Yes, you can make monkey bread in advance! Whether you have a busy morning or want to prepare ahead for a special occasion, making monkey bread in advance can save you time and effort. By following a few simple steps, you can enjoy the deliciousness of freshly baked monkey bread at any time.
1. Prepare the Dough in Advance
To make monkey bread in advance, you can start by preparing the dough ahead of time. Here’s how:
- Follow your favorite monkey bread recipe, mixing all the ingredients together to form a soft and smooth dough.
- After kneading the dough, instead of allowing it to rise, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
- Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. This helps to slow down the yeast activity and keeps the dough from rising too much.
- When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. This might take around 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
By preparing the dough in advance, you save precious time during the actual preparation and can focus more on assembling and baking the monkey bread.
2. Assemble Monkey Bread the Night Before
If you’re short on time in the morning, assembling the monkey bread the night before can be a great option:
- Prepare the dough as mentioned earlier and let it rise once until it doubles in size.
- Once the dough has risen, proceed with shaping the monkey bread by dividing the dough into small pieces, rolling them in melted butter, and coating them in cinnamon sugar.
- Instead of baking the monkey bread right away, arrange the coated dough pieces in the prepared pan or bundt pan.
- Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat your oven, remove the plastic wrap or foil, and allow the monkey bread to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Now, you can simply bake the monkey bread and enjoy a warm and delicious breakfast without the hassle of morning preparation.
3. Freezing Monkey Bread for Future Use
If you want to make monkey bread weeks or even months in advance, freezing it is a great option:
- Follow the recipe to prepare the dough and shape the monkey bread.
- Instead of allowing it to rise, place the unbaked monkey bread in the freezer, either in the pan or individually wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Leave it in the freezer until the dough is completely frozen.
- Once frozen, you can remove the monkey bread from the pan (if applicable) and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Clearly label it with the date.
- When you’re ready to bake, remove the monkey bread from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Follow the regular baking instructions, adding a few extra minutes if needed since frozen dough may take longer to bake.
With this method, you can have homemade monkey bread whenever you crave it, even if you don’t have the time to prepare it from scratch.
4. Serving Monkey Bread for a Crowd
If you’re hosting a gathering or holiday brunch, it’s helpful to plan ahead when making monkey bread for a crowd:
- Prepare the dough and assemble the monkey bread as usual.
- Instead of baking all the monkey bread at once, divide the assembled pieces into several pans or containers based on the number of servings you’ll need.
- At this stage, you can refrigerate the pans overnight or freeze them for later use, following the instructions mentioned earlier.
- On the day of the event, you can simply bake the desired number of monkey bread pans, ensuring each batch is freshly baked and served warm.
- This way, your guests can enjoy the irresistible aroma and taste of freshly baked monkey bread, even if you have a large gathering to cater to.
5. Storing Leftover Monkey Bread
Lastly, if you have any leftovers, you’ll want to store them properly to maintain their freshness:
- Allow the leftover monkey bread to cool completely.
- Place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat, you can warm individual servings in the microwave for a few seconds or reheat the whole monkey bread in the oven at a low temperature until warm.
Following these storage tips ensures you can savor the heavenly monkey bread even after the initial baking.
In conclusion, making monkey bread in advance is an excellent way to save time, allow for better planning, and relish the warm deliciousness of fresh bread at your convenience. Whether you make the dough ahead, assemble it the night before, freeze it for future use, or adjust your preparation for a crowd, monkey bread can be enjoyed whenever you desire. So go ahead, treat yourself and your loved ones to this irresistible and comforting sweet treat!