SESAME CHALLAH MONKEY BREAD
“Balls of (not overly sweet) challah are rolled in butter and a cinnamon, sugar and very-lightly-toasted sesame mix before getting packed into a Bundt pan so it develops a deeply sweet caramelized shell as it bakes.”
SERVES 10
This is just crazy delicious. Once it’s baked, sit around the table with friends and pull it apart with your fingers, and no one leaves until it’s gone. The Challah Dough recipe yields two loaves; you’ll be using half the dough to make Monkey Bread, leaving enough dough to make one loaf of challah! (See page 151 of the cookbook for the complete challah recipe.)
Challah Dough
2 envelopes (4½ tsp) active dry yeast ½ cup plus 1 tsp sugar
6¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
⅓ cup grapeseed oil, plus more for greasing
2½ tsp kosher salt
Monkey Bread
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter,
melted, plus more for pan
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar ⅓ cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
½ Challah Dough recipe (see above)
Glaze
¾ cup icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp whole milk Pinch kosher salt
MAKE DOUGH
1. In bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tsp of sugar in 1½ cups of warm (not hot) water. Set aside for 5 minutes, until foamy.
2. In stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine flour, remaining ½ cup of sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, grapeseed oil and kosher salt. Add yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 10 to 15 minutes. It will still be sticky, and that’s OK. Turn out dough onto floured surface and sprinkle with some flour.
3. Knead dough for 5 minutes, sprinkling with flour, if necessary, to keep it from getting sticky, until dough comes together and springs back when you touch it.
4. Lightly coat clean bowl with grapeseed oil and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough double in size in warm place, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
PREPARE MONKEY BREAD
1. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan with plenty of butter, making sure to get it into all corners and crannies. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, cinnamon and salt. Pour melted butter into small bowl.
3. Pinch off 1-tbsp pieces of Challah Dough and roll them into little balls.
Coat each ball in melted butter, then toss in cinnamon-sesame-sugar mixture to generously cover. Layer coated dough balls into prepared Bundt pan as you go.
4. Sprinkle over any remaining cinnamonsesame-sugar mixture and pour over any leftover melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature for 20 minutes.
BAKE MONKEY BREAD
AND MAKE GLAZE
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake Monkey Bread until top is golden and puffy, about 35 minutes.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together icing sugar, vanilla, milk and salt, until smooth. When Monkey Bread is done baking, be sure to flip it out of pan while still hot. Drizzle with glaze and have at it.