Chocolate Pull-Apart Ring

This photo is Mabel Hoffman. Her Chocolate Cookery book from 1978 was donated to the library, and I purchased it. What a gem. I do have to say that photo is certainly a view of the times. Her recipes are pretty fantastic.

I've seen expensive Monkey Bread pans and kits in stores recently. I think kitchenalia designers are trying to come up with the new cupcake. You don't need a fancy pan for this one. Mabel has a good recipe, but there is an even easier way to do this:

1 (13 3/4 oz.) pkg. hot roll mix

3/4 cup very warm water, 105 F to 115 F

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup finely chopped nuts

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast from hot roll mix in warm water. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and the egg. Add flour mixture from hot roll mix. Blend well. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 - 45 minutes. Grease a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, cocoa and nuts; set aside. On a floured surface, shape dough into a round ball, working in a small amount of flour from the floured surface if dough is sticky. Cut into 24 pieces. Dip each piece into melted butter, then cocoa-nut mixture. Arrange pieces about 1/4 inch apart in layers in prepared pan. Cover. Let rise again until doubled in bulk, 20 - 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan 2 minutes. Invert on serving plate; remove pan. Serve warm. Makes 24 pieces.

This could easily be done with a tube of Pillsbury biscuits or rolls, cut into 1/4s. Dip those into the mixtures and put in the greased 10-inch tube pan. Yum either way, though.

Do any of you cook with yeast? Not my favorite thing. A bit icky and time consuming, though I know some bakers who are really proud of the results they get with it.