I had some people over a few weeks ago and wanted an easily shared dessert. I’d never made monkey bread before, and went straight to one stuffed with chocolate and caramel, because, well, why do things in halves?

Sweet Vanilla Yeast Dough:

• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Filling and Topping:

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/ 2 to 3/4 cup caramel bits (King Arthur has some, which worked well, or I guess you could chop up the caramel cubes you can get at the supermarket)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter Vanilla glaze:

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for five minutes. While you wait, lightly grease a bundt pan and set aside. Add the remaining dough ingredients and knead together until smooth.

Cover and allow to rise for an hour, then gently knock down the dough. Divide into four portions, then roll each quarter into a rope and divide into ten pieces. It may not seem like much dough when you start, but it works out.

Roll each of the 40 pieces into a ball, then press a small dent into one and add several chocolate chips and caramel pieces (3-6 total). Fold the dough over the chips and roll to seal.

Place each of the filled balls into the bundt pan, so that a roughly even amount are on each side. Stir together the 1/4 cup melted butter and vanilla, then pour over the dough pieces.

Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the outside. I think mine took towards the longer end of that time.

Taking up a lot more space now!

Turn out, still hot, onto a serving dish.

Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the glaze by whisking together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour over the top of the bread and serve.

There were very few pieces left of this by the time lunch was over!

Quite delicious! But then, I’m a sucker for just about anything with a sugar, chocolate, caramel combo!

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway post by Sunday, if you haven’t, to win a King Arthur Flour Cookbook! I’ll be submitting this post to yeastspotting.

Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Monkey Bread

From King Arthur Flour.

Sweet Vanilla Yeast Dough:

• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Filling and Topping:

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/ 2 to 3/4 cup caramel bits
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter Vanilla glaze:

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for five minutes. While you wait, lightly grease a bundt pan and set aside. Add the remaining dough ingredients and knead together until smooth. Cover and allow to rise for an hour.

Gently knock down the dough. Divide into four portions, then roll each quarter into a rope and divide into ten pieces. Roll each of the 40 pieces into a ball, then press a small dent into one and add several chocolate chips and caramel pieces. Fold the dough over the chips and roll to seal.

Place each of the filled balls into the greased bundt pan, filling evenly. Stir together the 1/4 cup melted butter and vanilla, then pour over the dough pieces.

Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the outside.

Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the glaze by whisking together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour over the top of the bread and serve.