What is a melon pan?

Melon pan is a Japanese sweet bread that has thin cookie crusts on the outside and a soft and fluffy bun inside. It is called “melon pan” because it resembles the appearance of melon or cantaloupe that is popular in Japan. “Pan” simply means “bread” in Japanese.

What does melon pan taste like?

Even though it is called a “melon pan,” a traditional melon pan does not contain any melon flavor. If anyone has tried the Mexican sweet bread, conchas, melon pan tastes very similar to them. They are gently sweet without any fillings.

What is special about this melon pan?

With my version, I turned the traditional melon pan into something more fun! I arranged the recipe and technique developed by a Japanese food artist, Eriko Hanada (@elly.hana), and shaped the cookies to Hello Kitty.

I used this Hello Kitty cookie cutter and these cookie cutters for stars and hearts.

Ingredients

For the cookie

• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• milk
• all-purpose flour
• pink food coloring
• golden yellow food coloring

For the bread

• bread flour
• soft unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• Kosher salt
• milk
• active dry yeast
• warm water

For the decoration

• granulated sugar for sprinkling
• chocolate chips to draw Hello Kitty’s eyes

Instructions

For the cookie

1. In a large bowl, mix softened butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and milk with a spatula. You may not need all milk if making this in warm environment.
2. Once the dough becomes a ball, divide it into three. Leave one of the portions as-is for white dough. Add a dash of golden yellow food coloring to one of the dough balls and mix until well combined. Add a dash of pink food coloring to the other dough ball and mix until well combined.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about ⅛ inch thickness in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Chill the dough sheets in a refrigerator for at least 10-15 minutes.

4. Using cookie cutters, cut out the dough into shapes. I cut out the plain dough with a Hello Kitty cookie cutter, then cut the yellow dough into star shapes and the pink dough into heart shapes. Don’t forget to attach noses with tiny amounts of yellow cookie dough and bows with the pink cookie dough on Hello Kitty faces.

5. Once all the cookie doughs are shaped, place them in between two sheets of plastic wrap and rest them for at least an hour. You can even make these cookies a day ahead and chill them overnight.

For the bread

1. In a small bowl, add warm water and active dry yeast and mix. Set it aside for the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes or until creamy foam shows up on the surface. (This step is not necessary if using instant yeast. It can be added directly to the dry ingredients.)
2. In a large bowl, mix bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
3. Add the yeast mixture, softened butter, and milk to the dry ingredients and mix. 
4. Transfer the dough to the lightly floured work surface. Next, using your hand, knead by pushing the dough down and forward then folding the dough over itself. Repeat until it becomes smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes.
5. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and leave it at a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC) for 1 hour.
6. Make a fist with your hand and push the dough gently and firmly into the center and deflate it. 
7. Turn the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 3 (about 96g each). Roll each dough into small buns. Place each of them onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap loosely, let them rise for 30-40 minutes in a warm place.

For the assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
2. Brush on some water on top of the buns.
3. Take out the cookies from the refrigerator and start pasting the cookies on the buns.

4. Once all the cookies are pasted, put plastic wrap over the buns and gently press them with your hands to make sure all the cookies are stuck well. Then remove the plastic wrap.

5. Sprinkle the buns with some granulated sugar. If granulated sugar is not sticking, brush the buns with some water.

6. Bake for about 20-25 mins or until the surface gets dry and has a subtle brown color. Once baked, let the buns cool completely. 

7. When the melon pans are cooled, melt chocolate chips in a microwave. Zap them for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this process until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

8. Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag. Snip off the tips to have an about ¼-inch diameter hole.

9. Fill Hello Kitty’s eyes and whiskers with the melted chocolate and enjoy! Tip: If the chocolate hardens back before you could finish decorating, boil some hot water and place it in a heat-resistant cup. Once the cup gets hot, press the piping bag against it and melt the chocolate until it becomes workable again.

For the leftover cookies

1. Preheat oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
2. Bake them for 5-10 minutes or until the surface looks dry. *The baking time varies depending on the size of the cookies.

