Monkey Bread!

Who loves the smell of bread and cinnamon together?! Now add my secret ingredient: apples! (Ahem, those of you following me on Twitter: apples were the secret ingredient!) Yay!

This monkey bread is moist, sweet (but not too sweet - it's perfect with coffee or an earl grey tea, whatever your poison may be) and is super easy to make. For those of you who have never heard of or eaten monkey bread... it's kind of like a cinnamon pull-apart but is at an entirely higher level of awesome!

I grew up seeing my mom make monkey bread in an angel food pan but have noticed that a lot of people like to use bundt pans. I love a moist, fluffy bread that really rises, so used the large angel food pan here. I recommend either using an angel food pan as I have done or cut the recipe in half if you really want to use a bundt pan. This recipe will rise a lot so tying to fit it all in a bundt pan... well, lets just say that you may end up with a very messy oven and a strong hatred for me.

For this recipe you will need to make a bread dough first; then you can add the ooy-gooiness that makes this recipe oh sooo yummy!

Step One: Make Butter Rolls

Moist Butter Rolls Recipe

Ingredients:

2 packets yeast

1/2cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter

4-1/2 cups flour (both white and wheat work well here without substitutions)

1/ teaspoon salt

How-To:

1.) Mix yeast and 1 Tablespoon sugar together. Add warm (not hot, you don't want to kill the yeast!) milk and whisk. Also whisk in: remaining 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and melted butter (I recommend melting the butter, then letting it cool for a few minutes before adding it - this way it won't kill the yeast).

2.) Beat eggs lightly (until somewhat lighter in color) and add to yeast mixture.

3.) Gradually add flour until the dough is pulling away from bowl. Knead for three minutes on a floured surface.

4.) Cover with damp towel and let raise 30 minutes in warm environment.

Step Two: Turn the Butter Rolls into Monkey Bread!

Monkey Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 batch homemade bread (I recommend using the Butter Roll recipe used above)

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup whipping cream

2 apples cut to the size of candy corn(you can also substitute with raisins - use 1-1/2 cups raisins if you choose to go this route)

How-To:

1.) Grease one angel-food pan and set aside.

2.) In small bowl, mix together cinnamon and 3/4 cup sugar.

3.) As you cut golf ball-sized pieces of bread dough off homemade bread, dip one piece at a time into the melted butter and then into cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place in greased angel food pan and repeat until you have covered the bottom of pan with an entire layer.

4.) Sprinkle half the chopped apples or raisins. Then add a second layer, following the process explained in step three. Continue this pattern until you have used all the bread and apples/raisins.

5.) Whisk whipping cream, butter, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar together just until color and texture lightens. Pour this mixture over the top of bread and apples/raisins.

6.) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

*Serve immediately, store in air-tight container.