Steam-Baked Sourdough Monkey Bread

Combine all of the sweet levain ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic, and let sit at warm room temperature (79°F (26°C)) until bubbly and light, about 6 hours.

Add the bread flour, all-purpose flour, wheat flour, 30 grams of the granulated sugar, malt powder, and salt to the mixer bowl. Stir in the eggs, egg yolk, milk, and water. Mix the dough on low speed until it comes together and up the hook of the mixer, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining 29g granulated sugar and mix until incorporated, 3 to 4 minutes.

Mix in half of the room temperature butter until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the mixer, add the rest of the room temperature butter, and continue mixing until fully incorporated. The total mixing time will be 15 to 20 minutes.

Take the temperature of the dough. It should be about 79°F (26°C). If it is too warm, flatten it onto a sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, ball the dough up and return to the mixer bowl.

Cover the mixer bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 4 hours. You will not see much rise, but this will be enough time for the wild yeast to populate the dough. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven for the pecans.

Spread the pecans on a sheet pan, transfer to the oven, and bake until fragrant and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Break into small pieces and set aside for serving. Turn off the oven.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining sauce ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-low and mix for 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium-low speed for another 2 minutes. Spread the mixture across the bottom of a 9- to 10-inch round cake pan (no need to grease the pan). Top with the toasted pecans.

Divide the dough into 20g pieces and roll into rounds. Place the melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix the remaining granulated sugar and cinnamon in a second medium bowl. One at a time, roll the dough balls in the butter, followed by the cinnamon-sugar. Transfer to the sauce-lined pan, making an even layer. Make sure the pieces are spread out as they will more than double in size.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let proof overnight (8 to 10 hours), at 77 to 79°F (25 to 26°C). The final product will be light, wiggly, and smell amazing.

When you’re ready to bake, turn the oven back on.

Transfer the bread to the oven and bake with steam for 10 minutes.

Let the oven adjust to 0% steam and continue to bake until the internal temperature of the bread is 201°F (94°C), 10 to 15 more minutes.

Let the monkey bread rest for 1 to 2 minutes (don’t wait too long or it will stick). Place a plate on top of the pan and flip it out onto the plate so the caramel sauce oozes out. Be careful—the caramel sauce is hot!