Chai Spiced Monkey Bread Recipes

CHAI SPICED MONKEY BREAD RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Use 2 tablespoons of the softened butter to generously grease a 10-inch bundt pan. Use your fingers to ensure that butter gets into every nook and cranny of the pan. Combine the warm milk, water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Let sit until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. While the yeast is proofing, combine the flours and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is ready, turn the mixer on low and stream in the yeast mixture. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter and the egg. Knead the dough until it is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky, but if it seems like it is overly wet, add more flour a few tablespoons at a time. Coat a large bowl with oil or cooking spray and turn the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising prepare the chai spiced coating by mixing the spices and vanilla bean seeds into the sugar. Brown the butter by cooking it over medium heat in a small saucepan, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn light brown and the butter has a nutty fragrance. Set aside to cool slightly. When the dough is finished rising, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a square about 8 inches by 8 inches. Use a pizza wheel or bench scraper to cut the dough into 32 pieces. (If you're feeling ambitious, make 64.) Working with a few pieces at a time, roll each piece of dough into a rough ball, then roll in the cooled browned butter followed by a roll in the brown sugar. Layer the dough balls in the bundt pan snugly. Repeat until all dough balls are used. Cover the bundt pan with a clean towel and set it in a warm place to rise until it reaches 1 to 2 inches below the rim of the pan. This should take about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake the bread until the top is dark and caramelized and the sugar is bubbling around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes then carefully turn it out onto a plate. Cool for 5 more minutes then dig in. This bread is best served warm the day that it is made.

CHAI-SPICED MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Pulse yeast, salt, 3 1/3 cups flour, and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor until combined. With the motor running, add 1 1/4 cups 100°F-110°F water and process until a ball forms, about 30 seconds.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; it should look slightly shaggy and stick to the counter (if dough is too dry, add more warm water by the teaspoonful until tacky). Knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Lightly coat a large bowl with nonstick spray. Form dough into a ball and transfer to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then lay a kitchen towel over. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Mix cinnamon, ginger, pepper, cardamom, cloves, and remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl.
• Toast pecans and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 9-11 minutes.
• Punch down dough and transfer to a floured work surface. Roll into 1" balls (you should have about 25). Working in batches, toss in spiced-sugar mixture until coated.
• Arrange one-third of dough in pan. Top with one-third of pecan mixture, then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. spiced sugar. Repeat with remaining dough, nuts, and spiced sugar; discard remaining spiced sugar. Pour caramel sauce over. Cover pan with plastic wrap, then lay a kitchen towel over. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40-45 minutes.
• Cover pan with foil and bake bread 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until top is glistening and well browned and bread is cooked through, about 20 minutes more. Invert immediately onto a platter. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Do Ahead
• Monkey bread can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Let come to room temperature, about 2 hours, watching for second rise (rolls should almost double in volume), then bake.