Homemade Monkey Bread

Add yeast to mixing bowl along with warm water and tablespoon of sugar. Let sit to activate yeast. About 10 minutes.

While yeast is getting frothy, heat milk to just below boiling. Remove from heat.

Add butter and salt to scalded milk and stir to dissolve.

Let milk cool down to lukewarm. Hot liquid will kill yeast. I like mine a little above room temperature.

Add egg to yeast mixture. Add flour to yeast mixture and with stand mixer on low, slowly add warm not hot milk mixture.

Mix with dough hook on medium low until dough is sticky and pulls away from sides. It should feel some sticky but not stick to fingers. On my mixer it usually takes 5 to 8 minutes.

You may need to add flour if it is still to wet or water one teaspoon at a time until it pulls away.

After kneading, cover with plastic wrap in mixing bowl and rise in warm place until double in size. With double the yeast it wont take but 30 or so minutes. That's here where I am.

After doubled in size, punch down and pinch off bite size balls and roll between hands to form balls. You can also roll out into rectangle like your making cinnamon rolls. Cut into bite size pieces and use that way also.

In separate bowl, mix 1 cup brown sugar and cinnamon to taste. You can melt butter and dip each piece in butter then cinnamon sugar mixture, or like i do.

I take the balls or cut pieces and layer in a greased bundt pan. After you get one layer, sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar mixture and repeat. After you have finished, let rise again until double.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place pan in center of rack. I put pan under my bundt pan in case of bubble over. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and gooey inside. You may have to cover top with foil to keep from over browning. Test with knife to see if center is done.

I like mine just past the doughy stage. It still cooks after taking out of oven. I do this to keep from over cooking.

Cool in pan 5 minutes then invert onto serving tray. Be careful. Sugar is HOT! I like making cream cheese icing to dip pieces in or powder sugar glaze. Fantastic served warm. Keep in air tight container.