Monkey Bread

TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a small pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave, heat water, milk and butter together to approximately 110°. Keep warm.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, whisk together Bread Mix, yeast, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. With mixer on low, add eggs and warm milk mixture to bowl and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase speed to medium, and beat for three minutes. Spray spatula with nonstick cooking spray and scrape dough down sides of bowl and off the paddle. Smooth top of dough and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 60 minutes. Next, place covered bowl in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, for 8 hours.

TO MAKE THE CINNAMON SUGAR: Combine cinnamon and sugar in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside.

TO MAKE MONKEY BREAD ROLLS: Line two 13 x 18-inch sheet pans with parchment paper. For easier cleanup, also cover work area with parchment paper, using masking tape to hold down edges, if needed.

Lay down another piece of parchment paper for rolling dough, lightly sprinkling it with extra Bread Mix to keep dough from sticking. Remove dough from refrigerator and lightly flour the top of the dough, as well as a silicone spatula and your hands. Remove one-third of dough from bowl and gently pat and shape it into a log about 14 inches long, being careful not to deflate it. Add flour bit by bit as needed if dough gets too sticky. Lift the piece of parchment paper to gently roll log off onto one of the parchment paper-lined pans. Repeat above procedure twice with remaining dough, putting logs on the same pan.

Cut each dough log into approximately 20 pieces. To do this, first cut log in half, and those in half again, making four short, equal logs. Cut each short log across into 5 pieces. Set second lined sheet pan next to the first. One by one, take each cut piece and gently roll it into a ball and place it on second sheet pan; do this in an organized fashion, keeping track of which rolls were placed first. When all the balls are rolled, let them rest for about 15 minutes, in a warm, draft-free spot.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE MONKEY BREAD: Preheat oven to 350° with rack in the center. Spray Bundt pan well with nonstick cooking spray. Melt 8 tablespoons butter and put it in a 4- or 5-inch-wide shallow bowl; place it next to cinnamon sugar bowl and Bundt pan in work area.

Starting with the dough balls that have risen the longest, gently dip about one-third of a ball into butter, then set it in cinnamon sugar. Place it, dipped side down, in Bundt pan. Repeat with more balls, placing them in a single ring of balls in the deepest area of the pan, letting the sides of the balls touch. Dab butter on the bare backs of dough and sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar over the buttered dough. For the next layer, make two rings of dipped balls, one around the outside and one around the inside of the pan, allowing sides to touch. Dab butter on the bare backs of dough and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Dip the remaining bread dough pieces in butter and cinnamon sugar; place dipped side down in the center and fill any gaps with the remaining pieces. Brush or drizzle the remaining butter over the tops, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until bread is baked completely; a long toothpick or thin skewer should come out clean. Check after 25 minutes and cover with foil if browning too quickly. Allow bread to sit in pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then loosen the bread from the sides and center, and invert onto a large plate with a lip. It is important not to wait too long or it will be hard to remove from the pan.

Serve warm when cool enough to handle. The cinnamon sugar is hot and does burn, so be careful with little ones.

NOTE: Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator is important; at two hours the dough will be very soft, so let it sit longer if you can, or treat very gently if forming after just two hours of chilling.

Monkey Bread may be assembled, covered with plastic wrap, refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning. Remove plastic wrap, allow to come to room temperature about 90 minutes (the pan should not be cold), before baking in preheated oven. Do not hold assembled bread longer than 16 hours before baking as it may deflate.

© Pamela's Products, Inc.