If you like this Hello Kitty Melon Pan, you may also like:

• Hello Kitty Cookies – Simple Recipes
• Hello Kitty Cake Roll – A step by step recipe with a template
• How To Make Rilakkuma Pull-Apart Bread

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Melon Pan – Hello Kitty Version

Melon pan is a popular Japanese sweet bread. Traditional melon pans have cantaloupe-like appearances, but my version is decorated with cute Hello Kitty cookies. Try this fun baking project today!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Bread, melon pan

Prep Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Resting Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3 buns

Equipment

• Large bowl
• Spatula
• Rolling Pin
• Plastic wrap
• Cookie cutters
• Small bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Piping bag

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

• 3½ tablespoons unsalted butter 50g
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 30g
• 2 teaspoons milk 10ml
• ½ cups all-purpose flour 80g
• pink food coloring
• golden yellow food coloring

For the bread

• 1 cup bread flour 160g
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 40g, soft but not melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 12g
• 3 tablespoons milk 45ml
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt 3g
• ½ teaspoons active dry yeast 2g
• ¼ cups warm water 55ml

For the decoration

• some granulated sugar for sprinkling
• ½ cups chocolate chips to draw Hello Kitty’s eyes

Instructions

For the cookie

• In a large bowl, mix softened butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and milk with a spatula. You may not need all milk if making this in warm environment.
• Once the dough becomes a ball, divide it into three. Leave one of the portions as-is for white dough. Add a dash of golden yellow food coloring to one of the dough balls and mix until well combined. Add a dash of pink food coloring to the other dough ball and mix until well combined.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about ⅛ inch thickness in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Chill the dough sheets in a refrigerator for at least 10-15 minutes.
• Using cookie cutters, cut out the dough into shapes. I cut out the plain dough with a Hello Kitty cookie cutter, then cut the yellow dough into star shapes and the pink dough into heart shapes. Don’t forget to attach noses with tiny amounts of yellow cookie dough and bows with the pink cookie dough on Hello Kitty faces.
• Once all the cookie doughs are shaped, place them in between two sheets of plastic wrap and rest them for at least an hour. You can even make these cookies a day ahead and chill them overnight.

For the bread

• In a small bowl, add warm water and active dry yeast and mix. Set it aside for the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes or until creamy foam shows up on the surface. (This step is not necessary if using instant yeast. It can be added directly to the dry ingredients.)
• In a large bowl, mix bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
• Add the yeast mixture, softened butter, and milk to the dry ingredients and mix. 
• Transfer the dough to the lightly floured work surface. Next, using your hand, knead by pushing the dough down and forward then folding the dough over itself. Repeat until it becomes smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes.
• Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and leave it at a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC) for 1 hour.
• Make a fist with your hand and push the dough gently and firmly into the center and deflate it. 
• Turn the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 3 (about 96g each). Roll each dough into small buns. Place each of them onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap loosely, let them rise for 30-40 minutes in a warm place.

For the assembly

• Preheat the oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
• Brush on some water on top of the buns.
• Take out the cookies from the refrigerator and start pasting the cookies on the buns.
• Once all the cookies are pasted, put plastic wrap over the buns and gently press them with your hands to make sure all the cookies are stuck well. Then remove the plastic wrap.
• Sprinkle the buns with some granulated sugar. If granulated sugar is not sticking, brush the buns with some water.
• Bake for about 20-25 mins or until the surface gets dry and has a subtle brown color. Once baked, let the buns cool completely. 
• When the melon pans are cooled, melt chocolate chips in a microwave. Zap them for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this process until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag. Snip off the tips to have an about ¼-inch diameter hole.
• Fill Hello Kitty’s eyes and whiskers with the melted chocolate and enjoy!

  Tip: If the chocolate hardens back before you could finish decorating, boil some hot water and place it in a heat-resistant cup. Once the cup gets hot, press the piping bag against it and melt the chocolate until it becomes workable again.

The post Melon Pan – Hello Kitty Version appeared first on Simply A Homebody.

My favorite time of the year is coming!  This Christmas I really wanted to try festive bread, and that’s when I decided to make this Christmas wreath bread. The bread is dyed to green by spinach, and I braided and shaped the dough to look like a wreath. Making spinach bread was certainly an experiment for me but it came out better than I imagined 😉

Not only is it festive and fun, but it’s also easier to make than you might think. Follow my recipe and you can get your hands on this delicious treat in no time.

