Chocolate Brioche Monkey Bread

Chocolate Brioche Monkey Bread

When I saw this on Peabody's blog, I knew I had to make it.  I did, and it was every bit as fabulous as I thought it would be.  Give it a try~it's a bit of work, but certainly worth it!

2 cups brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate brioche (recipe follows)

1.  Lightly grease a Bundt pan with vegetable oil. Set aside.
2.  Place brown sugar in a small bowl. 
3.  Place melted butter in a nearby bowl.
4.  Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and gently deflate it. 
5.  Pull off 1" pieces of dough and roll it into a ball in the palms of your hands. 
6.  Dunk each ball in butter, and then transfer it to the brown sugar to be thoroughly coated. 
7.  Place all coated dough balls into prepared Bundt pan.
8.  When all the dough balls have been coated and placed in the pan, cover the pan with plastic wrap and let bread rise for an hour, until almost doubled in size.
9.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Bread will spring back when lightly pressed.
10.  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a serving platter. 
Serve immediately, as the bread is best when eaten warm.


Chocolate Brioche (makes 2lbs of dough)
For the Chocolate Butter:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder


1.  Melt the chocolate using a double boiler. Once it is melted,  set it aside and keep at room temperature.
2.  Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth.
3.  Add cocoa powder and chocolate beat until well incorporated. Set aside.


For the Sponge:
2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
¾ cup lukewarm coffee
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar


1.  Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
2.  Add remaining ingredients, forming a thin batter. 
3.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes until bubbles form.


For the Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ tsp. salt
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


1. Sift the flour and salt into the sponge.
2. Add egg yolks, and mix with paddle attachment on low speed for 2 minutes, until yolks are absorbed.
3.  Increase to medium speed; knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and satiny.
4.  On medium low speed, add chocolate butter one tbsp. at a time.
5.  Switch to dough hook; knead until very well developed, smooth and shiny. 
6.  Add chocolate chips, mix on low until incorporated.
7.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours until double. Punch down and rise again until double, about 45 to 60 minutes (or refrigerator for 4hours or overnight).


Brioche recipe adapted from The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard

Source: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody