Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread

By James Schend, Taste of Home

Time to give rum cake a little competition! If this boozy take on monkey bread is too strong for your taste, cut back on the bourbon or use milk as a non-alcoholic substitute.

Total Time

Prep: 1-1/2 hours + chilling Bake: 50 min. + cooling

Makes

18 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, divided
• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey
• 4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 semisweet baking chocolate bars (4 ounces each) plus 1 ounce, broken into 1/4-ounce pieces (36 pieces total)

BOURBON CARAMEL:

• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey
• 1 cup chopped pecans

BOURBON CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

• 1 semisweet baking chocolate bar (4 ounces), chopped
• 1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey

Directions

• Microwave 1/4 cup butter until melted. Dissolve yeast in warm water and milk; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. In another bowl, combine eggs, bourbon and melted butter; stir in 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
• Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide and shape into 36 rolls. Flatten rolls into circles; place 1 chocolate piece in center of each. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges well to seal. Melt remaining butter; pour into a shallow bowl. Place remaining sugar in another shallow bowl. Dip balls in butter, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in sugar.
• For bourbon caramel, bring brown sugar, butter and bourbon to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Pour half of the caramel into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan; layer with half the pecans and half the dough balls; repeat. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Place a sheet of foil on bottom oven rack. Bake on middle oven rack until golden brown, 50-55 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil for last 10-15 minutes if top browns too quickly.) Cool in pan 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Meanwhile, for bourbon chocolate glaze, melt chocolate in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm bread.

Test Kitchen Tips

• You can make this beauty in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish if you don't have the right size tube pan.
• Bourbon flavor is very pronounced in this decadent dessert. Feel free to substitute milk or water for some or all of the bourbon.
• We take monkey bread to the next level with this bourbon-laced pecan and chocolate version.
• Chocolate pieces can be wrapped in dough ahead of time and frozen in a single layer. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight before assembling the following day.
• Rye, brandy and spiced rum can be substituted for the bourbon.

Nutrition Facts 

2 pieces : 445 calories, 20g fat (10g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 174mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.