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Japanese Melon Bread　

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Japanese Melon Pan

Melon Pan is a popular and common Japanese sweet bread. Although it’s called Melon Pan (bread) it actually doesn’t taste like melon at all, but is just called that because of how it looks a bit like a melon or cantaloupe. The bread is so delicious, with a soft inside and a crusty outside. This bread was created in Japan and has become populat in many other countries. This is a perfect Japanese treat or occasional snack!

Japanese Melon Pan

Japanese Melon Pan

Melon Pan is a very popular sweet bread among children. Traditional melon pan doesn’t contain any melon or melon flavour but nowadays some melon pan does have a bit of a melon flavour and some stores do colour them green to make them look more like a melon. But personally, I prefer the original melon pan that is just a simple sweet bread flavour.

Japanese Melon Pan

I think melon pan was made to replicate the shape of a melon because the real melon fruit was so expensive in Japan. Melon is such a delicacy fruit in Japan so people just eat the melon shaped bread, which isn’t really the same as the fruit at all but it’s still delicious anyway. I’ve never actually eaten melon in my life in Japan because they are expensive. It’s not a commonly eaten fruit, it’s much more used is as a gift in summer, at the end of a year, and when people are sick and hospitalised.  I have never been that sick, so I have never had a chance to receive a Melon as a gift. Melon isn’t expensive here in Australia which is good! But instead of real melon I’m going to eat this bread to treat myself. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Japanese Melon Pan

5 from 4 votes
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Japanese Melon Bread
Prep Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
 

Melon bread, or 'melon pan', is a type of Japanese sweet bread. It's super yummy but has no melon flavour, it's just named for its appearance!

Course: Bread
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 16
Calories: 216 kcal
Author: Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles
Ingredients
  • 300 g baker's flour
  • 40 g butter chopped
  • 25 g sugar
  • 4 g salt
  • 160 ml milk
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 3 g dry yeast
Cookie dough
  • 240 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 80 g butter
  • 80 g sugar
  • 1 extra large egg
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
  • Granule sugar for sprinkle
Metric - US Customary
Instructions
  1. Combine the yeast, milk and sugar in a small bowl or jug and cover and set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy then stir in the egg.
  2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the liquid mixture and stir to form a soft dough.
  4. Transfer to an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for about 5 min or until smooth and elastic.
  5. With the mixer motor running, add the chopped butter until the butter is combined and a smooth and silky dough forms.
  6. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover and set aside in a warm place to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  7. Meantime, make the cookie dough by placing the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and creamy.
  8. Add the egg and vanilla essence and mix until well combined.
  9. Fold through the flour and baking powder.
  10. Divide the cookie dough into 16 small balls and set aside in the fridge.
  11. While the cookie dough is setting, divide the bread dough into 16 equal sized balls and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
  12. Roll out the refrigerated cookie dough on cling wrap to 5mm thick.
  13. Once it is rolled place one bread dough on top of one cookie dough ball and wrap together using cling wrap.
  14. Take the cling wrap off and score the cookie dough surface diagonally and roll on the granule sugar.
  15. Repeat for all 16 bread rolls.
  16. Place them on a cooking paper lined oven tray and cover with clean damp cloth and set aside for about 40 min or until doubled in size.
  17. Preheat oven to 180 degree and bake for 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes

Baker's flours are same as bread flours. 

3 g of yeast is equivalent to 1 tsp of instant dry yeast

Nutrition Facts
Japanese Melon Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 216 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 163mg 7%
Potassium 87mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Sugars 7g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 4.7%
Calcium 3.4%
Iron 5.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

  6. They look like the mexican bread!!!
    They are called ” conchitas”
    “Pan de Concha” which means shell bread.
    I wonder if they taste the same!

    Reply

  7. I tried Melon bun when visit Tokyo last summer. My daughter and my husband love it so much. Thanks to your recipe, I will try to bake it for them 😊

    Reply

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