Hello friends! April is the time to celebrate our friend of the month, Pompompurin! This laidback pup has a talent for napping, doing “purin aerobics”, and can make friends with anyone! His birthday is April 16th so let’s make our favorite golden retriever into a popular Japanese baked good: melon pan!
About the Guest Blogger
Anabelle Brown is a baker based out of Southern California. You will find her mostly churning out decorated sugar cookies but she loves to dive into other bakes! You can find her baking creations on her Instagram page (@bananabellebrown).
About the Recipe
This recipe features melon pan, a classic Japanese sweet bread covered in a thin layer of crisp biscuit crust with a grid line pattern on top. Since Pompompurin loves pancakes, the biscuit layer is flavored with maple extract that will transport you to breakfast time! To transform the melon pan into Pompompurin, biscuit dough is shaped into his ears and some dough is mixed with cocoa powder then formed into his signature beret. After baking, his facial features are piped with melted chocolate. Once his face details are added, the melon pans are complete and Pompompurin is as round as can be!
Pompompurin Maple Melon Pan
{Yields 6}
Ingredients:
{Biscuit}
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25g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
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40g powdered sugar
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1/2 teaspoon maple extract or maple emulsion (if you would like to omit maple flavoring, it can be replaced with vanilla extract)
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25g whole egg, whisked
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100g cake flour
{Bread}
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250g bread flour
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40g granulated sugar
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3g salt
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4g dry yeast
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110g warm milk
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1 egg
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30g unsalted butter, melted
{Decorations}
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30g chocolate, melted (1oz)
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150g granulated sugar, to coat biscuit layer
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Cocoa powder
Supplies & Tools:
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Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
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Mixing bowls
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Spatula
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Whisk
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Sifter
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Plastic wrap
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Small piping bag or ziploc bag
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Bench scraper
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Baking sheet
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Parchment paper
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Measuring cups and spoons
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Kitchen scale
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Rolling pin
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Scissors
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Neutral oil cooking spray (canola or vegetable oil will work)
Step-by-step instructions:
Biscuit
1. Place butter in a bowl and whisk until creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar and whisk until incorporated.
3. Add maple extract (or vanilla extract if you are using) and mix.
4. Add whisked egg in three parts, mixing well between each addition.
5. Sift and add cake flour and mix with a spatula until incorporated.
6. Roll the biscuit dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Bread
1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, dry yeast, and salt. Whisk dry ingredients to incorporate.
2. Add egg, warm milk, and melted butter. Whisk together just enough so the ingredients begin to combine.
3. Using the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, mix on medium low speed.
4. Once a ball begins to form, turn the mixer to medium high for 8 minutes. The dough should then feel supple and not too sticky.
5. Remove the ball of dough to the counter and knead by hand for one minute.
6. Form a ball and place it in a large lightly oiled bowl. Be sure that the dough ball is lightly oiled as well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store at room temperature to rest. Allow dough to ferment until it is twice as big, about one hour.
7. After an hour of fermentation, poke a hole with your finger in the middle of the dough. If there is no shrinking, the fermentation is done.
8. Punch the dough to remove air pockets. Remove dough and place onto a counter surface. Lightly press with your hands to further remove air pockets.
9. With a bench scraper, cut dough into 6 pieces.
10. Working on one piece at a time, press dough down lightly, then fold the edges towards the center, pinch the ends together to make it seamless. Flip the ball over so the pinched part is facing down and round out the dough between the inner edges of your hands. Place the ball on the counter.
11. Once all 6 balls of dough are formed, cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
Assembling Time!
1. Take the biscuit dough out of the refrigerator. Reserve 30g for decorations, plastic wrap, and place it back in the refrigerator. In the above image the ends are cut to reserve for decorations. Divide the remaining dough into sixths.
2. Assemble one melon pan at a time. Take one piece of biscuit dough and place it on a square of plastic wrap. With another square piece of plastic wrap, place it over the dough and roll it out to a circle that is about 4” in diameter.
3. Remove the top plastic wrap piece. Take one ball of dough, fold the edges towards the center again and form in a ball. Holding the pinch center, place it in the center of the rolled out piece of biscuit dough.
4. Bring the edges of the plastic wrap together to guide the biscuit dough so it adheres to the bread dough ball. Use your fingers to ensure the biscuit dough is pressed into the bread dough ball.
5. Unwrap the ball of dough and remove from the plastic wrap. Using the palm of your hands, smooth the ball and biscuit layer.
6. Take a bench scraper and score the melon pan.
7. Holding the pinched underside of the bread dough ball, dip the ball into the bowl of granulated sugar to coat the biscuit layer.
8. Place on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
9. Repeat the process until all the melon pans are assembled. Let them rest for 40 minutes on the baking sheet at room temperature and cover lightly with plastic wrap.
10. When you have 15 minutes remaining from their resting time, turn on the oven to 365 fahrenheit.
11. While the melon pan rests one last time, take out the reserved biscuit dough, and use two thirds of the dough to form 6 pairs of ears. The shape of the ears are reminiscent of teardrops. With the remaining 1/3 dough, place a spoonful of cocoa powder on the counter, and knead biscuit dough into the cocoa powder to achieve a well incorporated brown color.
12. Divide the cocoa biscuit dough into 6 pieces to form berets. The berets are composed of an oval piece for the beret base and a tiny piece that is the “stem”.
13. The side of the ears and berets that will be facing the viewer can be dipped in granulated sugar, though this is optional.
14. Place the ears and berets on the melon pans and lightly press them into the base to make sure they stay put. If the pieces are falling off, place them slightly closer to the center of the melon pan so there’s enough stability for the biscuit pieces.
15. You did it! Time to bake! Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
16. Let melon pans cool for 20 minutes. Place 1 oz/30g of melting chocolate into a small bowl and microwave in 10-15 second intervals, stirring after each interval. Repeat this process until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Place in a piping bag or ziploc bag.
17. Snip the end so you can pipe fine lines. Pipe Pompompurin’s nose, mouth, and eyes. Optional: sprinkle granulated sugar onto the chocolate details and turn over the melon pan to tap the excess off for a charming sparkly finish.
18. Congrats! You made Pompompurin melon pans!
19. Storage: Place them in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
