epicurious5.0
Black Sesame Melon Pan
Melon pan is a traditional sweet bun from Japan made of an enriched dough with a crispy cookie layer on top. Make this black sesame melon pan recipe at home.
👥 14 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 3h 45m🔥 Cook: 30 min👤 Clarice Lam📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●saucepan
- ●whisk
- ●bowl
- ●spatula
- ●baking sheet
- ●knife
- ●oven
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Shokupan
2
Whisk together ¼ cup bread flour (31 g), ⅓ cup whole milk, and ⅓ cup cold water in a cold small saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking often, until a thick paste forms, about ⏱️ 2 minutes. Measure out ½ cup (125 g) tangzhong and discard any remaining. Let cool until lukewarm, about ⏱️ 15 minutes.
3
Combine tangzhong, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp. heavy cream, 2¼ tsp. active dry yeast, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, remaining 2¾ cups (344 g) bread flour, and remaining 3 Tbsp. whole milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed ⏱️ 3 minutes, then increase speed to medium and continue to mix, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally if needed, until dough is smooth, about ⏱️ 10 minutes.
(375 g) bread flour, divided3 cupslarge eggs2(110 g) powdered sugar1 cuplarge egg1(230 g) cake flour, sifted2 cups. heavy cream3 Tbsp¼ tsp. active dry yeast2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt1
4
With motor running, gradually add 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, room temperature, a couple pieces at a time. Once butter is fully incorporated, continue to mix ⏱️ 3 minutes (dough will be smooth and slightly tacky).
(375 g) bread flour, divided3 cups. unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, room temperature3 Tbsp(110 g) powdered sugar1 cup. unsalted butter, room temperature6 Tbsp(230 g) cake flour, sifted2 cups
5
Lightly coat a large bowl with nonstick vegetable oil spray or vegetable oil and transfer dough to bowl; turn dough to coat. Cover with a lid, large plate, or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1½–⏱️ 2 hours.
(375 g) bread flour, divided3 cupsNonstick vegetable oil spray or vegetable oil (for bowl)(110 g) powdered sugar1 cup(230 g) cake flour, sifted2 cups
6
Topping and assembly
7
Meanwhile, finely grind ⅓ cup (50 g) black sesame seeds in spice mill (stop grinding before seeds turn to a paste).
8
Beat 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar and 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy; scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add 1 large egg and 1 tsp. vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about ⏱️ 2 minutes (mixture will look slightly curdled; that’s okay). Add ground sesame seeds, 2 cups (230 g) cake flour, sifted, ½ tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and mix on low speed, scraping down sides occasionally, until a dough forms, about ⏱️ 2 minutes.
(375 g) bread flour, divided3 cups. unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, room temperature3 Tbsp(110 g) powdered sugar1 cup. unsalted butter, room temperature6 Tbsp(230 g) cake flour, sifted2 cupslarge eggs2large egg1. vanilla extract1 tsp
9
Divide black sesame dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out dough between large sheets of parchment paper to ⅛" thick. Stack sheets of dough, still sandwiched between parchment, then slide onto a baking sheet and chill until firm, at least ⏱️ 45 minutes, or until ready to use.
10
When shokupan is doubled in size, punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 14 equal pieces (50 g each if using a scale). Working one at a time, flatten each piece with your palm, then fold all edges up toward the center and pinch together to close (it should look a little like a dumpling). Turn dough seam side down. With your hand cupped over dough (dough should be positioned between the edge of your hand and the fleshy part below your thumb), roll dough in a circular motion, keeping seam constantly touching surface, until a tight ball forms. Turn seam side up.
11
Working with 1 sheet at a time, remove black sesame dough from fridge. Peel off top sheet of parchment and lightly place it back over dough; turn dough over and remove second sheet of parchment. Punch out rounds with cutter. Using a small offset spatula, lift rounds off parchment and drape over shokupan balls (ensure black sesame dough covers seam on shokupan). Gently mold black sesame dough around shokupan by cupping in your palm (cookie will not cover the entire ball). If rounds become too soft to work with at any point, chill until firm but pliable before continuing, 5–⏱️ 10 minutes.
12
Place ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar in a small bowl. Working one at a time, roll cookie topping side of each bun in sugar. Divide buns between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2" apart. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully score top of each bun to make a grid, being careful not to slice into shokupan. Cover buns loosely with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about ⏱️ 1 hour.
13
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Bake buns, rotating bakingsheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until bread is golden brown (an instant read thermometer will register 200°F), 17–⏱️ 20 minutes. Cookie topping will spread and crackle as buns bake. Let buns cool on baking sheets until warm before serving, about ⏱️ 15 minutes. Do ahead: Buns can be baked 4 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature, or chill up to 1 week, or freeze up to 6 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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