M is for... Mom's Monkey Bread

Photo taken from the Pillsbury Website (I didn't have time to make it this weekend)

Every Christmas my mom makes her version of Monkey Bread, and until we were adults, my siblings and I thought that she had invented it just for us, her special little monkeys.  However, this illusion was shattered when, a few years ago, my younger brother happened to stumble across a box of frozen Monkey Bread at the supermarket. He immediately called our mother and confronted her about it, asking her why she had lied to us all these years. 

The only consolation for us "little monkeys" is that our mom's Monkey Bread is far better than any found in a supermarket, and to us, it's still the best in the world.  I've included her recipe below.  I hope it makes sense.  Feel free to comment.

 

Ingredients

 

1 package frozen dinner rolls

1 cup (or more) cinnamon 

1/2 cup (or more) *butter, melted

1 cup (or more) sugar

1-2 cups lightly chopped pecans

1/4 cup heavy cream

*I prefer real butter.  My brother claims that margarine is only one molecule away from being plastic.

 

Directions

1. Grease bundt pan with butter.
2. Sprinkle pecans around the bottom of bundt pan.
3. Melt butter in bowl.
4. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish or plate (continue to add more as needed)
5. Cut the frozen dinner rolls into thirds (while still frozen).
6. Dip one piece of dinner roll at a time into butter and then roll it in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
7. Fill the bottom of the bundt pan with several pieces.
8. When one layer is complete, sprinkle with pecans and cinnamon/sugar mix.  Drizzle with butter.
9. Continue adding layers of butter/cinnamon/sugar coated roll pieces and pecans, cinnamon/sugar mix and butter until all pieces have been used.
10. Cover pan with tin foil and let it stand for at least four hours.  I usually start this process the night before and let it stand overnight. 
11. When the rolls have risen to the top of the pan, bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
12. Pour heavy cream over the top, cover with tin foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
13. Once the pan is removed from the oven, immediately place a plate over the top and carefully flip the pan over.  Allow the bread to sit for about 30 minutes.  It should fall out of the pan and onto the plate in one piece.

I hope you and your little monkeys enjoy!