Eggless Japanese Melon Pan Bread

This month Aparna had suggested an fantastic bread for we Knead To Bake this month .Melon pan is an one such bread which i would like to make again and again. When I saw this bread it looked so gud but I thought I had lot of waiting to do to make them.
Melon pan is a japanese Sweet bun which resembles the cut melon which are most often fount the in the streets there and the vendor cut them in diamond pattern sprinkled with some castor sugar and so as the pattern was used in the bread it is called as melon pan But there is no melon used as such.

I was little worried if my eggless version will turn out gud or not but gods grace it turned out fabulous and looked good as well.These sweet buns are super soft and My H and I totally enjoyed them. 
Although this Bread is little time consuming it is worth giving a try and simple to make.You can add you fav filling too like chocolate chips or cream cheese to the bun part but I have done the plain version. These Fluffy and soft buns are perfect to have them for Brunch. Lets quickly Move to the recipe …

Recipe Source : My diverse Kitchen
Ingredients

For Bread dough


1 3/4 Cups All purpose Flour
2 tbsp Milk Powder
1 tsp Instant Yeast 
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Yogurt
1 tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 tbsp Butter
1/3 cup Cold Water

For Cookie Dough


1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
A pinch of salt
1/4 cup Butter
1 tbsp Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Lemon Zest
Castor Sugar for Dusting 

Method

For Bread Dough 

• Mix together flour, yeast,sugar,Milk powder and salt in a bowl.
• In a small bowl  Mix yogurt and cold water with a fork till is it well combined.
• Add this cold water to the flour mixture and knead them well till the dough comes together.
• Knead them till you have a stiff dough.
• Now add butter and knead the dough until the butter is nicely incorporated all over.
• Knead them till the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Shape the dough in to round and place it in a oiled bowl. Cover then and let the rise till double the volume( It took me 1 hour).

For Cookie Dough

• In a bowl Cream the softened Butter and sugar till fluffy.
• Add Milk, vanilla extract and mix well.
• In another bowl sieve Flour, baking pd and salt twice.
• Combine the flour with the butter mixture , also add the lemon zest and knead them till combined.
• Shape the cookie dough into cylinder shape and Refrigerate them till  needed.

To proceed 

• Now punch the bread dough once it has raised and divide them to 6-8 parts.
• Shape each part to a smooth bread roll and place them on a greased parchment paper.
• Take out in the cookie dough from refrigerator. They should firm and easy to handle.
• Divide the cookie dough to 6-8 parts as you did for bread dough.
• Use two sheets of cling wrap and flatten the cookie dough in between them.
• Place the flattened round piece of cookie dough on the bread roll , Gently press the cookie dough edges to the bread ball so that it covers the top and sides of the bread ball and leaves the bottom open.
• Now using a scraper or blunt side of the knife mark the top of the cookie dough side of the bread roll with a cross hatch/ diamond pattern. 
• The Patter should be deep enough with cutting through the cookie dough layer into bread.
• Do this for the rest of the cookie and bread dough and bake the for 25 mins at 350 F until the melon pan just starts to brown, don’t brown it much else the underside of Bread will burn.
• Once baked Transfer it to wire rack to cool.
• Sprinkle some powdered sugar or castor sugar and serve
• Melon Pan tastes best when had the same day when it is made.

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