Takes a little over 3 hours total: 2 hours to rise, half hour to cook and 15 minutes to cool.
Can be made to the point of baking step 5 and put in the fridge to rise the second time over night.
Ingredients:
Dough:
4 Tbs unsalted butter, divided, 2 Tbs softened (or Crisco) and 2 Tbs melted
1 cup milk, warm
1/3 cup water, warm
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
2 tsp salt
Brown Sugar Coating:
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs cream or milk
Directions:
1)In a large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, 2 Tbs melted butter, sugar and yeast packet. Allow the yeast to get foamy so you know it's alive, about 5 minutes.
2)In the bowl of you stand mixer fitter with a dough hook (or a large bowl with a spoon in you are making this by hand), add flour and salt. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the milk mixture. Once the dough starts coming together, increase speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth about 6-7 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add 1 Tbs more flour at a time. The dough should still be sticky, but workable with floured hands. Take the dough out and grease bowl well with non-stick cooking spray and place dough in, then flip to be sure all areas are coated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.
Tip: can turn oven to 170 degrees, turn it off and place the bowl of dough in there to create a warm environment for the dough to rise.
3)While dough is rising, grease a bundt pan very well with 2 Tbs of softened butter (or Crisco) being sure to get into all of the crevices. Set aside. Get the brown sugar and cinnamon coating together. Once dough is done rising, melt butter and set it in a shallow dish beside the brown sugar mixture.
4)To form the bread, remove the dough from the bowl and press it into a rough 8-inch square. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 60-64 pieces (8x8 pieces). Roll each dough piece into a ball, it doesn't have to be perfect. Working one at a time, dip the balls in melted butter then quickly into the brown sugar mixture. Layer the balls in the bundt pan, staggering the seams randomly to build layers.
5)Cover the bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and let the monkey bread rise in a warm place again until puffy and it has risen almost to the top of the pan, about one hour. (If making the night before then cover and put in the fridge to rise over night. The next morning let it come to room temperature while oven is preheating)
6)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the pan and bake until the top is deep brown an it begins to bubble around edges, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool the monkey bread in the pan for 5 minutes ONLY, then turn out on a large plate and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
7)While the bread cools a bit, mix up the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey bread, letting it run over the top and sides. Serve warm.
Lemon Option:
sugar coating
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2-3 Tbs lemon zest
lemon glaze
1 cup powered sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice
