Light Monkey Bread

In coming up with a new Christmas breakfast idea, I decided to try (healthy) monkey bread..in addition to my Breakfast Casserole.  I found a recipe I was interested in trying in Cooking Light.  This recipe looks somewhat long and complicated, but it's actually fairly simple and quick (minus letting the dough rise part).  I'm also warning you that it will go quickly, so make two batches (or be prepared to make it again, and again).  I made my second batch on New Year's Day and it was gone just as quickly.

Ingredients:
Bread Ingredients:
3 Cups All-Purpose flour 

• 1 Cup Whole-Wheat flour 


• 1 Tsp. Sea Salt


• 1 Package Yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)


• 1 Cup Skim Milk, Warm (120° to 130°)


• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice, Warm (120° to 130°)


• 1/4 Cup Honey


• 2 Tbsp. Butter, Softened


• Cooking spray


• 1/2 Cup White Sugar


• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, Packed


• 2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon


• 3 Tbsp. Skim Milk


• 2 Tbsp. Butter, Softened


• 
  
  
  
  • Glaze Ingredients:
  
  
  • 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
  
  
  • 2 Tbsp. Skim Milk
  
  
  • 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
  
  
  
  

Directions:

1. Combine flours, salt, and yeast with your Kitchenaid (or regular mixer) until combined. Slowly mix in the milk, juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons butter; mix dough at medium speed 5-7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. It gets pretty tough to mix, so feel free to stop after a few minutes and do some heavy kneading/folding of the dough by hand.
2. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size (I turn my oven on to 300 or so degrees, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set bowl on top of stove so it gets just warm enough). 

• 3. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons butter.


• 4. Knead/fold dough a couple times and divide into 8 equal portions (I split it into two, then split those into two, then those all into two). Working with one portion at a time, roll into a (roughly) 8-inch rope. Cut or tear  8 equal pieces, shaping each piece into a 1-inch ball (does NOT need to be perfect, I just tear into roughly same size pieces and do a quick ball shape--not perfect at all). 


• 5. Coat each ball in milk/butter mixture, then roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place balls in a large Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 dough ropes. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place, 1 hour or until almost doubled in size again.


• 6.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes. Place a plate upside down on top of bread; invert onto plate. 


• 7. Combine glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, milk, cream cheese, and vanilla) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over bread and enjoy!

The bread is best served warm (in my opinion), so microwave your serving for 20 or so seconds, just until warm (too long and the balls will get hard and stale).

Yum.  

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