Melonpan

Ingredients

Bread flour

2 cups

Granulated sugar

1/4 cup

Salt

1/2 teaspoon

Instant yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons

Unsalted butter

2 tablespoons, softened

Milk

1/2 cup

Egg

1

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

Melon flavoring

1 teaspoon

Cookie dough

1 cup

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast.
2. Add the softened butter, milk, egg, vanilla extract, and melon flavoring to the flour mixture.
3. Mix all the ingredients together using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer until a dough forms.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Place the kneaded dough back into the mixing bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
6. While waiting for the dough to rise, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. After the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
8. Take a small portion of the cookie dough and flatten it into a disc shape. Place the cookie dough disc on top of each dough ball, gently pressing it to adhere.
9. Using a sharp knife, create crisscross patterns on the cookie dough to resemble the skin of a melon.
10. Bake the Melonpan in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cookie crust is crispy.
11. Remove the Melonpan from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy this sweet treat with a cup of tea or coffee.