FEBRUARY RECIPE(s) OF THE MONTH: MONKEY BREAD AND MONKEY CAKE..celebrating the Chinese New Year Feb 8th when we transition into the Year of the Monkey

These are 2 easy recipes that span over 300 years, one is a traditional take on Monkey Bread, not the sugared loaves that are commonly on market shelves, but a light buttery one; and the other is a  Banana Nut Loaf that comes down the line of George Washington.



MONKEY BREAD aka Pull apart bread

Makes 1 x 10 inch loaf

1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp sea salt
 Place all the above in a small saucepan and heat until the butter melts and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to luke warm 105-115F

2 1/4 tsp active dried yeast
Add the dried yeast to the cooler milk mix and stir well 


3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, place the flour in a medium mixing bowl and make a well, pour in the yeast milk mix and beat with a wooden spoon until everything is well incorporated.
Cover and let rise to double in a warm place ( approx 1hour and 20 mins)
Punch down the dough and roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls.


1/2 cup melted butter, cooled. For rolling the dough balls in before baking.

Dip each ball of dough into the cooled melted butter and layer the balls into a 10 inch tube/loaf pan or bundt tin, until the tin is full, then cover with a cloth and repeat the proving process 45 mins or until risen double.

Bake on middle shelf in a preheated 375f oven for 35 mins.
Remove from oven, and leave for 5 mins for contents to settle before unmolding onto a serving place/board.


Variations:
For a more syrupy loaf, roll the balls in butter then in sugar and cinnamon mixed together, before placing the balls in a  well buttered baking pan.

or Pour liquid honey/Agave syrup/golden syrup/ black strap molasses* over the loaf as it comes out of the oven fully baked, and before unmolding.

*maple syrup is too runny for this although maple sugar would work to roll  the balls in  prior to baking.
For a whole wheat version use 50:50 whole wheat to all purpose flour and increase the milk to 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups depending on time of year and temp. of the kitchen.

Monkey Cake aka whole wheat mix, banana-nut bread

makes 2   well greased 7 1/2 x 3 x 2 inch loafpans

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup cane sugar
2 large eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup all whole wheat flour
2 cups mashed banana ( approx 5 medium sized very ripe and well mashed)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4tsp sea salt
 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Method:
Beat the butter well, until light and fluffy and then add the sugar and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl from time to time, until the sugar is well mixed.
Then beat in the eggs, gradually if the mix curdles it is fine.
Add the mashed bananas and beat well to combine .
Mix the flours, salt and baking powder together then slowly add this to the egg mix, and stir gently until all is incorporated.
Stir in the chopped nuts then pour the batter equally into the 2 prepared pans.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake middle oven in a preheated 375f oven  for 15 mins.
The reduce the heat to 350F and bake for a further 40 mins or until toothpick, inserted into center of cake, comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in pans for 15 min then transfer from pans to a cooling wire.
Cool completely, wrap in waxed paper and store in a dry cool place..this is perfect for tea or morning snacking

 


Variations: use any chopped raw nuts you have on hand.
If making with just all purpose flour then use  2 cups all purpose and 4 mashed bananas 1 1/2 cups and 1tsp baking soda.