 x 8 pieces. Blend caster sugar and cinnamon in a bowl to make the cinnamon sugar. Roll each piece by hand and turn in the cinnamon sugar before placing in the prepared tin. Place butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until evenly smooth while stirring and place the mixture on the top of the bread. Place a towel over the tin and let the dough rise for approx. 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 170ºC. Bake for approx. 30 minutes and allow to cool 10 minutes before turning onto a serving plate.

Note: For added flavour add chopped toasted pecan nuts to the dough.