Garlic Monkey Bread

Name: Garlic Monkey Bread
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Ingredients: 430 g Bread Flour; 250 ml Milk; 1 Large egg; 45 g Sugar; 6 g Instant dry yeast; 4 g Sea salt; 55 g Unsalted butter; 50 g Butter; 15 g Olive oil; 25 g Minced garlic; ½ cup Fresh chopped herbs; 1 tsp Chilli flakes; 1 tsp Dried herbs; ½ tsp Salt; ½ tsp Pepper

AuthorYun Zhang JohnCategoryBreadDifficultyBeginnerRating

Yields1 Serving

Prep Time3 hrsCook Time30 minsTotal Time3 hrs 30 mins

Garlic Monkey Bread

The holiday season here and many of us, for the first time in a few years will actually be attending Christmas gatherings with extended family and friends…YAY! And what’s better to bring than a gorgeous crown of fragrant garlic monkey bread.

Why is it called garlic monkey bread? I have no idea. Perhaps it’s fun to eat as you pull it apart one by one? Perhaps it’s because you can monkey around while you make it? Whatever the reason, put this garlic bread recipe in your baking arsenal and you’ll be covered for all sorts of party occasion where food is shared.

The Bread

You’ve seen this bread in a previous iteration - as my Chinese hot dog buns. The soft, fluffy, tender crumbed bread is also perfect as the body of this crown of garlic monkey bread. As the dough is forgiving, easy to make and neutral in flavour to be able to accommodate the strong flavours of the garlic butter.

The Fried Garlic Butter

There is no one in the world that does not love the smell and tastes of garlic butter….is there? I don’t think so. However, for those people with sensitive stomaches or taste buds, raw garlic can be too acrid and harsh. While my other garlic loaf bread relied on a raw garlic butter paste as the filling, this time, I have chosen to cook it down just a bit to reduce the pungency.

The result is a wonderfully aromatic, milder garlic monkey bread, ideal to be shared with others at a party…because who wants garlic breath at a party, right?

Having said that, I would recommend to make a little extra garlic herby butter and serve along side the bread for those who want more intensity.

The bunt pan

You obviously do not need bake this garlic monkey bread in a bunt pan, you can do the same in a regular round or square metal baking pan or even a Pyrex baking dish. In which case I would increase the amount of baking time by a 2-5min to ensure that the centre is cooked through. But if you are after a glorious crown of bread for presentation, then a bunt pan is the answer.

Not into garlic monkey bread?

Then forget the garlic herb butter and go sweet! Replace the garlic herb butter with:

- Cinnamon butter and add raisins to the bread dough, top with a cream cheese icing.

- Chocolate ganache and add chocolate chips to the dough, top with royal icing.

Now, you’ve got yourself a crown of dessert monkey bread to share. Sweet.

You Will Need

Dough

430 g Bread FlourOr All purpose flour (about 3 cups)

250 ml Milk

1 Large egg

45 g Sugar~3 tbsp

6 g Instant dry yeast~1.5 tsp

4 g Sea salt~1 tsp

55 g Unsalted butter1/4 cup

Fried garlic butter

50 g Butter3-4 tbsp

15 g Olive oil1 tbsp

25 g Minced garlic8-10 cloves

½ cup Fresh chopped herbsie. parsley, basil, chives

1 tsp Chilli flakesOptional

1 tsp Dried herbsie. oregano, thyme, italian

½ tsp Saltoptional

½ tsp Pepperoptional

Instructions

Making the dough

Combining the all the ingredients except the salt and butter into a large mixing bowl. Start mixing with a spoon or spatula and then add in the salt. Mix again and move over to the stand mixer or continue by hand to knead.

If using a stand mixer, knead on speed 2 for a couple of minutes and then add in the soften butter. Knead the dough until it's incorporated all the butter (sometimes this is faster to do by hand) and then turn up the speed to 3 and continue kneading for 8min or until you’ve got a dough that is tacky to the touch but does not stick to your fingers.

Scrap it out and form into a smooth ball before leaving it to rise covered until it's at least doubled in size (between 1-1.5hr)

Making the fried garlic butter

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add butter, minced garlic, chopped up herbs, chilli flakes if using and some dried herbs, salt and pepper and let it simmer for a couple of minutes so that the garlic and herbs are infused into the butter.

Let it cool completely to room temperature before using with the dough. ***Do not pour hot butter over the dough or you will end up with gummy bread.

Assembly

Prep the bunt pan by smearing a thick coating of butter all over.

When the dough has risen, punch out the air and scrap onto a work surface. Roughly divide into many small pieces. When they've been all divided, form each piece into small balls by pulling or rolling between your hands.

Put the formed small balls of dough into a large bowl. When they are all formed, pour the cooled butter over and mix to ensure that each piece of dough is covered generously with the garlic butter.

Now, get your fingers into it and fish out each dough ball and place them one by one into the prepared pan so they snuggle together nicely…one by one. Spoon any remaining butter on top.

Garlic monkey bread | Yun's Family Table

Leave it to rise again for 45min-1hr.

Baking

Once risen again, bake in a preheated 350F / 180C oven for 30-35min.

Once out of the oven, flip it out of the pan and leave it to cool down on a wired rack.

Ingredients

Dough

430 g Bread FlourOr All purpose flour (about 3 cups)

250 ml Milk

1 Large egg

45 g Sugar~3 tbsp

6 g Instant dry yeast~1.5 tsp

4 g Sea salt~1 tsp

55 g Unsalted butter1/4 cup

Fried garlic butter

50 g Butter3-4 tbsp

15 g Olive oil1 tbsp

25 g Minced garlic8-10 cloves

½ cup Fresh chopped herbsie. parsley, basil, chives

1 tsp Chilli flakesOptional

1 tsp Dried herbsie. oregano, thyme, italian

½ tsp Saltoptional

½ tsp Pepperoptional

Directions

Making the dough

Scrap it out and form into a smooth ball before leaving it to rise covered until it's at least doubled in size (between 1-1.5hr)

Making the fried garlic butter

Let it cool completely to room temperature before using with the dough. ***Do not pour hot butter over the dough or you will end up with gummy bread.

Assembly

Prep the bunt pan by smearing a thick coating of butter all over.

Put the formed small balls of dough into a large bowl. When they are all formed, pour the cooled butter over and mix to ensure that each piece of dough is covered generously with the garlic butter.

Now, get your fingers into it and fish out each dough ball and place them one by one into the prepared pan so they snuggle together nicely…one by one. Spoon any remaining butter on top.

Garlic monkey bread | Yun's Family Table

Leave it to rise again for 45min-1hr.

Baking

Once risen again, bake in a preheated 350F / 180C oven for 30-35min.

Once out of the oven, flip it out of the pan and leave it to cool down on a wired rack.

Garlic Monkey Bread

Ingredients Directions