Coconut Monkey Bread

I'll be honest. I didn't grow up eating monkey bread. I didn't even know what monkey bread was until I moved to the States 14 years ago (has it really been that long??) The concept of monkey bread is BRILLIANT. It makes total sense with a clever name and it tastes heavenly. One of my favorite Hong Kong style buns is the Coconut Roll (椰絲包) and not to be confused with the Cocktail Bun (雞尾包). The Coconut Roll is pretty much an inside-out version of the Cocktail Bun, and it's not as sweet since you don't get the massive filling inside. Like my mom, I love any sweet things that are made with shredded coconut. So when I thought of making monkey bread, I just naturally jumped into the idea of whipping out a coconut version of it.

I've been eyeing on recipes that I can tweak to make this coconut monkey bread happen for a really long time. I'm also not much of a baker if you haven't noticed cause I like the freedom of not needing to measure everything when I cook. Sure, I can make a good loaf of banana bread on the weekends and some treats for the holiday but baking and I are not BFFs. Will we ever be? Probably not. That's why I have such admiration for Yossy Arefi's work. Oh my god, have you been to her blog Apt. 2B Baking Co.? It'll make you want to get into the kitchen and get your hands dirty. I found her amazing Chai Spiced Monkey Bread post on Food52, and adapted the recipe for my coconut monkey bread.

For someone who only bakes from scratch once in a blue moon, I was thrilled to get such an amazing turn out! (Much credit goes to Yossy's recipe!) I mean, how could I or anyone not love this gooey and caramelized goodness?

I know working with yeast may sound intimating but this is a winner all the way, and I'm glad you stopped by to share my love for coconut!

Don't have a bundt pan? Get a classic Nordic!

Coconut Monkey Bread

Prep time: 2 hours 30 mins  Cook time: 30 mins  Total time: 3 hours

You'll need:

  • Dough:
  • 4 tbsp unsalted soften butter, divided
  • 3/4 cup milk, 110°F
  • 1/3 water, 110°F
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1 envelope
  • 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • Coconut Coating:
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Approach:

  1. Use 2 tbsp of unsalted butter to grease a 12-cup bundt pan. Make sure every crevice is covered.
  2. Combine the warm milk and water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a 2-cup measuring cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes while "proofing" and it starts to get bubbly.
  3. Combine flour and salt in a stand-mixer bowl fitting with a dough hook.
  4. When yeast is ready, turn stand-mixer on low (setting 2 on a KitchenAid) and stream in the yeast mixture. Add the remaining 2 tbsp soften butter and egg. Knead the dough for 7 minutes. Dough should be soft and sticky. If it seems too wet, add more flour a few tbsp at a time.
  5. Transfer dough in a large, oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise 'til it has double its size, about 1 hour.
  6. While you're waiting for the dough to do its magic, prepare the coconut coating by combining brown sugar, coconut sugar, and shredded coconut together in a bowl.
  7. When the 1 hour is up and dough is finished from rising, transfer it to a floured surface and pat it into a 8" by 8" square. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 36 pieces (6 strips each way).
  8. Roll each dough piece into a ball. Dip in the melted butter, then the coconut coating. Place each ball one of top of the other in the buttered bundt pan.
  9. After all the dough pieces are placed into the pan, cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it sit for 1 hour. The dough will rise 1 to 2 inches, and closer to the rim of the pan.
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the monkey bread for 25-30 minutes until the top has turned golden brown and the sugar is bubbling around the edges.
  11. Let it cool for 5 minutes before placing a plate on top, then flipping it over. Let it cool for another 5 minutes before serving.

Hong Kong Style French Toast

Helloooo Friday! Hope you guys had a good week, and have something awesome planned for the weekend! You know, I miss Hong Kong for many reasons and French toast sure is one of them. It's a typical item on the menu at cha chaan tengs and it is served all day but you'd really only get it for breakfast or afternoon tea which is around 3 to 4 p.m.

French toasts here in America is just not the same thing. The Hong Kong version is a simple tweak to the original that I think (oh I KNOW) most people would love it. I mean, we're talking about stuffing it with something delicious here! The original Hong Kong style French toast isn't something you would/should eat everyday though... butter, deep-fried, and syrup? Oh yea, it's a total guilty pleasure.

Since I can't get the kind of French toast that I love from a regular diner, I make them at home, my way! This is my take on how you'd eat French toast when you come have breakfast at my house. It might not an exact copycat of how a cha chaan teng would serve it but it's about the brilliant idea my friends (and a little healthier since it's not deep-fried)! Let's go over the simple ingredients real quick... sliced bread, butter, eggs, maple syrup, and peanut butter! Yep, PB is the secret ingredient. What's not to love about a PB sandwich dipped in eggs and pan-fried then drizzled with maple syrup?? Now that's what I call breakfast of champions!

I don't usually get sliced bread from Chinese bakeries but I happened to pass by one and since I was making Hong Kong style French toast, it just made sense. Use any kind of bread you'd like but maybe stay away from using the kinds that are too soft or too fresh, otherwise you'll end up having French toast that's a little too mushy. And peanut butter? I like the smooth kind, and Peanut Butter and Co. is a staple in my pantry (still need to make a trip to their sandwich shop at some point!)

Gosh. Is there more? I want another one!

Hong Kong style french toast

Prep time: 5 mins  Cook time: 6 mins  Total time: 11 mins

You'll need:

  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1 tbsp butter, divided
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • maple syrup

Approach:

  1. Make a simple peanut butter sandwich by spreading a thin layer of butter on both slices of bread, then spread about 1 tbsp of peanut butter on each side.
  2. Heat a skillet with ½ tbsp of butter.
  3. Dip the sandwich in egg. Let it soak for 6 seconds each side and run the edges too.
  4. Cook each side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown.
  5. Plate and top with a thin slice of butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Bread

If you get a sweet treat from me around Christmas time, that means I like you :) Did you get one of these popcorn mix last year? Or one of these bite-size holiday cookie mix the year before that?

What inspired me to make this year's Chocolate Cherry Walnut bread? Well, when I bought my marble pastry board from Sur la Table, I needed a little something to fulfill the order's free shipping minimum (Don't lie, I know you've done that before!) That's when I saw these paper loaf molds, and I knew right away I wanted them for making this year's holiday baking. Chocolate, cherry, and walnut just make sense together as a holiday bread. Don't you think?