Americas Test Kitchen Monkey Bread Recipes

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• For the Dough: Adjust oven rack to medium-low position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.
• In large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Mix flour and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook, (see below for making Monkey Bread without a mixer). Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, round ball. Coat large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.
• For the Sugar Coating: While dough is rising, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in bowl. Place melted butter in second bowl. Set aside.
• To Form the Bread: Gently remove dough from bowl, and pat into rough 8-inch square. Using bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 64 pieces.
• Roll each dough piece into a ball. Working one at a time, dip balls in melted butter, allowing excess butter to drip back into bowl. Roll in brown sugar mixture, then layer balls in Bundt pan, staggering seams where dough balls meet as you build layers.
• Cover Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough balls are puffy and have risen 1 to 2 inches from top of pan, 50 to 70 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap pan and bake until top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on platter and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• For the glaze: While bread cools, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk in small bowl until lumps are gone. Using whisk, drizzle glaze over warm monkey bread, letting it run over top and sides of bread. Serve warm.
• Monkey Bread Without a Mixer: In step 2, mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make well in flour, then add milk mixture to well. Using wooden spoon, stir until dough becomes shaggy and is difficult to stir. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and begin to knead, incorporating shaggy scraps back into dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Shape into taut ball and proceed as directed.

STICKY MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes; set aside.
• Melt 1 stick butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and heavy cream; boil until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, vinegar, rum, salt and the toasted pecans. Pour all but 1/2 cup of the pecan mixture into an 8-inch-round, 3-inch-deep cake pan. Refrigerate until almost set, about 15 minutes. Set the remaining pecan mixture aside at room temperature.
• Put the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted. Put the granulated sugar in another bowl. Pinch off tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Dip the balls in the melted butter, letting the excess drip off, then roll in the granulated sugar; arrange in the prepared cake pan in 2 layers, leaving a bit of space between the balls. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the bread until puffed and golden brown (a thermometer inserted into the center should register 175 degrees F), about 55 minutes; tent with aluminum foil if the top is getting too dark. Remove the bread from the oven and spread the reserved 1/2 cup pecan mixture on top. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a plate. Pull off pieces to serve.
• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cut the biscuits into quarters and roll into balls. Combine 2/3 cup of the sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the cardamom and the zest from 1 orange in a shallow dish. Roll the biscuit balls in the mixture. Place the coated balls in the pan, sprinkling some of the mixture over the balls occasionally while filling the pan.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the vanilla. Warm, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining orange zest and pour over the top of the biscuit balls.
• Bake until the top of the bread is golden and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit at least 5 minutes. Unmold the monkey bread onto a cake plate. Slice or pull apart to serve.

SURPRISE MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat brown sugar and butter on high for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved; set aside. , Flatten each biscuit into a 3-in. circle. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon in the center of each biscuit. Top with a cream cheese cube. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges to seal tightly., Sprinkle 1/2 cup walnuts into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Layer with half of the biscuits, cinnamon-sugar and butter mixture and 1/2 cup walnuts. Repeat layers., Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

AMAZING MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Arrange dinner roll dough in a grease tube pan.
• Heat butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved about 5 minutes; pour over rolls. Sprinkle with pecans and pudding mix. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over pudding mix. Pour corn syrup evenly over cinnamon mixture. Cover tube pan with a sheet of greased aluminum foil and allow dough to rise overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Move rack to the lower half of the oven.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow bread to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a baking sheet or large plate to serve.

SLOW-COOKER MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Line a 5-qt. slow cooker with a piece of aluminum foil, letting ends extend up the sides. Grease foil., Combine the sugars, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl; sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar mixture in bottom of prepared slow cooker. Add biscuit pieces to bowl; toss to coat. Transfer coated biscuits to slow cooker; sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over biscuits. , Stir together butter, apple juice and extracts; pour over biscuits. , Cook, covered, on low 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Remove lid and let stand for 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto serving platter. If desired, sprinkle with pecans.