Do you think about the foods that you used to enjoy in your childhood and still long for them once in a while? Kashi pan (菓子パン) or Japanese sweet bread has a special spot in my heart, especially my favorite Anpan (あんパン) and these Melon Pan (メロンパン). Living abroad, there are not too many Japanese bakeries that sell freshly baked kashi pan; therefore I had to learn to make them myself. Today I’ll show you how to make Melon Pan with both the hand kneading method as well as the stand mixer method. Are you ready? You’ll soon be able to make these freshly baked Melon Pan in your own kitchen!
Watch How To Make Melon Pan【Hand Kneading】
Watch on YouTube
What is Melon Pan?
Melon Pan is sweet bread covered in a thin layer of crisp biscuit/cookie crust with grid line pattern on top. The Japanese word for bread is “pan (パン)”, which came from the Portuguese word for bread. Now why is it called “melon“? Does it taste like melon? No, traditionally the bread does NOT include melon flavor or the fruit itself. Then why is it called Melon Pan if there is no melon flavor? There are a few different theories for the origin of Melon Pan’s name (still no conclusive theory even today). Some say that the original melon pan was invented during the Meiji Era. The bread resembled an oriental melon (マクワウリ) with the parallel lines on the crust, and was filled with sweet white bean paste (shiro-an) inside. During that time, the oriental melon was sold as “melon” so they started to call this “Melon Pan”.
By Sanjo (Own Photo (Own work)) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons In Taisho Era, the similar round bread with biscuit/cookie crust was introduced to western and southern western Japan (Osaka and Hiroshima area), and they named it “Sunrise (サンライズ)” bread. Later on, this round Sunrise bread started to be sold as Melon Pan throughout Japan, as the appearance resembles a muskmelon, which was (and still is) highly prized fruit. Today, if you visit the Kansai area, the football shape bread you see above with white bean paste filling is what they call Melon Pan. They still refer to the round bread with biscuit crust Sunrise bread (while it’s known as melon pan everywhere else). Our local Andersen bakery that started in Hiroshima also calls their Melon Pan “Sunrise”. In Shikoku Island, Melon Pan is called “Koppepan (コッペパン)”. Other theories on the origin of the name says the word “melon” comes from “meringue (メリンゲ)”, which is placed on top of the bread dough before being baked. Maybe we’ll find out the Melon Pan’s origin one day. Who knew Melon Pan is quite mysterious bread?!
Variations of Melon Pan
There are some Melon Pans that include chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or even matcha, and some bakeries put custard (cream) inside the bun. In recent years, a lot of bakeries started to add real pureed melon or melon syrup (from either real melon or the green melon syrup we use for shaved ice) in the dough to add “melon” flavors or color. However, for today’s recipe I made my Melon Pan with classic ingredients.
There’s no doubt kneading the dough in a stand mixer is much easier and faster. But I want to encourage everyone to make bread with your hands once in a while even though you have a stand mixer. It does require more time and effort, but when I knead dough with my hands I feel it’s different. The difference in taste might be too subtle to recognize but maybe there’s that extra special ingredient … called love 🙂
Bread Similar to Melon Pan in the World
Pineapple Bun – Hong Kong, Taiwan, China (We buy this bread from a Chinese bakery and it’s delicious! The biscuit/cookie crust is not as crispy or firm as Melon Pan, so it flakes very easily. Pineapple buns are softer and fluffier than Melon Pan.) Soboro Bread – Korea Rotiboy (Mexican coffee bun) – Malaysia Conchas (Mexican sweet bread) – Mexico
Does your country have similar bread like Melon Pan?
I hope you will enjoy making this Melon Pan recipe! If you try it, don’t forget to share your picture on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with #JustOneCookbook. Thank you so much for reading, and till next time! Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