Ingredients List

For the spinach stuffing

• 1/2 package 10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoons pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

For the spinach bread

• 2 cups bread flour, divided 1 cup each, +more for dusting
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for greasing
• 3/4 cups warm water
• 1/2 package 10oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

How to make Christmas wreath bread

Preparation

1. Thaw one 10oz package frozen chopped spinach following the package instruction and drain it well.
2. Divide the spinach into two even portions. One portion is for the stuffing, and the other is for the bread.

For the stuffing

1. In a skillet, cook drained chopped spinach and minced garlic.
2. Mix in cream cheese, ricotta, and parmesan cheese until fully combined. Season with kosher salt and pepper. 
3. Place the stuffing in a container and keep it refrigerated.

For the bread

1. Place warm water and drained chopped spinach in the food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside. NOTE: The spinach water needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast. It should be between 80ºF – 95ºF (26ºC – 35ºC).
2. Combine 1 cup of bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. 
3. Add olive oil and the spinach water and use a spatula to stir well.
4. Gradually add another 1 cup of flour. Add any additional flour as needed. Stir until the dough is forming into an elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will still be slightly sticky but should not be so runny that it coats the spatula.
5. Coat the dough ball and the inside of the bowl with some olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC).

6. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

7. Once the dough has risen, gently punch the dough to deflate it. Then transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly by hand until smooth. 

8. Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC.

9. Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into a 12″ x 13” rectangle.

10. Spread your spinach stuffing out on half of the dough. Then, take the other half and fold it over the top of the spinach stuffing, pinching the seams to enclose the stuffing.

11. Cut the rectangle into three even strips. Then, braid the strips and enclose them together into a circle, pinching the seams where the two ends meet. If you are not sure how to braid, here is a great tutorial.

12. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Baste it with melted butter and sprinkle it with grated parmesan cheese.

13. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the top turns golden brown. Enjoy!

How long does this Christmas wreath bread last?

It’s best to eat it as soon as possible, but it will last 3 days if refrigerated in an airtight container. It can be frozen for up to a month as well.

If you like this Christmas wreath bread, you may also like:

• Nightmare Before Christmas Cookies
• Santa Cake – Easy Recipe
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake – Decorated as Pumpkins

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Christmas Wreath Bread with Spinach Dip Stuffing

This Christmas wreath bread is soft, buttery, cheesy, garlicky, and so delicious! Creamy spinach stuffing is baked into spinach bread, and this green treat is perfect for all of your holiday dinners.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Bread, Spinach, Wreath

Prep Time 55 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

proofing 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Equipment

• Skillet
• Food processor or a blender
• Large bowl
• Spatula
• Rolling pin (Optional)
• Basting Brush
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the spinach stuffing

• ½ package 10oz frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoons black pepper
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 8 ounce cream cheese
• ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• ½ cups grated parmesan cheese

For the spinach bread

• 2 cups bread flour divided 1 cup each, +more for dusting
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for greasing
• ¾ cups warm water
• ½ package 10oz frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1-3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preparation

• Thaw one 10oz package frozen chopped spinach following the package instruction and drain it well.
• Divide the spinach into two even portions. One portion is for the stuffing, and the other is for the bread.

For the stuffing

• In a skillet, cook drained chopped spinach and minced garlic.
• Mix in cream cheese, ricotta, and parmesan cheese until fully combined. Season with kosher salt and pepper. 
• Place the stuffing in a container and keep it refrigerated.

For the bread

• Place warm water and drained chopped spinach in the food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside. See NOTE 1.
• Combine 1 cup of bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. 
• Add olive oil and the spinach mixture and use a spatula to stir well.
• Gradually add another 1 cup of flour. Add any additional flour as needed. Stir until the dough is forming into an elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will still be slightly sticky but should not be so runny that it coats the spatula.
• Coat the dough ball and the inside of the bowl with some olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC).
• Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, gently punch the dough to deflate it. Then transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly by hand until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
• Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into a 12″ x 13” rectangle.
• Spread your spinach stuffing out on half of the dough. Then, take the other half and fold it over the top of the spinach stuffing, pinching the seams to enclose the stuffing.
• Cut the rectangle into three even strips. Then, braid the strips and enclose them together into a circle, pinching the seams where the two ends meet. If you are not sure how to braid, check out NOTE 2.
• Transfer the bread to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Baste it with melted butter and sprinkle it with grated parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the top turns golden brown. Enjoy!

