Gold Medal Monkey Bread Food

TURTLE BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar and salt; set aside.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat water, milk and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 125°F to 130°F; stir into yeast mixture. Stir in egg. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes or until smooth and springy. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for turtle's head. Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls for feet. Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into tail. Shape remaining dough into ball for turtle body; place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Attach head, feet and tail by placing 1 end of each under edge of body to secure. Press raisins into head for eyes. Cover and let rise in warm place 20 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Make 1/4-inch-deep circular cut around top edge of body, then make crisscross cuts in center to look like a turtle's shell. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Start with the dough. Put the milk and butter into a medium pan and heat gently until the butter melts and the milk is at a simmer. Cool for a few mins, then beat in the eggs with a fork. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with 1½ tsp fine salt, then add the liquid and stir to a sticky dough. Leave for 5 mins, then tip onto a floured worktop and knead for 5-10 mins until smooth and springy. Use a little oil to grease a large bowl, add the dough, turn it in the oil to coat, then cover the bowl with clingfilm. Leave in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Knead in a tabletop mixer with a dough hook if you prefer.
• To assemble, grease a 25cm bundt pan with butter. Melt the rest of the butter in a pan. In a medium bowl mix the spices and sugar plus a pinch of salt. Spoon 2 tbsp melted butter, 3 tbsp spiced sugar and 4 tbsp pecans into the bottom of the tin.
• Pull the dough into about 65 small pieces and roll into balls. Taking 4 or 5 at a time, dunk the dough balls into the melted butter, let the excess drain off, then tip them into the spiced sugar. Roll to coat, then put haphazardly into the tin. Repeat until there's a full layer of dough in the tin. Scatter with the rest of the chopped nuts, then carry on filling the tin with the coated dough balls. Tip any leftover sugar and butter over the dough. Can be frozen now for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge then let prove.
• Cover the pan with oiled clingfilm then leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr, or until risen and the dough no longer springs back when you poke it.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the monkey bread for 35 mins, or until well risen and golden. Let the pan cool for 5 mins, then give it a sharp rap on the counter. Leave in the tin until just warm.
• Whisk all of the ingredients together to make the glaze. It will thicken as the melted butter cools. Turn the monkey bread onto a serving plate, then drizzle with the glaze. Let it set, if you can bear the wait.

GOOEY CARAMEL MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.
• Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each in quarters.
• Shake biscuit pieces in bag to coat; place in pan. Sprinkle any extra sugar mixture over biscuits.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar to boiling over medium-high heat; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour over biscuit pieces.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown and cooked through in center. Cool 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

GOLD MEDAL® CLASSIC FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle (dough will be soft).
• On lightly floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Grease large bowl with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in warm place 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until dough has doubled in size. (Rising time is longer than times for traditional breads, which gives the typical French bread texture.) Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Grease large cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half into 15 x 8-inch rectangle. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 15-inch side, to form a loaf. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Roll gently back and forth to taper ends. Place both loaves on cookie sheet.
• Cut 1/4-inch-deep slashes across tops of loaves at 2-inch intervals with sharp knife. Brush loaves with cold water. Let rise uncovered in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix egg white and 1 tablespoon cold water; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seed. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool.

GOLD MEDAL CLASSIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• (Note: I proof my yeast by mixing 1 cup of the water [tepid only, ~ 80 degrees F], the sugar or honey, and the yeast in a bowl & setting aside to proof while getting the flour, etc., measured out.).
• In a large bowl, stir 3 1/2 C flour, salt, and butter until well mixed. Add warm water (and proofed yeast). Beat on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. (may switch to dough hook about this time, OR just use the dough hook from the beginning.) Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in remaining flour, 1 C at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
• Knead 10 minutes with dough hook on mixer or by turning out on lightly floured surface & kneading by hand. Dough should be smooth & springy. Grease a large bowl, place dough in & turn so all sides are greased. Cover, loosely, with a damp towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in size.
• Grease bottoms & sides of two loaf pans.
• When dough has doubled in size, gently push fist in to deflate. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each half, with hands or rolling pin, into a 9 x 18 inch rectangle. Roll dough tightly, beginning at 9 inch side. Pinch edge of roll to seal, and then ends to seal. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place 35 - 50 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
• Place oven racks in low position so tops of pans will be in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bake 25 - 30 minutes. (Bread is done at 200* F. I check with a probe thermometer).
• Remove from pans to wire rack & brush tops with the last 2 T of butter.
• Cool before slicing.