Chocolate Caramel Monkey Bread Muffins

Name: Chocolate Caramel Monkey Bread Muffins
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H40M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H20M0.000S
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour (if you don't have self-rising flour you can use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder + 3/4 teaspoon salt); 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup chocolate chips, may need more for top; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 tablespoon corn syrup; 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Getting reviews...

Everyone adores Monkey Bread. Who doesn't love the gooey mess of making it, almost as much as the caramel goodness of eating it? Truth told, when I leave the house for any amount of time, my husband makes them with my sons. He waits until I leave, because he knows the ovens won't be in use and he sneaks the tube of biscuits into the house. As a result I never get to eat them, which may be part of his master plan. Here is my twist on the classic, with chocolate tucked into homemade biscuits. I've baked them as individual monkey muffins to make them even more festive for a party or Sunday brunch.

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 20 min

Prep: 40 min
Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 30 min

Yield: 12 muffins

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 20 min

Prep: 40 min
Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 30 min

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour (if you don't have self-rising flour you can use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder + 3/4 teaspoon salt)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup chocolate chips, may need more for top

Cinnamon sugar topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Caramel topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

To make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with papers or grease generously In a large bowl, blend the flour, butter and sugar together until it resembles coarse meal, but there are a few pea-size pieces of butter left intact. Add the buttermilk, combine until it is evenly wet. Put the biscuit dough on a floured surface and press it together into a rectangle. Sprinkle with more flour and roll into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 48 even pieces. Place two chocolate chips on each and gently pinch the dough around the chips. In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the chocolate-filled dough in the cinnamon sugar. Place 4 of the small biscuits in each muffin cup. Over low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together in a small saucepan. Cook until the sugar seems to be dissolved, you will need to whisk to keep the butter from separating. Spoon half the mixture evenly over the biscuits. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle. Remove the biscuits and top with more chocolate chips. Reheat the remaining caramel, and add the heavy cream. When the caramel is warm and smooth, spoon it evenly over the hot biscuits. Let them cool slightly before serving, but they should be eaten slightly warm.