Notes

NOTE 1: The spinach water needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast. It should be between 80ºF – 95ºF (26ºC – 35ºC).

Note 2: check out how to braid here

The post Christmas Wreath Bread with Spinach Dip Stuffing appeared first on Simply A Homebody.

Maritozzi (singular, maritozzo) have become really popular in Japan in 2021. I saw lots of Japanese Instagrammers posting pictures of maritozzi all over. I have been wanting to try these little treats for a while now.

This recipe is really easy, but keep in mind that bread-making does take some time. If you have little or no experience in bread-making, please be patient and don’t be intimidated by the process.

What are Maritozzi?

Maritozzi are soft and light brioche-style buns that are sliced in half then traditionally filled with whipped cream. They originate in Rome, and many people like to enjoy them with coffee for breakfast or even for afternoon tea in Italy ^[1]. In recent years, they’ve also become popular in Japan due to their cute looks and deliciousness.

Maritozzi Variations

Traditionally maritozzi are packed full of whipped cream, but you can stuff them with pretty much anything you want! There are maritozzi prepared with fresh fruits, pistachios, raisins, custard, hazelnut cream or covered with chocolate, sometimes even stuffed with cheese, tomato, pesto, or baccalà^[2]. So the possibility is endless 🙂

The traditional buns often contain orange zest in the dough, but I omitted it in this recipe. The reason is that I wanted to be flexible with stuffing. I was worried that whatever people decided to stuff with might not go with notes of orange. If you want your buns to have orange flavor, add 1 tablespoon orange zest with dry ingredients during preparation.

Ingredients

• Bread flour
• Granulated sugar
• Kosher salt
• Yeast
• Egg
• Warm water (not hot)
• Warm milk (not hot)
• Softened (not melted) butter
• Heavy whipping cream
• Powdered sugar
• (Optional) Fruits of your choice or anything else you want to stuff

How to make Maritozzi

For the buns

1. In a small bowl, add warm milk, warm water, and active dry yeast and mix. Set it aside for the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes or until creamy foam shows up on the surface. (This step is not necessary if using instant yeast. It can be added directly to the dry ingredients.)
2. In a large bowl, mix bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt.

3. Add the yeast mixture and ¾ beaten egg (40g to be exact) to the dry ingredients and mix. Set aside the leftover egg in a refrigerator.

4. Transfer the dough to the lightly floured work surface. Next, using your hand, knead by pushing the dough down and forward then folding the dough over itself. Repeat until it becomes smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes.

This is a sticky dough but try not to add too much bread flour. If it is so wet that it coats your fingers when kneading, you can add a small amount of bread flour. A scraper can be a helpful tool to collect the dough.

5. Spread the dough out on the work surface and add the softened butter. Then scrape the dough back into the center, and continue to knead the dough again until fully incorporated for about 5 minutes.

6. Place the dough ball in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and leave it at a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC) for 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.

7. Make a fist with your hand and push the dough ball gently and firmly into the center and deflate it. Fold the edges of the dough into the center to form the deflated dough into a ball. Next, cover with plastic wrap and leave it again in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes.

8. Turn the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 (about 50g each). Roll each dough into a small round shape. Place them one by one onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap loosely, let them rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

9. Preheat the oven to 450ºF/240ºC, and brush the dough balls with the leftover egg then bake for about 5-7 mins or until golden on top.

10. Once baked, let the buns cool completely.

For the stuffing

1. (Optional) Chill a large bowl in a refrigerator.
2. In the large bowl, add heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar.
3. Whip the heavy whipping cream mixture until it gets fluffy with firm peaks.
4. Keep it in a refrigerator before assembling.
5. Cut fruits or any toppings you want to size. Set them aside.

