Add chocolate kick to your monkey bread
My first monkey bread recipe — cinnamon, sugar and brioche dough — was one of our most popular desserts ever. This winter, we took it up a notch and added chocolate.
This version is even more decadent, gooey and addictive, with its extra layer of creamy chocolate ganache on top. It’s also the perfect treat to make with the kids on a snowy winter weekend because everyone can chip in. Did we go overboard with this one? Maybe. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Chocolate Monkey Bread
Ricardo Tested
Dough
11/4 cups (310 mL) buttermilk, warm
1/4 cup (55 g) sugar
3 cups (450 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
Coating
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
11/4 cups (265 g) sugar
1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
Ganache
31/2 oz (100 g) dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup (75 mL) 35% heavy cream
To make the dough, in a bowl, combine buttermilk and sugar.
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, yeast and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and knead vigorously until dough starts to form.
Gradually add butter, then knead for about 5 minutes. Dough will be soft and sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, humid place for 1 hour.
Generously butter a 10- to 12-cup (2.5 to 3 L) Bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder and set aside.
For the coating, pour melted butter into a bowl. In another bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Cut dough into about 40 pieces. Lightly roll each piece into a ball using palms of your hands. Try not to overwork the dough.
Dip balls in butter to coat, then roll in sugar mixture. Place balls in pan as you go. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over dough, then pour over remaining butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, humid place for 45 minutes or until the dough has risen just above the edge of the pan.
With rack in middle position, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Remove plastic wrap. Bake monkey bread for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately turn the bread out onto a serving platter. Let cool for at least 15 minutes.
For the ganache, place chocolate in a bowl.
In a saucepan or in the microwave, bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let melt for 1 minute. Using a spatula, stir until smooth.
When ready to serve, drizzle ganache over the monkey bread. Enjoy warm or cooled, preferably that day.
Makes 10 servings.