Meloncholy

Melon roll/メロンパン by guest post

Nippon nin is under the weather. So, my duty as a husband is to take over her regular Tuesday post to help out (and to ease her craving for Japanese style bread). The name perhaps came from the the texture created in Japanese panya (bread stores) where the cookie-style topping is scored so that it resembles the rind of a muscat melon skin but who knows for sure. I modified the recipe featured in the June issue of Lettuce Club magazine.

To make 8 Melon Pan

Ingredients – Special equipment: a scale to weigh the ingredients

Who knew my white balance card weighed 21 grams?

Bread:

• Egg yolks – 60 grams
• Bread flour – 250 grams
• Instant dry yeast – 4 grams
• Unsalted butter – 50 grams
• Sugar – 70 grams
• Salt – 5 grams
• Cold water – 90 ml

Topping:

• Beaten eggs – 20 grams
• Weak power flour – 50 grams
• Butter – 20 grams at room temperature
• Sugar – 20 grams
• Almond flour – 20 grams

Make the bread by putting all the ingredients into a bread maker set on the “dough” setting. I usually put the flour in first, then make a well for the yeast, which I then cover up with the flour. Then put the rest of the ingredients in and push start.

When the dough is done, take out of the bread maker and cover with plastic wrap while you are making the topping.

 Place the butter in a small bowl and cream it by stirring.

Then add the sugar and mix well.

Then add the weak power flour and mix well again

Finally add in the almond flour and beaten egg.

Stir just until it forms a ball.

Put the topping dough between a couple of sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Let it rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

While this is resting, divide up the bread dough into 8 equal pieces and form into a ball.

Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and cut the topping into 8 pieces. Put one square of the wrapping on each ball and form a cap on each one.

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper and place the completed  rolls on the parchment paper. Leave enough space between them so they have room to expand as they rise.

Let rise for about 50 minutes in a warm place.

Cook for 13 minutes in a preheated 374 degree oven for 13 minutes. Remove, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

I think these turned out OK. Neither my son nor my wife sent any back to the kitchen… Next time I’ll try to get more artistic and score the topping to see if I can make it look more like the ones we get in Japan. See how good they make their bread look? 

Melon pan is in the second row, second tray from the right.

 

I’m positive that Nippon nin will be back on the job next week to deliver her usual wonderful recipe, story and pictures. In the meantime, thanks for reading this far and if you have any questions or comments, I’m sure she would love to read them.

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