Banana Nut Monkey Bread

Happy New Year! 2011 promises to be quite an exciting year. For one, the Gastroanthropologist has been dilligently working on a nine-month baking project that will be ready in less than three months! Quick apologies for the lack of posts, but planning for birthing a little baby boy abroad when all of our family and friends are in the States has taken a bit of planning and mental fortitude.

Gastroanthropology will not morph into a baby blog, but I will be launching a separate baby blog when the little peanut is starting to eat things other than milk.

So far, the pregnancy has been great with minimal morning sickness and no odd cravings. However, as I enter the third trimester the belly is definitely growing at a rapid pace, and the appetite grows more voracious. This morning I woke up and brioche with lots of cinnamon, some sweetness, a sprinkling of nuts, and banana was just the thing the belly was begging. Not sure if it's pratice for motherhood, but the usual annoyance I have for waiting for yeasted doughs to rise has melted into an abundance of patience. So today, I have no problem waiting a few hours for this recipe to come together.

This bread is called monkey bread, because the dough is divided and rolled in cinnamon-brown sugar, and once baked together can be pulled apart. When you pull apart to eat, you sort of mimic the way a monkey might eat bread. I added mashed banana and nuts to this, but it is totally optional, so feel free to leave out.

BANANA NUT MONKEY BREAD

The Starter

• 1/4 c whipping cream (can use half & half or whole milk)
• 1/4 oz (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 2 oz (56 grams) all-purpose flour

The Dough

• 10 oz (280 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 oz (28 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 oz (7 grams) salt
• 4 eggs, room temp
• 8 oz (224 grams) unsalted butter, room temp

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar

• 1/4 oz (7 grams) or about 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 oz (84 grams) brown sugar
• 1 oz (28 grams) chopped walnuts, optional
• 1 medium ripe banana, optional (leave in separate bowl)

METHOD

Heat cream to warm (not hot, about 100°F / 38°C). In a small mixing bowl, combine first measurement of flour and yeast. Add warm cream and mix to moisten flour mixture. Cover with plastic and place in a warm spot until doubled.

In the bowl of a mixer with the dough hook attachment, put the second measurement of flour, sugar and salt. Add doubled yeast mixture and eggs to the bowl and mix until a smooth dough forms. Add softened butter, a few ounces at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding more. Continue to beat on medium to high speed until dough becomes sticky and elastic, and slaps against the sides of the mixing bowl.

In a separate shallow bowl mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nuts. Mash the ripe banana in a separate bowl.  

Butter or use non-stick spray for the loaf pan of your choice (you could also use a bundt cake pan). I used three small 6-inch greaseproof paper loaf pans. Remember your dough needs room to double in height. 

Spray a bit of non-stick spray on your hands and grab golf ball sized portions of dough. Roll around in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place in the loaf pan. Repeat until you have a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Add the mashed banana on top of the dough and continue to portion the dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar, covering the mashed banana, and using up all the remaining dough. Once finished sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.

The dough must be set aside in a warm spot to double.

If you use the paper loaf pans, place them on a sheet pan as sugar may melt a little and leak a bit of sticky syrup. Loosely cover with plastic and put into a warm spot to proof until doubled. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175 °C and bake until golden and tester comes out clean. Depending on if your baking a single loaf, or a few small loaves it should take anywhere from 30 - 45 minutes. 

This monkey bread should be eaten warm out of the oven. As soon as it cools enough to touch, pull apart and enjoy. It's a lovely bread for brunch. It will keep for a day, but should be served warm (just pop in the microwave for a few seconds). It also makes a decadent french toast bread, but it should really be two to three days old (you want it dried out a bit and stale) before you attempt this (it will fall apart if it's too fresh). Instead of pulling apart, slice the bread, and continue as you would when making french toast.

Comments

[Tracey@Tangled Noodle]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Such happy, thrilling news! I will have to make this monkey bread immediately in celebration of your own little baked goodie. The cinnamon-sugar coating looks perfectly delicious. Rest assured that I will undoubtedly look like a greedy, voracious monkey eating it!

Wishing you a continued healthy, comfortable pregnancy! 8-D

[Michele McCartney]

Ok first of all, congratulations on the little one. Very exciting. Hope all goes very smoothly over the next few months.

The bread looks amazing. I was actually sitting here calculating whether or not I would be able to make some and have it in time for lunch. I'll bet the leftovers would make fantastic bread & butter pudding as well.

[my little expat kitchen]

Happy 2011 and congratulations! So exciting, having a baby!
Your monkey bread looks fantastic and I can imagine how difficult it must be to keep those cravings in place :)
Take care
Magda

[gastroanthropolgist]

Thank you for the well wishes!

Michele - Next time I am so making extra so I have some for bread pudding...=)

[OysterCulture]

Woohoo, so now we know the end result is a little boy. How fantastic, and I can imagine your family is over the moon with a grandchild on the way.

I have to say, I love monkey bread, but your version is by far the best I have ever seen. I'm with you, waiting for yeast bread to rise is akin to watching paint peel. It is painfully slow especially as I am anticipating the end result, which come to think of it might be more like being pregnant. Sorry to have missed you on this trip, but look forward to catching up and maybe a certain someone on the next one!

What a heck of a way to start off the new year!

[Quay Po Cooks]

Congrats on the little precious! Enjoy your journey to motherhood. The monkey bread looks very delicious.

[The Duo Dishes]

Oh wow, congrats on the baby. So many babies popping up, even in the blogosphere! Bet the little one will like monkey bread too.

[Lori]

Hooray! Congratulations! What a big year you have ahead. I'm also very interested in this baking project. I have to give this bread a try! We used to make Blueberry Monkey Bread at the bakery I worked at. Loved that stuff. This looks equally as good.

[lisaiscooking]

What a great thing to crave! This sounds amazing with the cinnamon and banana. I'm sure the next few months will fly by for you!

[zerrin]

Congratulations! This is a great news! Enjoy your time with your little baby!

As for the bread, I love how you describe our mimics when we eat it. It makes me so curious. And it looks so fluffy! Would love to have some now!

[lisa]

Hey Adrienne!!! BIG CONGRATS to you!

What a beautiful journey - sending my warmest wishes for a fantastic year ahead.

Monkey bread looks insanely delicious as well! : )

[5 Star Foodie]

Congratulations! Such exciting news!!!! I am so happy for you! The monkey bread sounds so yummy with bananas!

[Maria]

Congrats! You've got some busy days ahead ;)

As for this monkey bread, I have been eyeing moneky bread recipes for some time but have been avoiding them for no reason other than the calories they pack! But this does look amazing.

[mycookinghut]

Congrats! I like the look of this bread!