For the assembly

1. Cut the buns in half without cutting through.

2. Open the bun slightly. Insert whipping cream into the slit with a small spatula or a piping bag, then add fruits. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

If you like this maritozzi recipe, you may also like:

• Winnie the Pooh Mushi Pan – Steamed Cake
• How To Make Rilakkuma Pull-Apart Bread
• Ham and Cheese Pockets – Rilakkuma

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Maritozzi

Maritozzi are Italian cream buns that are often filled with whipped cream. They look so cute and are perfect for your next Instagram post.  Follow this easy recipe and enjoy fresh maritozzi at home!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Keyword maritozzi

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Resting 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 7 minutes minutes

Servings 8 buns

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Large bowl
• Scraper
• Plastic wrap
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the buns

• 1⅓ cups bread flour 200g + more for dusting
• ¼ cups glanurated sugar 50g
• ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1¼ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast 4g
• 1 beaten egg large
• ⅓ cups warm water not hot, 80ml
• 1 tablespoon warm milk not hot, 15ml
• 2 tablespoons softened butter not melted

For the stuffing

• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream 350ml
• 4½ tablespoons powdered sugar + more for dusting on top
• Fruits of your choice or any other stuffings you like

Instructions

For the buns

• In a small bowl, add warm milk, warm water, and active dry yeast and mix. Set it aside for the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes or until creamy foam shows up on the surface. (This step is not necessary if using instant yeast. It can be added directly to the dry ingredients.)
• In a large bowl, mix bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
• Add the yeast mixture and ¾ beaten egg (40g to be exact) to the dry ingredients and mix. Set aside the leftover egg in a refrigerator.
• Transfer the dough to the lightly floured work surface. Next, using your hand, knead by pushing the dough down and forward then folding the dough over itself. Repeat until it becomes smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes.

  This is a sticky dough but try not to add too much bread flour. If it is so wet that it coats your fingers when kneading, you can add a small amount of bread flour. A scraper can be a helpful tool to collect the dough.
• Spread the dough out on the work surface and add the softened butter. Then scrape the dough back into the center, and continue to knead the dough again until fully incorporated for about 5 minutes.
• Place the dough ball in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and leave it at a warm place (about 90ºF/32ºC) for 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
• Make a fist with your hand and push the dough ball gently and firmly into the center and deflate it. Fold the edges of the dough into the center to form the deflated dough into a ball. Next, cover with plastic wrap and leave it again in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 (about 50g each). Roll each dough into a small round shape. Place them one by one onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap loosely, let them rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
• Preheat the oven to 450ºF/240ºC, and brush the dough balls with the leftover egg then bake for about 5-7 mins or until golden on top.
• Once baked, let the buns cool completely.

For the stuffing

• (Optional) Chill a large bowl in a refrigerator.
• In the large bowl, add heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar.
• Whip the heavy whipping cream mixture until it gets fluffy with firm peaks.
• Keep the whipped cream in a refrigerator before assembling.
• Cut fruits or any toppings you want to size. Set them aside.

For the assembly

• Cut the buns in half without cutting through.
• Open the bun slightly. Insert whipping cream into the slit with a small spatula or a piping bag, then add fruits. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

The post Maritozzi with Whipped Cream & Fruits appeared first on Simply A Homebody.

Fall is finally here, and the seasonal change puts me in a mood for apples and holiday spices 🙂 To add fall flavor into my healthy snack options, I decided to make this low-calorie version of cinnamon apple bread.

What is special about this cinnamon apple bread recipe?

This recipe is completely sugar-free and butter-free! The sugar is replaced with monk fruit sweetener, which is natural and zero-calorie ^[1].

The butter is replaced with fat-free Greek yogurt to reduce calories and add extra protein.

A scoop of vanilla whey protein powder is also a part of this recipe to aid daily protein intake and you can get 8 grams of protein per serving.

How many calories are in this cinnamon apple bread?

By reducing fat in the ingredients, this cinnamon apple bread is 113 calories per slice. The recommended serving size is about a 1-inch thick slice, and the amount you can eat is pretty satisfying. Don’t you hate when you see food advertised as “low-calorie” and later find out the serving size is like 2 bites? No gimmick like that here!

