40g softened butter, plus extra for the tin
425g strong bread flour
2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
40g caster sugar
200ml milk
1 egg, lightly beaten For the coating
100g unsalted butter
150g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Butter the base of a deep 18cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Tip the butter, bread flour, yeast, caster sugar, milk, egg and 1 tsp salt into a bowl, and stir together with a cutlery knife until you have a rough, shaggy dough.
2 Tip the dough out onto a work surface and knead for 10 mins until it’s less sticky and smooth. Return to the bowl, cover and prove in a warm place for 30 mins.
3 For the coating, melt the butter in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, then divide between two bowls. (You need two to stop the coating from clumping up too much when rolling the dough in it.)
4 Tip the proved dough out onto the work surface, flatten into a disc and cut into four pieces. Roll each piece into a long log, and cut 10-15 small pieces from each log using a bench scraper or cutlery knife. You don’t need to be precise about the size of these pieces – they can be rough.
5 Roll each piece into a ball, then dip in the melted butter, letting the excess drip off, and toss in the cinnamon sugar (start with one bowl, then move to the second once the mixture becomes too clumpy). Arrange the coated dough balls in the tin, starting from the edge and working inwards until it’s filled. There can be gaps between the dough balls, but try to ensure the top is fairly level when finished.
6 Cover the tin and leave to prove in a warm place for 45 mins-1 hr 30 mins until doubled in size – it should be sitting a little under the edge of the tin.
7 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Bake the monkey bread for 40-45 mins with a roasting tin on the shelf underneath until deep golden and hard when tapped on top. (The roasting tin will catch any butter that may drip over the edge.)
8 Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, then run a cutlery knife around the edge and turn the loaf out while still warm. Be careful, as the tin will be hot. Leave to cool for at least 20 mins, then slice or tear apart and eat warm. Or, cool completely and serve cold. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to two days.