Melonpan

Melonpan (Japanese Melon Bread)

A pillowy enriched bread bun encased in a crisp, sugar-coated cookie crust with the classic cracked 'melon' pattern. Despite the name, the flavor is pure buttery vanilla, just like the bakery favorite sold across Japan.

Prep

150 min

Cook

18 min

Total

168 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8.8 oz (about 2 cups)) bread flour, high-protein flour; all-purpose works in a pinch but gives a less chewy crumb
• •4 g (1 tsp) instant dry yeast
• •150 ml (2/3 cup) whole milk, lukewarm (38-40°C / 100-105°F)
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar
• •4 g (3/4 tsp) fine salt
• •25 g (1¾ Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, for the bread dough
• •1 g (1/4 tsp) vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
• •120 g (about 1 cup) cake flour, or pastry flour; low-protein for a tender cookie crust
• •50 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch
• •100 g (scant 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cubed, for the cookie dough
• •80 g (6 Tbsp) powdered sugar, sifted; keeps the crust tender
• •1 large egg, cold, for the cookie dough
• •5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract, for the cookie dough
• •1 g (1/4 tsp) baking powder
• •60 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar, for the crunchy coating
• •10 g (1 Tbsp) milk, for brushing the dough before sugar coating

Steps

1. 1 Make the bread dough: whisk bread flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add lukewarm milk and knead by hand or stand mixer for 8-10 minutes until a rough dough forms. Add the softened butter and vanilla and continue kneading 8-10 more minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and passes the windowpane test. Cover and bulk-ferment 60-75 minutes at 26-28°C until nearly doubled.
2. 2 Make the cookie dough while the bread rises: sift cake flour and cornstarch together. Rub the cold butter into the dry mix until it looks like coarse sand. Stir in powdered sugar, then the egg, vanilla and baking powder. Bring together briefly into a smooth disc, wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
3. 3 Divide the chilled cookie dough into 8 equal pieces (~35 g each) and roll each into a thin round about 11-12 cm (4¼-4¾ in) across on parchment. Return to the fridge on the parchment until needed.
4. 4 Punch down the bread dough, divide into 8 equal pieces (~55 g each) and shape each into a tight smooth ball. Rest covered for 10 minutes so they relax.
5. 5 Brush each bread ball lightly with milk, then press the domed side down into the granulated sugar so the top is coated.
6. 6 Lay each sugared bread ball on a cookie round, sugar-side up. Press the cookie dough up and around the sides to wrap the bun, leaving the sugared top exposed. Pinch the seam to seal underneath.
7. 7 Place the wrapped buns seam-down on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely and proof 30-40 minutes at 28-30°C until visibly puffy.
8. 8 Score the cookie crust in a crosshatch 'melon' pattern with a very lightly oiled sharp knife or bench scraper, cutting just through the cookie layer without slicing the bread.
9. 9 Bake at 180°C (350°F) on the middle rack for 16-20 minutes, rotating the tray once at the halfway mark. The cookie crust should be pale golden with deeper golden cracks and the bread interior should read 90-95°C (195-205°F) on an instant-read thermometer. The crust will crisp as it cools.
10. 10 Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before eating so the interior crumb sets; serve the same day for the best contrast of crackly crust and soft bun.