Ingredients

• granulated monk fruit sweetener – zero-calorie natural sweetener
• ground cinnamon – contains large amounts of highly potent polyphenol antioxidants ^[2]
• maple syrup or molasses – natural sweetener
• eggs – 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats each
• fat-free Greek yogurt – butter substitute, packed in nutrients such as calcium, protein, vitamin B12, and potassium
• fat-free milk – a rich source of high-quality protein, calcium, and phosphorus
• vanilla extract – enhances the flavor
• oat flour – finely ground oats, higher in protein, more soluble fiber, and lower in carbohydrates than regular flour
• vanilla-flavored whey protein powder – one of the best dietary sources of high-quality protein
• kosher salt – enhances the flavor of foods, no iodine
• baking powder – a leavening agent
• cored and finely diced Granny Smith apple – low calorie, fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free; contain fiber and vitamin C ^[3]

Instruction

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9” x 4.5” loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Line the long side of the pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again.

2. In a small bowl, mix granulated monk fruit sweetener, maple syrup (or molasses), and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated monk fruit sweetener on medium speed until pale and creamy.

4. Add fat-free Greek yogurt, fat-free milk, and vanilla, then mix until evenly combined.

5. Add oat flour, vanilla flavored protein powder, salt, and baking powder and mix until fully combined.

6. Add the diced apples to the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.

7. Spoon about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the cinnamon sweetener mixture on top of the batter. 

8. Spoon the remaining batter over top, followed by the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Lightly cut through batter with a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon mixture.

9. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool completely before slicing for a few hours or overnight.

If you like this cinnamon apple bread, you may also like

• Earl Grey Pound Cake – Low-Calorie
• Blueberry Scone with Lemon Glaze – Low-Calorie
• Brownie Bites – Packed with Protein

Cinnamon Apple Bread – Low Calorie

This low-calorie cinnamon apple bread is moist, full of apple chunks, and perfect for fall. There is so much flavor from apples chunks and cinnamon that you wouldn’t believe this is sugar-free and butter-free! It also contains 8 grams of protein per serving.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 slices

Calories 113 kcal

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• 9" x 4.5" loaf pan
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

  

For the cinnamon swirl

• ½ cups granulated monk fruit sweetener 90g
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ tablespoons maple syrup or molasses

For the bread

• 2 eggs large
• ½ cups granulated monk fruit sweetener 90g
• ½ cups fat-free Greek yogurt
• ½ cups fat-free milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups oat flour 180g, *See notes
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder 30g
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup Granny Smith apple cored and finely diced, peel the apple if you prefer

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9” x 4.5” loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Line the long side of the pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again.
• In a small bowl, mix granulated monk fruit sweetener, maple syrup (or molasses), and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated monk fruit sweetener on medium speed until pale and creamy.
• Add fat-free Greek yogurt, fat-free milk, and vanilla, then mix until evenly combined.
• Add oat flour, vanilla flavored protein powder, salt, and baking powder and mix until fully combined.
• Add the diced apples to the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
• Spoon about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the cinnamon sweetener mixture on top of the batter. 
• Spoon the remaining batter over top, followed by the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Lightly cut through batter with a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon mixture.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool completely before slicing for a few hours or overnight.

Notes

*Oat flour can be made at home! Just grind rolled oats in a blender or a food processor.

Keyword cinnamon apple bread

The post Cinnamon Apple Bread – Low-Calorie appeared first on Simply A Homebody.

Since the referenced video was meant for Japanese audiences, I, who live in the US, had to modify a few things during the process.

Working with Metrics

First of all, I don’t usually work with metrics so I had to convert all measurements to cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. I had some bread-making experiences in the past so whenever I felt the conversion was not accurate, I improvised to make it work. I’m listing the original recipe ingredients plus measurements below in case someone is more familiar with the metric system. If you are like me, try following my improvised version in the main recipe area.

Small Portion

Another problem I encountered was the quantity. This recipe makes a smaller amount of bread than a lot of US-based recipes. I’m used to making everything in US size (=Super size LOL) so I had to find the smallest baking dish I had for this bread, which was 8 inches by 6 inches. Instead of separating the dough into 16 pieces like the original recipe, I divided the dough into 8. Because of it, my bread didn’t turn out square like most of the pull-apart bread on Instagram, but I think it still looks fine:)

Decorating the Pull-Apart Bread

Decorating the bread would have been a little easier if I lived in Japan. Chocolate decoration pens are commonly available to purchase over there. They come in various colors of chocolate that are already packaged in pen-shaped plastic. I don’t have easy access to them in the US, but making chocolate pens is super easy with some piping bags, Ziplock bags, or paper cones.

