Melon-Pan Recipe

Photo by Lovejsc

 

 

Melon Pan is my favourite Japanese bread,  and it comes from such a simple recipe. We have a step-by-step recipe for those just wanting a quick and fun treat, and one for those who have a bit more time on their hands

 

Part 1, The Outer Layer Mix

first we will prepare the signature crust of the melon-pan.

These are the ingredients you will need for the sugary coating;

 

25g butter

60g Sugar

1/2 an egg

2 Teaspoons of rum (or 1 of vanilla extract)

120G self-raising flour 

 

Cream your butter with your sugar until combined.

 

Slowly add the egg and whisk it in, along with the rum or vanilla extract.

 

Sift your flour onto the wet ingredients, then mix together until it becomes a smooth dough.

 

Wrap up your dough in clingfilm and then chill it in the fridge.

 

Now you have the outer layer ingredients sorted, you need to make a choice. Do you want to bake the centre of the melon pan yourself? It will be more authentic that way, but you can take this sweet layer and put it around a bread roll or doughnut if you're short on time. 

 

If you are short on time, skip to part 3

If you want to bake the middle as well, read through part 2

 

Part 2, The Bread Mix 

 

You will need:

200g strong white flour

50g Self Raising flour

30g Sugar

4g salt

4g Instant Dry Yeast

80ml Milk

80ml Water

1/2 an egg

50g butter

 

Mix your dry ingredients together in a large bowl

 

Whisk the water, milk and egg together in a jug, then pour that onto the dry ingredients and mix it into a dough. let it sit for ten minutes. 

 

Put the dough on a flat surface and begin to knead it, until it is elastic and smooth.

 

Spread the dough, then place the butter in the centre. Wrap the bread around the butter to make a parcel, then knead it again until combined.

 

Put your dough in a bowl covered with clingfilm, and leave it to rise. It should double in size. 

 

part 3 Baking the bread

 

Take your bread dough and divide it into ten even balls, or get ten doughnuts/bread rolls.

 

Cut your Sweet dough into ten chunks and then flatten those chunks into disks.

 

Wrap your disks of sweet dough around your bread dough (or Doughnuts/bread rolls), then roll the whole thing in a bowl of granulated sugar.

 

Score the smoothest side with the thatched pattern that makes the Melon-pan so unique.

 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, then bake for ten to fifteen minutes so that it is crispy on the outside. If you are using a substitute for the middle, it might take even less time. 

 

You should end up with a fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside Melon-pan.