Mini Green Tea Melon Buns

Melon buns ( also known as melonpan) are inexpensive, sweet bakery products popular in Japan, Taiwan, and China made from an enriched dough covered in a thin layer of crispy cookie dough. Their appearance resembles a melon, such as a rock melon.They are not traditionally melon flavored.

Melonpan and pineapple bun from Hong Kong are very similar. By comparison the Japanese style is lighter in weight and taste, slightly dryer and has a firmer outer layer (including top cookie crust) which resists to flaking unlike its Hong Kong counterpart which should be treated with care as the top cookie crust tends to flake easily. The Hong Kong version is also more moist and is generally soft on the outside and inside and has a stronger butter pungent.

I was thinking about how to use up my green tea powder that had been left unused for ages and honestly, bread was not really in my mind since I actually planned to make either cake/muffin or cookie..But then I saw this melon buns posted on happyhomebaking which was just the right time and I undoubtedly fell in love with those lovely photos, so I got myself an answer what to do with the green tea powder !

As for the outcome, the bread was sooo soft,light and fluffy while the topping was crispy and a bit crumbly..it's a nice combination in one bite though! Anyway,there is one thing I could have done to make it better is to add more green tea powder into the dough because I couldn't really taste it from the bread while there's a mild flavor of green tea in the topping..

PS. I will have this post submitted to yeastspotting this week at Susan's blog..



Mini green tea melon buns ( adapted from here )

Ingredients:(makes 12 buns)

Bread Dough:

160g bread flour
30g self-raising flour
1.5 tsp green tea powder
30g caster sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 heaped tsp instant yeast
100ml warm milk
10g milk powder
1 eggyolk
10g unsalted butter, softened

Pastry topping:

45g unsalted butter, softened
35g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
10g milk powder
70g self-raising flour
1.5 tsp green tea powder

Method:

1. Srir together the flours,green tea powder, yeast, sugar, milk powder and salt in a mixing bolw. Add in the yolk and milk. Using a dough hook ,mix the ingredients to form a soft dough. Add the butter and mix until incorperated. Knead on medium speed for about 15-20 mins. Then finish up by hand kneading for another 5 mins until the dough is smooth and elastc.

2.Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and let proof for about 60-90mins, or until double in bulk. While the dough is proofing, prepare the pastry topping. Beat butter and sugar until light and pale, add in the egg yolk and beat well. Add the cake flour, green tea powder and milk powder. Mix with a spatula until flour mixture is fully incorporate. Gather to form a soft dough. Divide dough into 12 equal portions roll into rounds. Place doughs in a tray and let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

3.Punch down the bread dough and knead lightly, then divide into 12 equal portion. Roll into rounds. Remove chilled pastry dough from the fridge. Take a piece of pastry dough and roll out in between 2 layers of cling wraps, big enough to cover the bread dough then place it over a bread dough, wrap the pastry dough around the bread dough, leaving the bottom 2 ~ 3 cm uncovered. Place doughs in paper muffin cups, cover loosely with a damp cloth or cling wrap and let dough proof for 25 - 30mins or till the dough reaches almost to the rim of the paper cup.

4. Bake in the preheated oven at 190 degC for about 15 mins. Rotate the buns halfway into baking to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack before serving.