Melt some white chocolate in a microwave and add some food coloring of your choice and mix. Package it into a piping bag/Ziplock bag/paper cones and ta-da! You have your own chocolate decoration pen. For a black chocolate pen, using milk chocolate or dark chocolate is recommended to achieve a rich black color without too much food coloring.

Summary

After I finished making this Rilakkuma pull-apart bread, it was too cute to eat. I somewhat felt sad eating it, but the taste was definitely worth it. I liked it was semi-sweet, but not overly sweet like desserts. The texture was soft and chewy, which reminded me of Hawaiian sweet rolls. Overall, I’m really happy how everything turned out, and I hope you get to try this too<3

Rilakkuma Pull-Apart Bread

Semi-sweet rolls with cute Rilakkuma face

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Decorating 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 8 pieces of bread

Equipment

• Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowls
• Piping bags/Ziplock bags/Paper cones

Ingredients

  

Bread

• 1 3/4 cup flour plus more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 packet Red Star active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tablespoon warm water
• some vegetable oil for greasing the baking dish

White Chocolate Pen

• 1/8 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 tablespoon milk

Pink Chocolate Pen

• 1/8 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 tablespoon milk
• pink food coloring

Yellow Chocolate Pen

• 1/8 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 tablespoon milk
• yellow food coloring

Black Chocolate Pen

• 1/8 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 tablespoon milk
• black food coloring

Instructions

For the bread

• Grease the baking dish with vegetable oil.
• In a small bowl, mix warm milk (about 110°F or 43°C), active dry yeast, and sugar. Set aside.
• In another small bowl, mix warm water and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, unsalted butter, salt, and yeast mixture until it becomes one ball of dough. If the dough is too wet, keep adding ⅛ cup of flour at a time and mix until the dough holds a ball-shape.
• Take out the dough on the floured surface and knead the dough by hand until it’s smooth and elastic (about 10 min)
• Evenly split the dough into 2. Set aside one half of the dough in a bowl and cover with saran wrap. Let it rest in a warm environment for 1 hour or until it becomes twice the size.
• On the other half of the dough, add a small amount of the unsweetened cocoa powder liquid at a time and knead. Keep kneading until all cocoa powder liquid is evenly combined with the dough. Once combined, put the dough in a bowl and cover it with saran wrap. Let it rest in a warm environment for 1 hour or until it becomes twice the size.
• Once risen, punch the plain dough to release the air. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Then cut about ⅛ portions of the dough from every 4 pieces for ears. Make 4 large balls of dough and 8 small balls of dough for ears. Repeat the same for the chocolate dough.
• Line the large balls of dough in a greased baking dish by alternating two colors. Then attach the tiny balls of “ears” to the main dough. *Place the ears on top and grub a small portion of dough from the bottom of the ear with a toothpick, then keep stubbing into the main dough until the ears stick.
• Once ears are attached, let it rise in a warm environment for 30 min or until it becomes twice the size.
• Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake the bread for 10 min. Uncover and bake more for 5-10 min longer depending on the oven (I have a convection oven, and it took a total of 20 min to finish). Let it cool.

Notes

Preparing A Warm Environment for The Dough

The best temperature for yeast fermentation is between 90˚F-95˚F (32˚C-35˚C) [1], but what if you want to bake this bread in cold weather? Instead of cranking up the room temperature, heat your oven to the lowest temperature that you can set to (Mine was 170˚F). Then, turn it off and slightly leave the door open. Cool the inside till it hits somewhat similar to a hot summer day temperature. Then place the dough to rise inside the oven and close the door.

 

Softening Hardened Chocolate Pens

If your chocolate pens get hardened while you are still decorating, grab some hot water and pour it into a cup. Once the cup gets warm, press the chocolate pens against the cup and soften the chocolate.

Keyword Bread

If you like this Rilakkuma Pull-Apart Bread, you might also like:

• Ham and Cheese Pockets – Rilakkuma
• Rilakkuma Macarons

The post How To Make Rilakkuma Pull-Apart Bread appeared first on Simply A Homebody.