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Japanese French Cheese Bread??

Akie

後輩
17 Feb 2009
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Hello great minds,
I have stumpled on your fabulous Japanese forum and I am wondering if you can help me with the answer to this question I have been seeking for years.
For all these years, every Japanese bakery I go into, they ALL have this type of "Japanse French cheese" bread. They usually would either dice the cheese up and stuff it inside of breads or on top of any crusty breads. The cheese is pale yellow and it is wonderful. Until this day I can not figure out what type of cheese it is but I would like to find out and start making my own cheese bread that saves me trips to Japan just to have the breads that bring me back my childhood. I have attached a few pictures for your review and hopefully you can help me with this.

Thank you so much for your time. I truly appreciate it!

P.S. Picture 2 and 3 you can find the little round French crusty bread that has this pale yellow cheese diced up on top as I mentioned above.

P.S.S. A lot of the recipes I searched for Japanese cheese bread all call for "プロセスチーズ" which means processed cheese but I know for a fact that the プロセスチーズ they mean sure taste nothing like the processed cheese we have here in the US. I am wondering if there is any information on Japanese processed cheese? Any site?
 

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Also...

I am wondering is there any good Japanese baking site such as cookpad? I am specifically looking for Japanese bread or pastry baking sites that contain recipes.

If you happen to know any please post here. The more the merrier! :)
 
In Japan, processed cheese is commonly used because it is the type most widely available at supermarkets and shops and probably the cheapest. If you are in the US or Europe, I bet there are great cheeses to make the bread taste even better. I sure would choose them over Japanese processed cheese anytime! Just make sure the cheese is not too salty and doesn't melt too quickly.

Here is what Japanese processed cheese looks like. The most famous is Snow Brand, but similar products are offered by Meiji and Morinaga, as well as less well-known manufacturers:

The original Japanese processed cheese from Snow Brand

The same type of cheese in 6 portions (maybe a bit saltier than the uncut, unsliced type):

Snow Brand 6P Cheese webpage

Recipes can be found by googling:
Google search results

I hope it helps!
 
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Thank you so much for the clear answer. Although I won't be able to buy these Japanese processed cheeses but at least now I have the answer I was seeking for years.

Here in the US we do have pretty much all the cheeses you can name that is out there. The closest taste to the Japanese processed cheese I found was actually Gruyere or Cantal, which still doesn't compare because the Japanese processed cheese calls for childhood.

Thanks for the links as well. I am always inviting anyone to link me more Japan baking recipe sites. :)
 
Yeah Japanese cheese is quite unique in its way...
In France, we use mainly Gruyère or Parmesan as grated cheese, that but in the US, I've mainly found artificial cheeses. The "real" ones being a lil bit too pricey, I had to deal with it...
 
In Japan it is called "Cheezu Pan" and I always seek it out when lived there and when I visit as it is the most tasteful of all. epigene alluded to, and posted a link for "Snow Brand Cheese" which, in my experience is the most common cheese used in "Cheezu Pan". If it is processed cheese, it is far superior to any processed cheese I have ever tasted and tastes more like real cheese than anything. Also, the Snow brand of cheese is probably the best tasting cheese I have ever eaten.

It is not that hard to make, but I have yet to come across the same taste as Japanese "Cheezu Pan". Take a small piece of French Bread, remove some of the dough in the middle through the top and insert cubed real cheese and bake/warm in an oven for about 10 minutes or so, but not long enough for the cheese to melt. Just warm enough for it to cling to the bread. Not the same, but close enough for me.
 
Pachipro,

When you said, "remove some of the dough in the middle through the top and insert cubed real cheese and bake/warm in an oven for about 10 minutes or so", what did you mean by "real cheese"? There are SO many varieties out there, and I'd like to find the most similar taste to the processed Japanese cheese ( such as Snow brand ). So I wonder what type of "real cheese" you use, and I will be sure to give it a try.

Also, I found a recipe for raisin bread, which calls for 1TBS of さとう. I don't understand what it means here. It just doesn't make sense to me, so if any of you know the answer, please don't hesitate to reply.

Thanks a lot. 😄
 
Is the problem about not being able to read the hiragana for "sugar"? Or is it why 1 tablespoon of sugar is being used in the recipe?

If it's the first, problem solved now.

If it's the second, a bread recipe usually calls for yeast and yeast feeds on sugar to multiply and make the bread rise. All yeast-based breads require sugar.

