6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more as needed for greasing pan and work surface
4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp kosher salt (or 1½ teaspoons fine salt)
½ cup chopped dried cranberries or chocolate chips
Cinnamon/Cocoa Sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ tbsp ground cinnamon or ¼ cup cocoa powder
Sugar Syrup
2 sticks (230g) unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
(1 tsp orange zest)
Method
For the dough, warm milk in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave, to no higher than 40°C. Pour warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle in the yeast and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
Combine sugar, egg, melted butter, flour, and salt, and knead in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead with the dough hook attachment on low speed until a soft, smooth, elastic dough forms, about 10 minutes. Add cranberries/chocolate chips, and knead until evenly distributed, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours. Meanwhile, for cinnamon sugar, stir sugar and cinnamon/cocoa together in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Butter a Bundt pan generously and set aside. Butter a work surface, and set dough on top. Press and stretch dough into a 15"x15" square; brush generously with melted butter.
Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 64 squares. Roll each piece into a ball, and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Transfer dough balls into the greased Bundt pan, without pressing them together.
Cover and let prove for about 35 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Meanwhile, for the sugar syrup, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar, and wait for the mixture to just start to bubble slightly, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and whisk in orange zest. Continue to whisk until a smooth caramel-like sauce forms. Pour sauce over top of dough balls, coating evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. To be safe, place a sheet pan on the rack below the Bundt pan in the oven to catch any dripping syrup. Let monkey bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes; turn out onto a plate. Let cool to just warm before serving.