Gulab jamun-inspired monkey bread
Gulab jamun are a mainstay of Indian celebrations but making them involves deep-frying, which takes time and can be messy. This sticky, sweet cardamom and rose-scented pull-apart bread brings together the fun of American-style monkey bread and the flavours of Indian gulab jamun, but no deep-frying is needed.
For this recipe, you will need a 27cm/10¾in non-stick bundt tin.
Ingredients
For the bread
- 520g/1lb 3oz strong white bread flour
- 40²µ/1½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 2 tbsp full-fat milk powder
- 14g/½oz fast-action dried yeast
- 12 cardamom pods, seeds ground to a fine powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 330ml/11fl oz full-fat milk, warmed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- spray neutral oil, for greasing
For the toppings
- 200g/7oz soft light brown sugar
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- 1 tsp rosewater
- 2 tsp pistachio nibs, to decorate
- 2 tsp dried edible rose petals, to decorate
Method
To make the bread, stir together the flour, caster sugar, milk powder, yeast, ground cardamom seeds and salt in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
Add the milk and turn the mixer down to low. Once the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium and mix for 4–5 minutes. Switch the mixer off and add the butter. Continue to knead at a medium speed for a further 3–4 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth.
Spray the oil into a large bowl, add the dough and cover with cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
For the toppings, place the brown sugar in a bowl and set aside. Stir together the butter and rosewater in a separate bowl. Grease a 27cm/10¾in non-stick bundt tin.
Knock the bread dough back. Divide the dough into small pieces about the size of table-tennis balls (around 20g/¾oz each). To shape the dough balls, fold the edges of the dough in on themselves and pinch together to secure in place (you are trying to create a smooth tight surface when the dough balls are turned over, watch the technique video if you are unfamiliar with shaping bread).
Dip each dough ball into the butter mixture and then immediately toss in the brown sugar to coat. Place the coated dough balls in the bundt tin.
Loosely cover the tin with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Remove the cling film from the bundt tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 35–40 minutes. The bread should be golden-brown all over and sound hollow when tapped.
Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Do not leave any longer as it may stick to the tin.
Place a large plate on top of the tin and (wearing oven gloves) turn the bread upside down onto the plate. Be careful as some butter may escape and drip. Lift the tin off.
Decorate the monkey bread with the pistachios and rose petals. Leave to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
This monkey bread will keep well at room temperature for 24 hours if it is kept covered. After this, place any leftover monkey bread inside an airtight container and chill in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place pieces of monkey bread on a plate and microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds.