Melonpan / Melon bread 蜜瓜包

顾名思义的蜜瓜面包。蜜瓜包是一种面包起源于日本、台湾和中国大陆的甜面包。面包外层被一层薄薄的脆饼面团覆盖着。它们的外观类似于甜瓜，例如岩瓜（哈密瓜）。它也和港式菠萝包相似做法。

As the name suggests, melon bread. A melonpan is a type of sweet bun originating from and popular in Japan, as well as in Taiwan and China. They are made from an enriched dough covered in a thin layer of crisp cookie dough. Their appearance resembles a melon, such as a rock melon. It is similar to Hong Kong-style pineapple buns(菠萝面包).

I didn't coat the buns with sugar. I think the buns coated with sugar will look more like melons.

Melonpan / Melon bread 蜜瓜包

Ingredients : (12 melon pan)

Bread dough:

200g  Bread Flour 面包粉

60g    All purpose flour 通用面粉

12g     MIlk Powder

25g    Caster sugar 细砂糖

150g   Levain   酸种 (Use at peak)

50ml  Water   水

50ml   Milk     牛奶

30g     Egg  鸡蛋

1g       Dry yeast  干酵母( Optional)

4g       Salt  盐

25g   Unsalted Butter (soften)   无盐黄油（软化）

Cookie dough:

70g      Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

70g      Sugar

Lemon zest

1 tsp     Lemon Juice

30g      Egg

135g    Cake Flour

30g      Ground Almonds

8g        Cocoa Powder

Topping: Granulated sugar 

Make cookie dough:

1. Mix soften butter and sugar and mix well.

2. Mix in lemon zest and add lemon juice and mix well.

3. Weigh 30g of egg and add to ② and mix well. (The excess egg will be added to the dough, so save it.)

4. Sift in ground almond and cake flour and mix well.

5. Divide into 2 portions. One portion mix with 8g of cocoa powder. 

6. Wrap the cookie dough and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7. Bring the cookie dough to room temperature. Divide into 12 portions, weigh 30g of each cookie dough and round it.

Make Melon Bread:

1. Mix all the ingredients except butter. Knead untill a soft dough forms.

2. Add in butter and knead unill the dough is visibly smooth and elastic. 

3. Cover the kneaded dough and proof for 2 hours. 

4. Divide the dough into 12 portions (each about 50g). Round it and cover it with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes. 

5. Remove the crispy skin from the refrigerator.

6. Placed one cookie dough in between of  two plastic wraps and flattened it.

7. For Chocolate Melon buns: Roll out the dough, put in some chocolate chips, wrap and seal. Wrap in cookie dough and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Make lines with a scraper or spatula.

8. For normal Melon buns: Roll out the dough, and roll into a ball. Wrap in cookie dough and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Make lines with a scraper or spatula.

9. Ferment for 45minutes - 1 hour or until it doubles in size at room temperature.

10. Bake in preheated oven at 190°C for 15-18 minutes. Remove  and let cool.

Happy Baking!