Raisin-nut Monkey Bread

Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 ounce active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup golden raisin

Recipe

• 1 in a 1-quart saucepan heat the milk until it just comes to a boil; stir in 1/4 cup butter until melted.
• 2 cool until just warm (105 - 115°f).
• 3 in a large mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.
• 4 add the cooled milk mixture, 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, egg and salt.
• 5 beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
• 6 by hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
• 7 turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• 8 place in a greased bowl; turn the greased side up.
• 9 cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1-1/2 hours.).
• 10 the dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.
• 11 punch down the dough; divide in half.
• 12 with floured hands, shape each half into 24 balls.
• 13 in a small bowl stir together 1 cup sugar, pecans and cinnamon.
• 14 dip the balls first into the melted butter, then into the sugar mixture.
• 15 place 24 balls in the bottom of a greased 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan - if using the tube pan, line the bottom with aluminum foil.
• 16 sprinkle with raisins.
• 17 top with the remaining 24 balls, after dipping them into the butter and sugar mixtures.
• 18 cover; let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
• 19 heat the oven to 375°f.
• 20 bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the monkey bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• 21 immediately invert the pan onto a heatproof serving plate.
• 22 let the pan stand 1 minute to allow the sugar mixture to drizzle over the monkey bread.
• 23 remove the pan; serve warm (leftovers can be reheated nicely in the microwave).