Zesty Orange Monkey Bread

By jeknudson

Ingredients

• 1 envelope (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
• 4 cups flour, plus more for kneading
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 stick plus 4 tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. orange zest (plus more for garnish)
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from rachaelraymag.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix 2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees ) and the yeast; let stand until dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix 4 cups flour, the sugar and salt at medium speed. Mix in the yeast mixture, eggs and butter pieces. Mix until smooth, adding more flour by the tablespoon if dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, 3 to 4 minutes. (If working by hand, mix the ingredients in a large bowl, then knead until soft, about 10 minutes.)

Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl; turn to coat. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Press down the dough. Pull off small pieces and roll into about 40 one-inch balls. Generously butter a large Bundt pan.

For the orange sauce, in a small bowl, microwave 1 stick butter on high until melted, about 30 seconds; add brown sugar and 3 tbsp. orange juice, and whisk until smooth.

In another small bowl, whisk sugar and 1 tbsp. orange zest.

In a medium bowl, microwave 4 tbsp. butter on high until melted, about 20 seconds. Roll the dough balls in the butter. Add the orange-zest sugar; toss to coat. Pile into the buttered Bundt pan. Drizzle with the orange sauce.

Bake until the bread is golden and cooked through (lift one of the balls to check), 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Invert onto a large plate. Let cool 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp. orange zest and 1 tbsp. juice until smooth. Drizzle over the warm bread; sprinkle with more zest.