I received this Monkey Bread kit (pan and mix) for Christmas and decided to prepare it New Year's morning. I'm glad I read the instructions the day before because the dough must rise twice, and approximately three hours are required to make the Monkey Bread. On the box it states that the included mix is "...easy to make with just a few ingredients from your pantry." That statement is a tad misleading. Here is a list of the additional items needed to make the bread --1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 12 tablespoons butter, 1 cup pecans (optional - but only if you dislike nuts), 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
The bread baked perfectly and was absolutely delicious, but if the user hasn't worked with yeast doughs some additional information is needed that wasn't included in the recipe.The instructions say to heat the milk in the microwave until warm but not hot and then stir the yeast into it until dissolved. This is less than precise and some care must be taken with the temperature because milk that is too hot (122 degrees Fahrenheit or above) could kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising. Take a moment and measure the temperature of the milk (a candy thermometer works great) -- optimally it should measure between 86 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, to assist in rising, place the dough in a warm corner of the kitchen. If the kitchen is already warm it isn't a problem, but if not, turning on the oven to 200 degrees for ten minutes then turning it off and placing the dough in the now warmed oven works well.
The generously sized 14 inch pan is lightweight, unlike most of Nordic Ware's heavy cast aluminum pans, but it performed perfectly. And, as with all of the non-stick coated pans produced by this company, they scratch easily so be certain to use only non-metal utensils and no harsh scouring pads. If you take these steps the pan will last for many years.
The Monkey Bread kit is a lovely gift idea, and packaging the pan and mix together is convenient, but I won't bother to buy the mix separately again. Given the number of ingredients required to complete the recipe, I don't think enough steps are saved from simply starting from scratch. Oh, and although it wasn't mentioned in the baking instructions, I placed the pan on a cookie sheet before baking, and I am so glad I did. The caramel sauce went up and over the sides of the pan and pooled up on the cookie sheet. It would have made quite a mess on the bottom of my oven.
This is a scrumptious breakfast treat and quite impressive when unmolded onto a large platter. The scent of yeasty cinnamon bread baking spread through the entire house and created quite a festive mood. The baked bread ring is quite large and would easily provide a generous serving for 6 to 8 people.
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Nordic Ware Monkey Bread Pan with MixProduct Description: Start monkeying around in the kitchen with the Monkey Bread Kit from Nordicware. The kit includes a nonstick aluminum 13 cup coffee cake pan, Monkey Bread mix, and baking instructions.It is the perfect gift for baking enthusiasts.Proudly made in the USA by Nordic Ware.
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I was thrilled when I found this. It's just the thing for steaming fish and dumplings, and I figured I could put it over my stewpan, and use it as a strainer when pouring liquid from the stockpot. It's also made in the USA, which is certainly a feature.
