Polo Bun a.k.a Melon Bread

So this is the first time every that I'm posting up a recipe. I always watch cooking shows on YouTube. And one of my favorites is "Cooking With Dog," a Japanese based cooking show with a dog as its host. That really is where I got the idea for Chef Kitty, though he can't really sit still and be a host. Not to mention that I have a really cramped kitchen.

But anyway, I was watching Chef bake something called "Melonpan." I think it's the same as a Polo Bun we can find here in Malaysia. So I'd though I'd try it out.

 It came out better than I expected. The bun inside was soft and fluffy, while the cookie on the outside was crumbly and flavorful. The vanilla extract I added helped enhance the taste. Truly, I enjoyed it very much!

I used brown sugar instead of white as I do not use white sugar. That, together with the vanilla extract, made my batch of buns turn out a lot browner than that of Cooking With Dog's version. I also made the mistake of assuming a 3.2 inch circle was big enough. I discovered that 0.3 inch is such a big difference! I think with more practice, I'm sure I can make the buns look a lot prettier. But I think this is pretty good for a first attempt, don't you think?

Ingredients for Melonpan (5 pieces)

- Bread Dough -

140g Bread Flour (4.94 oz)
25g Sugar (0.882 oz)
1/3 tsp Salt
5g Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder (0.176 oz)
3g Instant Yeast (0.106 oz) - a little less than 1 tsp 
1 tbsp Beaten Egg
70ml Warm Water (2.37 fl oz)
15g Butter (0.529 oz)

- Cookie Dough -
25g Unsalted Butter (0.882 oz)
35g Sugar (1.23 oz)
25g Beaten Egg (0.882 oz)

1 tsp vanilla extract
80g Cake/Pastry Flour (2.82 oz)
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Bread Flour for dusting

Cookie Dough

1.   Make sure butter and eggs are at room temperature.
2. Cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar in and mix till mixture turns white.
3.  Slowly add in the beaten eggs. Do not add in all the egg at once.
4. Add baking powder to cake flour and sieve it 2 times. Add flour into butter mixture 1/3 at a time. Mix till thoroughly mixed. Do not over mix.
5.  Place dough in plastic wrap in a cylinder form. Use bread flour rubbed in hands to form the shape roughly. Cool in fridge for 1 hour.

Bread

1. Add bread flour, sugar, salt, non-fat dry milk powder and yeast in a bowl. Whisk together well.
2. Add warm water to beaten egg then slowly pour it into the dry ingredients. Evenly mix it.
3.  Knead the dough for about 5 mins. Flatten the dough and rub butter all over the dough. Then gather the dough across the dough to cover the butter. Continue to knead until shiny and smooth (about 10 mins).
4. Shape dough into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl and place in a warm place (37^C) for 40 mins.
5. Once it has doubled in size, dip finger in flour and poke dough. If hole stays, it is ready. Flatten the dough then roll it into a long cylinder. Divide into 5 equal pieces. shape into a ball. Cover and rest for 20 mins.

Melon Pan

1. Divide cookie dough into 5 equal pieces. Rub bread flour into had and shape cookie dough into balls.
2. Using a paper to draw a 3.5 inch diameter circle. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the paper, cookie dough, followed by another plastic wrap. Use something flat to press down lightly onto the dough. use the drawn circle as a guide. Place onto a tray to rest in the fridge till ready for use.
3. Once bread has rested for 20 mins. reshape bread dough and place on flat surface. place cookie dough on top. Then flip it up side down and pull the cookie dough to the center of the bread dough. Pinch the bread dough and dip into sugar. Turn it back into the right side up in the middle on the palm and use the scraper to cut a diamond pattern into the cookie dough.
4. Let bread proof for another 40 mins at 37^C. after that, bake the melon pan at 170^C/340^F for 12-15 mins.

I also created a video for this. My YouTube channel is called Chef Kitty, so please subscribe and support us!

It's been awhile since I've been free to do any blogging. But I couldn't help but post this. I was just browsing on 9gag when I came across this post. It was titled 25 Awesome Furniture Design Ideas for Car Lovers. And some of them are really so awesome, I really want it in my cafe!

Aren't they the cutest things~! Do leave a comment and tell me which ones you like best!

My Floor Plans for Cat's Oasis

So I've been thinking about my cafe and decided to come up with a floor plan! I did this entirely in the Sims 3 with a few expansion packs. Note that this is only an idea. In the distant future, I may not have such a large area to work with. But this is real close to what I really want.

 So this is the overall bird's eye view of my floor plan. It consist of an outdoor smoking area, an indoor sitting area, a bar, a reading/board game corner, the payment/cake counter, the cats area, human toilets, cat toilets and the kitchen of course.

The outdoor smoking area

The indoor sitting area. 

Each table will have it's own power plugs underneath the tables. This will allow people to work on their laptops or charge their phones without having to search for a plug. That means each of the tables will already be fixed in place.

The bar are. 

 For solitary people who just want to work and look out the window for inspiration. Underneath the bar on the underside are plug points for comfortable reach.

The reading/board game corner. 

Comfortable beanbags will be placed here for the reader's comfort. Look at that cat snoozing! The board games can be taken from the shelf to be played at the sitting area.

You'll be able to see through to the cat's room from the reading area.

The payment/cake counter.

You of course pay your bills here. And also all the yummy yummy pastries and cakes will be displayed in a see through counter at cake display counter next to the payment counter.

This room is here for the customer's to read the rules and regulations, and also to wash their hands before going in. This room also ensures that the cats cannot escape into the main area.

The cat area. 

A couple of tables or maybe even just benches will be places here for customer's comfort. Or more surface for the cats to sleep on. I would like to be able to put hammocks and shelving around this place for the cats to be able to sleep in/on or just to jump around. Sufficient play things for the cats are also essential.

The toilet's would be unisex toilets. There will be a couple of stalls for usage.

The sinks. Paper towels for drying the hands and also a place to put extra tissues or soap.

 

Cat's toilets. 

They will need somewhere when nature calls right? It's right next to the cat room separated by a door. The cats may access it by an installed doggie door (or is it catty door now?).

My happy place, the kitchen. 

Preferably My kitchen would be built for baking. Much more ovens for baking a a couple of large refrigerators for storage. Stoves of course is essential too, but not as many. Microwaves and drink makers to serve milkshakes and smoothies. Yum~!

Comfortable and homey feeling.

This cafe is for people to come in and just chill, enjoy a snack or two. Chat with friends, play a game, digital or analog. Maybe read a book. Definitely come in and play with the cats! Or maybe you'd just want to work. But otherwise, it's a place to hang out, to flock, an Oasis. My Cat's Oasis.

Hello all!

Hi! My name is Crystal and I just love to bake and cook! The reason I'm starting this blog is so I can explore my cooking and baking boundaries.

I also have a dream, that one day, I will have my own cafe. Not just any cafe, but a Cat Cafe. The cafe I have in mind would serve mostly breads, pastries, desserts and drinks. Maybe a couple of more filling dishes like pasta and meat. But otherwise, it's more of a bakery cafe. This is where the cats come in. In a corner of the shop, in their own private room, lies the cats. Maybe a half dozen of them. People can of course go in and play with the cats as long as they adhere to the rules.

This idea was inspired when I went to another cafe in Subang Jaya called Coffee Cottage. 

They had the cutest and fluffiest cats ever! 

So until the time has come, I will continue experimenting with my baking and cooking. Maybe learn how to decorate cakes and muffins too~! Please support me as I go for this really long, but exciting journey!