Japanese melon bread

Etape 1 /8

Prepare the biscuit dough: put the soft butter, water, oil, sugar, egg and flour into the mixer bowl with the kneading/crushing blade attachment. Lock the lid with the cap and press start.

• 80g Softened unsalted butter
• 30g Water
• 20g Neutral oil
• 40g Caster sugar
• 1 Egg
• 260g Pastry flour

• Kneading/Crushing Blade

Etape 2 /8

Take the biscuit dough out of the mixer and use a rolling pin to roll it out between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to a thickness of 2 millimetres. Place on a baking tray. Store in the fridge.

Etape 3 /8

Without washing the mixer bowl with the kneading/crushing blade attachment, add the water, yeast and sugar. Lock the lid with the cap and press start. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. The yeast should be dissolved.

• 22cl Water
• 5g Dried yeast
• 40g Caster sugar

• Kneading/Crushing Blade

Etape 4 /8

For the bread: put the flour, fine salt and egg into the mixer bowl with the kneading/crushing blade attachment. Lock the lid with the cap and press start. After kneading for 1 minute, add the butter cubes through the opening in the lid and allow the programme to finish. At the end of kneading, insert the cap and leave the dough to rise in the bowl for the 40 minutes of the programme.

• 450g Strong white bread flour
• 6g Fine salt (around 1 tsp)
• 1 Egg
• 60g the sweet softened butter, cut into small cubes

• Kneading/Crushing Blade

Etape 5 /8

Remove the dough from the mixer and place on a lightly floured work surface. Fold up the dough by taking the ends and pulling them towards the centre to form a ball (make 6 flaps in all). Divide the dough into 20 small pieces of about 40 g each, then fold the dough towards the centre to form small balls and place them on a floured surface.

Etape 6 /8

Remove the biscuit dough from the fridge and, using an 8 cm round cookie cutter, cut out 20 rounds. They should be twice the size of the dough pieces. Score each round with the back of a knife, taking care to mark the pastry without cutting it. Apply a little water to the dough pieces with your finger before placing the biscuit dough so that it sticks.

Etape 7 /8

Place a circle of biscuit dough on each ball of dough. Using the palms of your hands, shape the melon bread into round loaves. Most of the biscuit dough should surround the dough balls. Place them on a baking tray and bake in a 40°C oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Etape 8 /8

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C, then lower the oven temperature to 160°C. Leave to bake for 5 more minutes.