Sticky Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Directions

1. Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and mix with a small spatula to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk to about 110°F/45°C over medium-low heat (you can also do this in a liquid measuring cup in the microwave, if you prefer).
3. Add the flour, dry milk, sugar, and salt to the mixer bowl, then add the warm milk, egg, butter, and sour cream (or yogurt/crème fraîche), and mix on low speed for 4 minutes, or until a soft dough comes together around the dough hook.
4. Scrape the bowl well, then mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes more, until the dough is very smooth. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl lightly greased with neutral oil or nonstick spray. Use both hands to gently turn the dough around so it’s coated on all sides, then gently tuck the dough under itself a few times to slightly round it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and a let the dough rise for 45 minutes to1 hour, until visibly puffy and almost double in size.
5. Lightly grease a 10 inch bundt pan with nonstick spray. When the dough has risen, roll out the dough—or use your hands to pat and press it out—into a 9x12 inch (23x30 cm) rectangle.
6. Use a bench knife/dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes. First, cut the dough across into 1 inch-thick strips, then cut across the strips in 1 inch increments to create the cubes of dough.
7. In a medium bowl, toss the sugar and cinnamon together to combine. Add the cubes of dough to the cinnamon sugar mixture, and toss well to coat each piece fully. Transfer the cubes to the prepared bundt pan. Arrange an even layer of the cubes, then create another, and continue building loose layers up until you’ve put all the cubes into the pan. Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until it visibly increases in size and becomes puffy, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
8. Towards the end of rise time, heat the oven to 350°F/175°C with an oven rack in the center. In a small pot, heat the butter, cream, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste (or extract), and salt over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Once it simmers, simmer it over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 minutes. Pour the hot mixture over the risen monkey bread—it will fall through the nooks and crannies, but it will visibly pool on the surface of the dough mixture as well. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the visible surface of the bread is deeply golden brown, and the bread has an internal temperature in the thickest portion of the center reaches 220°F/95°C, 35 to 40 minutes. During baking, the caramel mixture that was once pooled on the surface will sink to the base of the pan, deliciously coating all the dough pieces on the way, and ultimately forming a glossy caramel topping on what will be the top of the cake once you unmold it.
9. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a platter and serve immediately, warm.