Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

1 envelope active dry yeast

 1/2 C. very warm milk (110 to 115°F.)

 1 egg, lightly beaten

 1/2 C. vegetable oil

3 C. sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 C. sugar

1 t. salt

1/2 C. boiling water

1/4 C.  butter or margarine, melted

Dissolve yeast in warm milk in small bowl. Place yeast mixture, egg, oil, flour, sugar and salt in large bowl; beat until smooth. Very slowly drizzle in boiling water, beating hard all the while. Cover bowl of dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Next day, coat a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Punch dough down, turn onto well-floured pastry cloth and knead 1 minute. With floured, cloth-covered rolling pin, roll dough into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into strips 3 1/4 to 4 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Dip in melted butter, then arrange strips, overlapping, in pan.

Cover with cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Toward end of rising, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with a fork. Cool loaf in pan on wire rack 5 minutes, then turn out on rack and cool before serving.