MONKEY BREAD VARIATIONS RECIPES

Steps:

• Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with shortening. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Stir flour and sugar together. Pour in beer and stir until foaming subsides and flour is incorporated. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 50–60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or an instant-read thermometer reads about 190ºF. Immediately remove from pan and set on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Pour melted butter over the top and brush sides. Let bread cool for 15 minutes or so, then serve warm. Once the bread is completely cooled, it can be sliced to use for sandwiches, toasted, or served plain.

Steps:

• First fully preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Sift the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour all of the milk in at once. Using 1 hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured board.
• Wash and dry your hands. 
• Knead lightly for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip over. Pat the dough into a round about 12 inches (2.5 centimeters) and cut a cross on it to let the fairies out! Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.
• Soda bread only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make and 20 to 30 minutes to bake. It is certainly another of my 'great convertibles'. We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun-dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.