Snowflake Monkey Bread
From my Instagram:
Happy New Year friends 🎊 We are ringing it in with this gorgeous snowflake pull-apart monkey bread. Not only is it stunning, but it tastes absolutely divine - perfect for the cold winter months still to come. This recipe includes a homemade butterscotch which is infinitely easier to make than a homemade caramel. I couldn’t get enough of it! Just layer, twist, and pinch, and you’ve made yourself a beautiful and delicious after-dinner dessert or sweet morning breakfast. I honestly think I need to make another one before the winter’s over... What’s your favorite thing to bake in the winter?
Unfortunately, when I made this last year, I had to go to work in an office, then rush the bake because I was bringing it to a dinner. The end result tasted great, but the bread didn’t brown or rise and it was hard - similar to how my galettes turned out. So I decided to try it again this year. I planned to bake it on a night that I had free of any plans at all (it really only takes about 3 hours) so I could give it my full attention and do it properly. There’s nothing worse than biting into a seemingly soft and fluffy pastry only to find it rock hard.
The cinnamon sugar mixture might not seem like a lot, but you really only need a thin amount on each layer. If you put more than that, it will melt out during the bake. If a lot of the filling does melt out, I would transfer the bread to a new piece of parchment or platter and remove the shards of sugar. It hardens as it cools and it’s not pleasant to try and bite into or chew.
I think last year I also forgot the egg wash - honestly what is with me and forgetting to egg wash my pastries? So I made double sure that I had that ready to go before I popped it in the oven. If you are following Tieghan’s recipe, you’ll know what I mean when I say to start checking it around 10 minutes after you return it to the oven. You don’t want it to get too brown on top, and since the layers of pastry are so thin, the window between baked and overbaked is very small. Also, do not, I repeat, DO NOT walk away from your butterscotch…especially once it starts boiling. It is so easy for the cream to burn and once it burns it’s trash (and your pan that it was in probably is too).
Overall, my second attempt at this monkey bread was a success. It’s fairly quick and fairly easy, but it is a bake that definitely takes more attention and a close eye on the recipe. It’s a great showstopper dessert if you can get it right.
Original Recipe from: Half Baked Harvest