Savory Monkey Bread

This savory pull-apart loaf is loaded with herby goodness. You can adjust the ratio of white to whole-wheat flour as you like (though you may not get enough gluten if the whole-wheat exceeds a cup and a half). You can bake it in almost any pan; if you have a bundt pan, it makes a really fun shape. Adapted from a recipe by Donna Currie at Serious Eats. http://bit.ly/9rgrtf

• Ready In: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 32 balls

Ingredients

• Bread dough

• 1  cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 2  cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces by weight)
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1⁄2 cup white whole wheat flour (2 1/2 ounces by weight)
• 1  teaspoon table salt
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2  teaspoons  vegetable oil or 2  teaspoons olive oil

• Herb butter

• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1  clove garlic
• 1  teaspoon dried rosemary or 1  tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme or 1  tablespoon fresh thyme leave
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt

Directions

1. In work bowl of a stand mixer, combine milk, sugar, all purpose flour and yeast. Mix until combined, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Add whole wheat flour and salt and mix until smooth and elastic. Add 4 tbsp of butter and continue to knead until butter is incorporated and dough is shiny and elastic. Total kneading time is 7-10 minutes.
3. Coat a clean bowl with oil. Form dough into a neat ball and turn in the oil to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 45-60 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F Combine garlic, rosemary, thyme and paprika in the work bowl of a food processor (if you have a small one, it is ideal for this). Process until garlic is finely chopped, 10-12 one-second pulses. Add remaining 4 tbsp butter and salt and process until well-blended, about 10 seconds. Set aside at room temperature.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface; hand knead for 15-30 seconds. Using a bench scraper, divide dough in half. Repeat 4 more times to form 32 even pieces of dough. Shape dough pieces into balls: place a ball on the work surface, cup the hand loosely with open fingers over the ball and move the hand in a circle so the ball "rolls around" in the cage formed by the fingers. Coat each ball in herb butter (use your fingers) and place into a baking dish, cake pan, loaf pan or bundt pan. Drop balls in loosely; do not compress them. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled in bulk again, 30-45 minutes.
6. Bake until loaf is a deep golden-brown color, about 35 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.