Oh, The Monkey...

Edo's humming an earbudded tune as I write about a bread adventure named after a monkey. Not much of bread really, more cake for all of the excess— it's Monkey Bread.

A delightful construction of balls of dough (similiar to babka) glued together with a gooey mortar of butter and cinnamon.

And yes, there are more attractive desserts but I assure you, monkey bread's groan-inducing-yumminess more than makes up for it homely looks.  It's a joyous pile of cinnamon roll centers.
If you need more convincing the story goes Nancy Reagan served this at the White House, so carry on and make a monkey dessert worthy of the prez.

Monkey Bread 
adapted from Cook's Illustrated via Smitten Kitchen 

DOUGH
4 T butter, divided 2 T. softened, 2 T. melted
1 C. milk, warmed approx. 110 degrees
1/3 water, warmed
1/4 C. sugar
2 1/4 t. instant yeast
3 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. cinnamon

BROWN SUGAR COATING
1 C. light brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
8 T. butter, melted

Forming the dough:
Heat oven to 200 degrees.  Butter bundt pan with 2 T. softened butter.  In a large measuring cup, combine milk, melted butter, sugar and yeast.  In stand mixer with dough hook attachment,  combine flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix on low while slowly adding milk mixture.  As the dough comes together, increase speed to medium until dough is shiny and smooth, about 6-7 minutes (the dough should be sticky.)  Turn out dough top and knead briefly and shape into a ball.  Turn off preheating oven. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap for an hour or until doubled.

Preparing brown sugar coating:
Melt 8 T. butter in a saucepan.  In a separate bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Forming the bread:
Once the dough has doubled, turn it out and gently shape it into a 8" x 8" square.  Cut the square into 64 pieces.  Roll the pieces into balls.  Using a fork coat the dough balls first in melted butter then the sugar-cinnamon.  Place the coated dough into the buttered bundt pan.  When all of the pieces have been coated, wrap the bundt pan in plastic wrap and place into the warmed oven (the heat should be turned off.)  Allow to rise until the dough reaches 1-2" from the top of the pan, about 50-70 minutes.

Baking:
Remove the risen dough from the oven and heat to 350 degrees.  Remove the plastic wrap and bake 30-35 minutes.  Allow bread to cool 5 minutes before unmolding, waiting much longer will make unmolding a challenge.  Cool additional 10 minutes before serving.