• 3¼ cups (485g) plain flour
• ⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
• 1 sachet (7g/2 tsp) dried yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 100g butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (250ml) milk, warmed
• 1 cup (220g) brown sugar
• 100g butter, extra, melted
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup (55g) walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple: peeled, cored, finely chopped

Maple caramel sauce

• ½ cup (125ml) brown sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) maple syrup
• 100g butter, chopped

• Method

  1. Step 1

     Combine the flour, caster sugar, yeast & salt in a large bowl. Add butter, use fingertips to rub into the flour mixture until resembling breadcrumbs. Whisk egg & milk in a jug. Add to flour mixture & stir to combine. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead 10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover. Set aside for 1 hour to rise.

  2. Step 2

     Place ¾ cup (165g) of the brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the extra butter & cinnamon.

  3. Step 3

     Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 25cm (top measurement) ring or bundt pan. Sprinkle with half the walnuts.

  4. Step 4

     Punch down the dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface &d knead until smooth. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll out 1 dough portion to a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Spread one-third of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the apple. Starting from 1 long edge, roll up dough to enclose filling. Cut crossways into 12 portions.

  5. Step 5

     Repeat with remaining dough, remaining cinnamon mixture & two-thirds of remaining apple. Arrange 12 of the portions, cut-side down, over prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the remaining walnuts & sugar and the remaining apple. Top with half the remaining portions, cut-side out, and the remaining walnuts and sugar. Finish with remaining 12 portions, cut-side down. Set aside for 15 mins to rise.

  6. Step 6

     Bake for 40-45 mins or until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside in the pan for 5 mins to cool before turning on a serving plate.

  7. Step 7

     Meanwhile, make the maple caramel sauce: combining sugar, maple syrup, butter & cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or til sauce boils and thickens.

  8. Step 8

     Pour half the hot maple caramel sauce over the hot monkey bread. Serve warm or at room temperature with remaining maple caramel sauce.