Japanese melon bread (Baby Yoda melon pan)
The absolute cutest Japanese melon bread shaped like adorable Baby Yoda. This sweet dessert is like a soft milk bun stuffed with decadent chocolate. The top is covered in a crisp cookie which makes this dessert delicious!
Ingredients
Melon bread
- 200 g bread flour
- 50 g all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 30 g sugar
- 5 g instant dry yeast
- 1 egg, large
- 50 g milk, warm
- 50 g water, lukewarm
- 40 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 bar milk chocolate*
Cookie top
- 80 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 130 g sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 250 g all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-2 drops green food colouring*
- 1-2 drops black food colouring
Instructions
Melon bread
- First, we need to bloom the yeast. In a small bowl add the lukewarm water and sprinkle the yeast on top, mixing to dissolve. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Now need to combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the two different types of flour, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine well.
- Add the yeasty water, warm milk and egg. Combine with a spatula until the dough starts sticking together.
- Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes until it becomes more supple and elastic. If using a stand mixer, mix until the dough detaches from the sides of the bowl.
- Once the dough feels more elastic, add the butter chopped up in the middle of the dough. Fold the dough over the butter and start kneading and stretching the dough to incorporate the butter. This can be done either by hand or in a stand mixer.
- Continue kneading and working the dough until it becomes very smooth and easy to work with. It will be stick, but please resist the temptation of adding extra flour.
- Once the dough feels smooth, bang it several times on the table. Try stretching a small piece of dough between your fingers to test the ‘windowpane effect’. If the dough becomes stretchy and see-through, it is ready. However, if the dough still feels brittle, keep kneading.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with cling film and let proof for 2 hours in a warm place or until doubled in size.
Cookie top
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Cream the butter at room temperature with the sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add the egg and mix well with a spatula to combine. You can add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract if desired.
- Separately, combine the flour with baking powder. Add the dry ingredients over the eggy mixture. Combine well with a spatula until a dough forms.
- Use your hands to bring the dough together and shape it into a ball.
- Take one 50g piece of cookie dough (about the size of a ping pong ball) and colour it black using food colour. Take one 10g piece (smaller than a coin) and leave it without colour. The rest of the dough will be coloured green, using green food colouring.
- Roll out the ping pong ball of green dough set aside to 3mm (⅛ inch) thickness. Cut out the Baby Yoda ears using a scalpel. The ears would be in the shape of an obtuse triangle. Bake for 7 minutes, then let the ears cool before using.
Assembling the Baby Yoda melon bread
- Once the milk bun dough has doubled in size, press it with your palms to deflate some of the air. Divide the dough into 10 pieces.
- Flatten one piece of bun dough in your palm into the shape of a disk.
- Add 2 squares of chocolate in the middle of the dough, then seal the edges around it. Shape into a round ball between your palms.
- Take one of the green balls of cookie dough and roll it out to 2-3mm (⅛ inch) thickness. Wrap it over the dough filled with chocolate and press down the edges to flatten them.
- Roll out the black cookie dough and cut out 2 small circles (roughly 2cm or 1-inch diameter). Attach them on top of the green cookie to form the eyes of Baby Yoda.
- Take a small piece of green cookie dough and place as the nose. Two small pieces of white dough will be attached on the outer sides of the black circles, to form the sparkle in the eye (please refer to process pictures).
- Lastly, score a hatch pattern on Baby Yoda’s forehead to form the wrinkles. Cut two slits on each side where the ears will go.
- Japanese milk buns with some cling film and let them proof in a warm place for 45 minutes. Bake for 13-14 minutes.
- Let the milk buns cool down on a wire rack, then carefully attach the cookie ears. Enjoy whilst still warm!
Notes
- I recommend using a kitchen scale in grams for more accuracy. The cups used for the conversion are standard US customary cups (1 cup flour = 136g). There are many different types of cups across the globe, which is why I strongly recommend using grams instead.
- Chocolate - is optional, and traditionally these milk buns do not have any fillings. I like to use milk chocolate.
- Food colouring - I recommend using gel or powder food colouring. Alternatively, green food colouring can be replaced with matcha powder.
- Storing - store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The melon bread can also be frozen. Cover in plastic wrap, then add to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 345kcal
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