O Meron-pan [メロンパン] ou pão de melão é um pão doce de origem japonesa bastante popular no Japão e faz bastante sucesso no ocidente O melon pan é macio, redondo e com uma cobertura semelhante a bolo.
It is called melon bread because of its melon-like appearance. Usually the bread does not contain melon, but sometimes they add melon essence to enhance the aroma. Some usually fill it with chocolate.
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The popularity of melon pan
The name "pan" comes from the Portuguese "pão", like all types of bread in Japan. While "meron" comes from the English melon. But it is believed to have emerged in Mexico.
The meron-pan is also popular in Taiwan, China, and Latin America (Mexico). They are made from an enriched bread dough topped with a thin layer of cookie dough. They can also be filled with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or flavored cream.
There is also another variety of meron-pan that has a round melon shape and some have chunks of white beans. It is often popular in the Kansai and Hiroshima region.
In Hong Kong there is a pineapple bun (pineapple bun) very similar to melon pan. In comparison, Japanese style is lighter in weight and flavor, slightly drier, and has a firmer outer layer.
melon bread recipe
Below we have a melon bread recipe for you to make at home. The recipe consists of two parts, the dough consisting of the bread and the biscuit consisting of the crispy outside that surrounds the bread. Follow the steps carefully so you don't make any mistakes.
Pasta Ingredients
- 300g of wheat flour for bread
- 40g of sugar
- 1 medium egg plus water until completing 200g
- 24g softened butter
- 6g powdered milk
- 6g dry yeast for bread
- 5g of salt
Cookie ingredients
- 60g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 85g of sugar
- 40g beaten egg
- 180g of wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- Choco chips (chocolate chips - optional)
- granulated sugar
How to prepare the melon pan
1- Start by preparing the cookie dough. Beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until pale. Add the egg in 2 or 3 times, beating well after each addition. Sift the self-rising flour over the mixture and stir until a consistent dough forms. If you want, add cuttlefish chips at the end and finish mixing.
2 - Make a cylinder and wrap in plastic wrap.
3 - Place in the fridge and leave for at least 30 minutes. If the dough is not very cold, it will be difficult to unglue it once it has been stretched.
4 - For the bread, prepare as you are used to. Tip: Divide the flour into 2 bowls. In one, add the butter and salt, and in the other, the other ingredients. In the bowl with eggs, mix everything very well. Whisk until bubbles form and an elastic dough forms.
5 – Add the contents of the other bowl and mix carefully until all the flour is incorporated into the dough.
6 - Place the dough on the table and knead until it forms a smooth and fluffy dough. Do not add more flour, keep beating until it comes off your hands. It takes time but be patient. The more you knead, the softer your dough will be.
7 - Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to ferment for 1 hour or until doubled in volume. After rising, give a few punches across the surface of the dough to remove the accumulated gas.
8 - Divide the dough into 12 portions (50g each). Shape into balls and let rest for 15 minutes.
9 - Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 12 rounds. Take a slice and store the dough back in the fridge.
10 - Open between two films to form a circle of about 10 to 12 cm. Take a small ball of dough, gently press and shape it again. Then, place the ball in the middle of the cookie dough and close it using the plastic wrap that was underneath. Be careful so that the cookie dough doesn’t fully cover the bread dough on the bottom.
11 - Cut the cookie dough into slices and roll them in granulated sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet leaving space between them.
12 - Let it ferment another 20 or 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
13 - Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
