Melonpan (melon bread)

Not necessarily tasting like melon, melon bread is thus named because it looks like a melon, well cantaloupe to be exact. The bread is a combination between bread and cookie that is at first often a mystery to most foreigners. After al,l to most of us bread is bread, but to the Japanese bread can be so much more. I mostly had an interest in wanting to try out melonpan after watching the anime, Shakugan no Shana. In this anime Shana loves melonpan and describes the flavor and texture when people ask her why she loves it. It's best eaten as a snack and really good while drinking tea. The flavor may not be for everyone but is unquestionably an interesting flavor experience.

Yeast Mix
- 1 packet dry yeast
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Bread Mix
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon + 1 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter (room temp)
- 1/2 + 1/3 cups water

Topping
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- a pinch baking powder
- 2/3 cup butter (room temp)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 lemon peel
- a little melon essence*

*if you can't find you can substitute pineapple extract. if not omit this ingredient completly.

1. Heat Water to 100-110 degrees fahrenheit and add yeast and sugar. Let stand for ten minutes.
2. Combine the bread ingredients in a bowl and add yeast mixture. Add more flour as needed.
3. Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface. Add more flour as needed.
4. Putting dough back in the bowl cover and let stand in a warm place for 2 hours. Dough should at least double in bulk.
5. Punch dough and kneed lightly for 10 minutes.
6. Break off pieces and shape them into golf sized balls. Place on cookie sheet and let rise for 15 minutes.
7. Mix ingredients for the topping in a medium sized bowl.
8. Coat the bread rolls with the topping.
9. Bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are slightly brown.
10. To store cover individually with plastic wrap (or plasic baggies) after bread cools.

You should get about 12-14 rolls.

Tastes best 15 minutes after cooling from the oven ^_^

*** I will be submitting this to a recipe site after I test it for the last time so I will have nutrition facts too.

***I don't take full credit for this recipe. I found it on the internet and altered it to make it easier to understand and worked with the ingredients to make it a little easier to work with.