Homemade Chocolate Monkey Bread
sandravalvassori.com
This chocolate monkey bread recipe is adapted from Ottolengi's Easter column. I have made quite a few changes to the recipe, most notably adding an egg to the dough for a more brioche-style bread. If you prefer, you can make the dough without the egg.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 24cm (9 1/2-inch) circumference Bundt pan.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (70 grams) unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon extra, melted, for greasing
- 1 1/3 cup (300 ml) whole milk or 2%
- 3 Tablespoons (38 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 teaspoon (8 grams) active dry yeast or instant (quick rise) yeast
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 1/3 cup (560 grams) all-purpose flour
For the chocolate sauce
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (80 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
- Finely grated zest of 1 large orange optional
- 2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small sauce over medium-low heat. Mix in the milk, sugar, and vanilla and stir until milk is just warm, about 1-2minutes. The mixture should be warm (about 105 degree F) but not too hot or it will kill the yeast (see notes for tips on yeast.)
- Add the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Whisk in the yeast and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy. Add the egg, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then add the remaining flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes to form a smooth ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or melted butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Make the sauce: Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and cook, stirring frequently, for three to four minutes, until the butter, sugar, and maple syrup have melted together into a rich, but not too thick, sauce. If the sauce cools and thickens too much, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Roll the dough into two 9-inch logs, then cut each log into 12 fairly equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then dip them one by one into the sauce, until roughly coated all over. Arrange each coated ball of dough in the bundt pan, building up the layers in the pan as you go. When all the balls are coated, pour any remaining sauce over them. Cover the pan with a tea towel and leave in a warm spot for 30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size again.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat the oven to 325° F. Bake the monkey bread for 35 minutes, until slightly golden brown, then leave to cool for 5 minutes but no longer than 10 or the bread will stick to the pan. Put a large plate or cake stand on top of the bundt pan and invert the bread onto the plate. Gently tap on the bundt pan to ensure the bread has released and slowly lift off the pan. Allow the monkey bread to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
*Err on the side of caution and only add the yeast to the liquid when it feels just warm (tepid) to the touch.
Alternate pan: If you don't have a bundt pan, you can make the monkey bread in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake the monkey for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden on top.
Overnight Instructions: Prepare the dough, place in greased bowl, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or up to 15 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator at least 2 hours before planning on baking the monkey bread and keep covered. Proceed with recipe instructions for shaping the dough into balls.
Leftovers: Monkey bread tastes best served warm and on the same day. Any leftovers should be covered tightly and stored at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a low-heat oven before serving, if desired.