Weekend Cooking: Monkeying Around

I’ve decided to make the Weekend Cooking meme, hosted by Beth Fish Reads  a regular monthly post at Book’d Out. Cooking is something I enjoy and I have been making more of an effort again lately, so I am looking forward to sharing some of my culinary adventures.

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I’d never heard of Monkey Bread until I was browsing for ideas for using my bread machine and stumbled upon a recipe for  Cinnamon Monkey Bread. While I am not particularly a fan of sweet treats like icecream, chocolate and cake, I do love fresh, hot cinnamon donuts – though indulge only rarely given not only the price ( $8.50 for a dozen at Donut King) but also the deep fry calorie load. Anyway I bookmarked the recipe, and looked forward to attempting it.

In the manner of convenient coincidence I received Monkey Business by Kathryn Ledson for review just before the end of the year and decided to pair the two. I had all the ingredients on hand and prep was simple. While I waited for the dough to knead and rise I read, enlisted the help of one of my daughters to dunk the bread and then got back to my book while it baked in the oven. The idea was to have a piece or two for afternoon tea but it was irresistible and the six of us devoured it quickly. Dinner was served late that night!

The recipe comes from a blog called  Vanderbilt Wife

Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Dough
1 c. warm milk (I microwave for about 45 seconds)
1/3 c. warm water
2 T butter
1/4 c. sugar
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. (1 package) instant or bread machine yeast

Coating
4 T butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T cinnamon

Method

In order listed (or according to bread machine instructions), place dough ingredients in bread machine. Set to “dough” setting and let it go!

Generously grease a Bundt pan and set aside.When dough is done, turn it out onto a floured surface.

Roll into an 8×8″ square. With a pizza cutter or knife, cut into about 64 pieces.

With a fork, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. In another bowl, melt butter. Dip dough pieces into the butter, then coat with the sugar/cinnamon. Arrange in Bundt pan, staggering seams as you layer the pieces

When you’re done, cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise for another hour or so, until the dough is 1-2 inches from the top of the pan.

Heat oven to 350F/170C. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn upside-down onto a platter.

Eat and enjoy!

After my success with the Cinnamon Monkey Bread I was eager to try the savoury Garlic version and last night served it with lasagne – delicious though very buttery! I combined two recipes I found for this (the dough from Recipe Jazz and the coating from AllRecipes.com), adding my own small adjustments.

Garlic Monkey Bread

Dough
1 cup warm water (80-100 degrees)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour
1 yeast package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast

Coating

1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon mixed Italian herbs
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Method

In bread machine, place ingredients in the order listed, unless instructed to do it differently by the manufacturer. Use the dough setting and set it to start making the dough.
When the dough is ready, turn bread out onto a lightly floured surface,
Roll dough into an 8×8″ square. With a pizza cutter or knife, cut into about 64 pieces. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F/190C.

Grease your bundt pan and make coating by melting the butter and adding the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well.

Dunk the balls in the coating and place in the bundt pan. Once there is a layer of balls covering the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat, sprinkling each layer with cheese until everything is in the pan.

Cover the pan loosely, turn off the oven and place the pan inside. Allow to rise for around 30 minutes or until doubled in size (the dough will not rise well without this step).

Remove the pan from from oven, keep covered, and reheat the oven to 350F/175C

Bake the monkey bread for around 20-25 mins

Baste with any left over butter mixture and bake a further 10 mins or until nicely browned

Rest five minutes and then turn out onto a plate.

Serve warm.