This is one I’m pretty pleased with myself about. Like Wednesday’s Chorizo and Manchego Rolls, this was one where a recipe (KAF’s Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls) got me thinking, but then I went another way and made things up.

Ingredients:

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 – 1 1/2 apples
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside for 5 minutes. While you wait, combine the other dough ingredients in a large bowl.

Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined, then knead until a smooth dough is formed. Cover, and set aside to rise 1 hour.

Before the hour is up, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon of the topping, and cut the apples into small chunks. I aimed for roughly 1/2″ bits, but there was a lot of variation. If there are more than a few minutes left to go for the dough, store the apple in a bowl of water to prevent browning, and just lightly tumble them in paper towel before you start using them. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.

Divide the risen dough into quarters, then roll each quarter into a rope. Cut each rope into 10 pieces of dough.

Wrap each piece of dough around a piece of apple, pressing closed to seal.

Dip each piece of dough in the melted butter, then roll it in the sugar/flour/cinnamon mixture.

Place the coated dough pieces evenly around the bundt pan.

Cover and let rise half an hour. You can then either bake immediately, or refrigerate overnight. If you refrigerate, remove from the fridge 45 minutes before you intend to bake.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes for same-day dough, and 35-40 minutes for refrigerated dough, until the top pieces feel firm and cooked.

Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then flip out onto a plate or platter.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and enough milk to reach a drizzle-able consistency. I just used what was left in the bottle! Drizzle the glaze over the monkey bread.

Pull out pieces to your heart’s content! The dough is lightly sweet and delicious, and the apple and cinnamon sugar coating go well together. Not too shabby! I’ll be submitting this to yeastspotting.

Apple Strudel Monkey Bread

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 – 1 1/2 apples
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

Combine the milk, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside for 5 minutes. Combine the other dough ingredients in a large bowl. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined, then knead until a smooth dough is formed. Cover, and set aside to rise 1 hour.

Before the hour is up, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon of the topping, and cut the apples into small chunks, storing cut apples in water if necessary. Grease a bundt pan and set aside.

Divide the risen dough into quarters, then roll each quarter into a rope. Cut each rope into 10 pieces of dough. Wrap each piece of dough around a piece of apple, pressing closed to seal. Dip each piece of dough in the melted butter, then roll it in the sugar/flour/cinnamon mixture. Place the coated dough pieces evenly around the bundt pan. Cover and let rise half an hour.

Bake immediately, or refrigerate overnight. If you refrigerate, remove from the fridge 45 minutes before you intend to bake.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes for same-day dough, and 35-40 minutes for refrigerated dough, until the top pieces feel firm and cooked.

Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then flip out onto a plate or platter. Whisk together the powdered sugar and enough milk to create a drizzle-able icing, then pour over the monkey bread.