ABOUT THE ART
Workshop of the Master of Frankfurt. The Adoration of the Christ Child. Possibly 1496-1502. Netherlandish. Oil on oak panel. Overall 23 1/8 x 16 1/4 in. (58.7 x 41.3 cm); painted surface 22 7/8 x 16 in. (58.1 x 40.1 cm). Robert Lehman Collection, 1975. Accession Number 1975.1.116. New York City, New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The scene depicts the infant Christ Child, surrounded by a group of admirers which includes his parents, shepherds, animals, and angels. In Antwerp, adoration scenes were created for public consumption, many of which were influenced by Saint Bridget of Sweden’s visionary account. Although this painting is associated with the Master of Frankfurt and his workshop, it is different from other surviving examples because it does not show the scene taking place under the night sky. This absence of dramatic effect is compensated for by other elements, such as the flowing hair of several angels, which imbues the picture with a sense of movement.
Christmas Day – December 25th
Christmas morning is a special time for all families. We gather around our Christmas trees, open presents, and share the joy of Christmas. Christmas celebrates the birth of the Christ child and marvels at the mystery of the Incarnation of God in human flesh. It is a day to celebrate new beginnings and possibilities. Christmas morning is a busy time with lots to do, but everyone still needs to eat.
The tradition is to have a sweet and rich breakfast on Christmas morning. Our family’s tradition has been to eat what we call Monkey Bread; some call it Christmas Delight. It is based on a Hungarian Coffee Cake developed in the Jewish community called Arany Galuska, but this dish (with some tweaks) has become an American Christmas morning tradition. (Apparently, we call it monkey bread because we eat it with our fingers like monkeys.)
This food celebrating the Christ-child is certainly designed for children and for all who are children-at-heart. We divide up our balls of biscuits the night before and have the children dip them in the sugar and cinnamon. Then, first thing on Christmas morning, when the coffee drips, we place them in the oven. This fills the whole house with the delicious smells of Christmas as the kids wake up with Christmas joy. I hope you enjoy this tradition as much as we do.
Christmas Delight Monkey Bread
Monkey bread is a sweet and sticky bread that is made by baking small balls of dough with plenty of sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. It is best served warm and is a popular breakfast or brunch dish, although it can also be enjoyed as a dessert or snack. Monkey bread is a fun and delicious treat that is sure to please both kids and adults.
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Ingredients
3 1/4 cups 3 1/4 all-purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoons 2 1/4 instant yeast
2 teaspoons 2 salt
1 cup 1 whole milk
1/3 cup 1/3 water
1/4 cup 1/4 granulated sugar
2 tablespoons 2 unsalted butter, melted
- Filling
1 cup 1 light brown sugar
2 teaspoons 2 ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons 8 unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- Topping
1 cup 1 confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons 2 whole milk
Directions
- Whisk 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, and 2 teaspoons salt together in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk 1 cup whole milk, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter until the sugar has dissolved.
- Combine the flour mixture with the milk mixture while stirring (or using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer.) Mix for about 2 minutes until a cohesive dough starts to form.
- Knead the dough by hand (or using a stand mixer with dough hook) for an additional 8 – 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and somewhat sticky.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured counter (flouring your hands if necessary, as well) and form into a smooth, round ball.
- Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Let rise for 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Towards the end of the rise, grease a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. In a medium size bowl, mix together 1 cup light brown sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, melt 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter and allow the butter to cool.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured countertop and shape the dough into a 8? x 8? square.
- Using a knife, divide the dough into 8 even strips and then divide each of the 8 strips into 8 – 1? pieces. You should have a total of 64 pieces.
- Shape each piece into a little ball, dip the ball in the melted butter, and the roll the ball in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place the ball in the prepared bundt pan and continue for all 64 pieces. When starting an additional layer in the bundt pan, make sure to stagger the seams of the dough balls. This will help the bread stay together once baked.
- Once all 64 balls have been added, cover with plastic and let rise for an additional 2 hours. The dough should rise to about 1 or 2 inches below the lip of the pan.
- Towards the end of the rise preheat the over to 350°F.
- Using the middle rack, bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the monkey bread is a deep golden brown and the cinnamon sugar is bubbling around the edges.
- Let the monkey bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert and remove the pan and let cool for an additional 10 minutes. Please note: if you leave the monkey bread in the pan for more than 5 minutes you may have trouble easily removing it from the pan.
- Whisk together the 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons whole milk to create a smooth icing glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the bread to create a sweet, Christmas morning treat. Enjoy!