Melonpan (Japanese Choux au Craquelin)

Yield

One dozen melonpan.

Notes

Prepare the topping before the dough is mixed, as it needs time to cool.

Ingredients

• 180 g cake flour
• 80 g eggs (2 eggs)
• 80 g sugar
• 55 g butter
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 600 g kashipan

Steps

1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Slowly add the eggs. Scrape the bowl well.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together, and add to the mixture. Mix well.
3. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
4. Divide mixture into twelve 30 g pieces and chill in the refrigerator.
5. Divide the kashipan dough into twelve 50 g pieces, and preshape into rounds. Cover the dough and rest for 20 minutes.
6. While the dough is resting, roll out the portioned topping into 3” rounds.
7. Preheat oven to 350 ºF (175 ºC).
8. After resting, re-round the dough and wrap in the topping. Using a plastic scraper, make a cross hatch pattern on the topping and roll in sugar.
9. Proof at 90 ºF (32 ºC) for 30 minutes.
10. Bake in pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes.

Source

San Francisco Baking Institute, 2-Day Japanese Home Baking Course