Melon Pan

Ingredients

• 120 ml whole milk (Warmed to about 115°F (46°C))
• 0.5 tbsp granulated sugar (For the yeast mixture)
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cup all-purpose flour (For the bread dough)
• 1 large egg (Whisked, for the bread dough)
• 0.5 tbsp granulated sugar (For the bread dough)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (At room temperature and cut into small cubes; for the bread dough)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (At room temperature; for the cookie topping)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (For the cookie topping)
• 1 large egg (Whisked and added in two additions; for the cookie topping)
• 0.667 cup all-purpose flour (Sifted; for the cookie topping)
• 0.25 cup almond flour (For the cookie topping)
• turbinado sugar (For coating the cookie topping)
• oil (For oiling the bowl)

Steps

1. 1

   Warm the whole milk in a small measuring cup until it reaches about 115°F (46°C), or feels hotter than a hot shower when tested carefully.

2. 2

   Add ½ tablespoon of granulated sugar and the active dry yeast to the warm milk. Stir, then set aside for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, one whisked large egg, and the remaining ½ tablespoon of granulated sugar.

4. 4

   Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms.

5. 5

   Knead the dough by hand, pushing it back and forth, adding a little bench flour only as necessary. Knead slowly until the dough begins to look smooth.

6. 6

   Gradually knead in the room-temperature butter cubes, adding them a little at a time, until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, soft, and slightly sticky. This takes about 10 minutes by hand.

7. 7

   Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof for about 1 hour.

8. 8

   While the bread dough proofs, make the cookie topping. Whisk the room-temperature butter and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until slightly aerated.

9. 9

   Add the second whisked large egg in two additions, whisking after each addition so it incorporates smoothly rather than becoming lumpy.

10. 10

    Sift in the ⅔ cup all-purpose flour and almond flour. Mix until a cookie dough paste forms.

11. 11

    Place the cookie dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, or one large folded piece, and roll it into a thin, even rectangle about ¼ inch thick.

12. 12

    Transfer the rolled cookie dough on its tray to the refrigerator and chill until firm.

13. 13

    After the bread dough has proofed for about 1 hour, punch it down and remove it from the bowl.

14. 14

    Divide the bread dough evenly into four portions. Shape each portion into a small, smooth ball without overworking or excessively stretching the gluten.

15. 15

    Divide the chilled cookie dough into four portions. Press or roll each portion into a rectangular patch large enough to evenly cover the top of one bun.

16. 16

    Use parchment paper to press each cookie-dough patch onto the top of a bun, then peel the paper away so the topping sits like a cap over the dough.

17. 17

    Invert each bun into turbinado sugar so the cookie topping is coated with sugar.

18. 18

    Score the top of each cookie layer with a knife to create a pattern, making shallow indents without cutting into the bread dough.

19. 19

    Place the shaped buns on a tray and let them proof for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until they have grown about 25–30 percent.

20. 20

    Bake the buns at 350°F (175°C). Bake the smaller buns for about 15 minutes, until slightly golden.

21. 21

    Remove the buns from the oven and serve warm. The bread should be soft and fluffy, while the cookie topping should be lightly crisp and sweet.

Notes

The video demonstrates four normal-sized buns. The creator also makes one unusually large bun from half of the dough, but the standard recipe presentation is four buns. The source does not specify the exact amount of turbinado sugar, the precise chilling time for the cookie dough, or an internal doneness temperature. A convection bake was used for about 5 extra minutes only for the demonstrator's oversized bun, not the standard buns.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• sweet-bread
• Japanese
• baked
• vegetarian
• contains-dairy
• contains-egg
• contains-tree-nuts