Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread (from Rustic Joyful Food: Meant to Share)

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread (from Rustic Joyful Food: Meant to Share)

Makes 1 standard Bundt pan

Serves up to 6 people 

The Dough

2 tsp. quick yeast

1 cup warm milk

3 cups flour

2 Tbsp. soft butter

1 tsp. kosher salt 

1 egg

2 Tbsp. sugar 

The Extras

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter 

1 cup applesauce

Liberally butter and sugar a Bundt pan and set aside. Bloom yeast in warm milk 5 minutes. Once yeast is foamy, add to the bowl of a stand mixer with remaining dough ingredients*. Using the dough hook, mix 6-7 minutes. This can also be done by hand. Allow dough to rest 2-3 minutes and knead again 6-7 minutes**. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise 45 minutes in a warm place or proofing drawer. To assemble, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, then divide both halves in two. Repeat this process until you have 32 even pieces. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow, wide bowl. Melt butter in another bowl. Dip the small piece of dough in the melted butter, roll it in cinnamon sugar, and place into the buttered and sugared Bundt pan. Repeat the process until you’ve coated every piece of dough. After every third dough portion has been placed into the Bundt pan, add applesauce in 1 Tbsp. increments to the pan until you’ve successfully evenly distributed applesauce in and around the coated dough portions. Drizzle remaining butter over top of the finished Bundt as well as any remaining cinnamon sugar. Allow to proof 15-20 minutes and bake 45-55 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Allow to cool five minutes, then invert the pan onto a plate and enjoy. Best served warm.

* If dough is too wet, add flour 1 Tbsp. at a time. If too dry, add warm milk 1 Tbsp. at a time.

** At this point, if you have a bread machine, add remaining dough ingredients to the bread machine and choose the dough setting.