Chigiri Pan: Learn How to Make Japanese Pull-Apart Bread

Chigiri Pan (ちぎりパン) literally means torn bread and gets its name because it consists of linked portions, forming one large bread you pull apart by hand. Japanese home bakers still use this shape for teddy bears and anime characters, and the results show up constantly in cooking posts.

The breads have colors and details made with chocolates and jams. The base is a customized everyday dough. There are various flavor possibilities. You can even adapt a simple milk-bread formula. The following recipe is for condensed-milk bread, which can become chocolate bread if you add cocoa powder. If you already make Japanese sweet breads such as melon pan, the texture family will feel familiar.

Making Chigiri Pan

See the step-by-step for this condensed-milk chigiri pan recipe:

Before you start

1. Determine the theme of the breads. For example, teddy bears, anime characters, etc.
2. Have a scale on hand, as it is necessary to weigh the portions of bread.

This recipe yields 9 small breads in a 20 x 20 cm pan.

Ingredients

• 300g wheat flour
• 5g salt
• 30g sugar
• 6g dry yeast or 15g (1 cube) of fresh yeast
• 20g butter at room temperature
• 180ml warm milk
• 20g sweetened condensed milk

How to make the dough

There are two ways to make the dough:

Dough made in a mixer

1. Place all the ingredients in the mixer, using the hook attachment, beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Then increase to maximum speed and beat for another 10 minutes.
2. Let the dough rest in a bowl covered with plastic for 30 minutes.

Dough made by hand

1. Place the flour on a countertop, mix the salt, sugar, and yeast, and make a well in the center.
2. Add all the other ingredients and start mixing from the inside out, until a dough forms.
3. Knead until the dough is smooth and even.
4. Let the dough rest in a bowl covered with plastic for 30 minutes.

Separating, coloring, and baking the dough

Once the dough has rested for the first time, we can color it.

1. Weigh the prepared dough.
2. Divide the weight of the dough into 9 parts. (e.g.: if the dough weighs 900g, divide by 9 = 100g)
3. Add food coloring of the chosen color.
4. Take 2 small balls from each dough (these will be the ears of the teddy bears).
5. Form small balls with the doughs.
6. Place the balls with at least 2 fingers of space between them.
7. Attach the ears using a little water.
8. Cover with plastic and let rest for another 20 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden.

After baking, let cool and decorate as you prefer.

Suggestion

• 100g melted dark chocolate (for details)
• 100g white chocolate (for coloring and making eyes, mouth, cheeks)

The shelf life of this bread is up to 3 days in airtight containers or plastic bags. You can add filling to the bread, such as pastry cream or a chocolate square.