Raspberry Monkey Bread

Last night at the fair was Raspberry and Poultry night.  In the raspberry category I entered Raspberry Monkey Bread.

I am not a raspberry fan but I will say I did like this Raspberry Monkey Bread.  My favorite part was the raspberry gel that I made.  I think my issue with raspberries is all the seeds and this gel did not have seeds because I strained them out.

My raspberry entry did not win,  I think after it baked up that it did not seem like I had enough raspberry flavor in it.  For me this was good but for a raspberry competition it was not and next time I think I would add more raspberries.  The picture above was while the bread balls were rising.  I love how red it looks!

Cally made Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade and it was fabulous!  It has been really hot at the fair so far this year and this drink hit the spot.  Cally won 5th place with her Raspberry entry.

Raspberry Monkey Bread

18 Rhodes White Dinner Rolls, thawed
6 ounces raspberries
1 large box vanilla cook and stir pudding
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter

Raspberry Filling
6 ounces raspberries
1/2 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon corn starch

icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


Making the filling:
In a sauce pan mix together raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and water.  Cook over med/high heat until the berries fall apart and become very juicy.  Pour raspberry mixture into a strainer with small holes and push the juice through.  Discard the seeds and pulp that remain in the strainer.  This should produce about 3/4 Cup of sweet raspberry juice.  Put the juice back in the pan and stir in the corn starch.  Cook the raspberry mixture until it thickens up and is like a gel.
Cool slightly before assembling rolls.

Assemble rolls:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cut each roll into fourths. Mix together the pudding and sugar in a small dish. Dip each piece in melted butter then roll in the vanilla pudding sugar mixture. Place 1/3 in the bottom of a greased bundt pan.  Sprinkle in 1/3 of the raspberries.  Repeat until all ingredients are gone.
Cover pan with plastic wrap and allow to rise until it reaches almost the top of the pan. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pan before inverting on serving dish.

icing:
Mix together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Gradually add the powder sugar until all combined and icing consistency.  You can either ice the cake or place icing into a pastry bag and decorate the cake.