The third I can think of (from eating "raisin pan" from my local bakery) is sugar sprinkled on the top of the bread as topping.

insert cubed real cheese
Pachipro admits that his wife is in charge of his household in another thread. Maybe he just knows that it tastes good but not the type or brand!! :giggle:

Sorry, Pachipro!! 😌
 
:LOL:

epigene,

The recipe calls for 2 TBS of brown sugar and I wasn't able to decipher hiragana from the site I pulled the recipe from and since the recipe already called for brown sugar so I didn't assume さとう actually meant sugar here, which I am going to assume white sugar on the contrary of brown sugar.

Thanks again for your reply. You have been so helpful. :)
 
Akie: what I meant about "Real cheese" is cheese that is unprocessed which has a distinctly different flavor and texture from processed cheese. For example, you can buy Kraft singles processed American Cheese in a package, individually wrapped, or you can go the deli of a supermarket and ask for American cheese that they slice for you by the ounce. That is real cheese and if you taste both side by side you will notice a distinct difference in taste.

epigene said:
Pachipro admits that his wife is in charge of his household in another thread. Maybe he just knows that it tastes good but not the type or brand!!

Sorry, Pachipro!!
LOL epigene. Yes, she may be in charge of the household per se and 99% of the cooking, but I am allowed in the kitchen (shhh, don't tell the mother-in-law) to do some of my own cooking and such like making homemade vegetable beef soup, my chili, Sunday morning breakfasts, etc. and adding cheeses to my french bread.

In the case of the "cheezu pan", I cannot remember which cheese is closest to "Snow Brand" as I have tried so many over the years. However, white American is pretty good and most deli's will give you a free slice for tasting. I have used Chedder (not so good), Swiss, (so-so), Muenster (too soft) and a variety of other cheeses. However, the one I like best, and is my preference in French Bread is Pepperjack Cheese or any cheese with jalapeno peppers as the base cheese (I have to now find out what type it is) has a strong texture and is not easily melted when microwaved or warmed in an oven. Hope this helps.

Also, you can also buy individual "real cheese" already packaged and blocked in almost any deli usually by the half pound or pound.
 
Yeah, I have pretty much tried and tasted every cheese I can get my hands on around here in Michigan and nothing tasted close to Japanese processed cheese. I mean, I at least tasted 100 types of cheese if not more. Oh well, when I go to Japan next time I will make sure to take home some.

Oh God bless Japan with her wonderful non-crappy-Kraft processed cheese!
:cracker:
 
And I just got a friend that knows a friend owns a Japanese Cruisine restaurant in Manhatten told me that the cheese in the Japanese French cheese bread I have posted above is actually a mixture of cream cheese and Dutch Edam.

Now, does that all sound familiar to you and is it used commonly in Japan for baking goods?
 
As I mentioned earlier in the thread, any cheese that the baker/chef feels appropriate will do. I've mentioned Japanese processed cheese because you said that the recipe calls for it.

Again, processed cheese is the most common choice for the bread at neighborhood bakeries just because is it most commonly available and cheap as an ingredient.

FYI, I've seen "cheese pan" with different cheeses at famous (and expensive) bakeries here in Japan. That's why the cheese you use is your choice.
 
The Meiji Brand processed cheese, called Hokkaido, reminds me of Monterey Jack Cheese, my favorite. It's creamy but slighty smokey and salty (and not easy to find in Tokyo). So maybe you could try Monterey Jack in your recipe.
 
Help!

I have a similar question. In many Japanese bakeries (especially in the basements of large department stores), they sell a cheese bread that I LOVE! The bread is flat -- almost like an oval-shaped pizza. It has melted cheese on top. It's crispy. It's tasty. It's a little piece of heaven. I asked and one of the employees said it is "American cheese" on top. I have to tell you that his tastes WAY better than the American processed cheese that you can buy in the U.S. The baker called this "French cheese bread" but it is not like the bread discussed in this thread where you put cubes of cheese in the center of the bread (and the cheese does not melt completely). The bread that I am talking about is oval-shaped, flat, and has melted cheese on top. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Do you know the name of this? Do you know what type of cheese is used? Does anybody have a recipe? I miss Japan!!!!!
 
SethMan321, next time you buy the bread, ask the bakery if they use cheddar and/or gouda cheese.
This is my wild guess, but no mozzarella cheese, because "Pizza Cheese" available at a supermarket is usually slightly more expensive when it is "mozzarella inside".

Ask Pachipro for your apprenticeship.
 
Thanks!

Thanks Pachipro! It's definitely not mozzarella. It could, however, be a variety of cheddar or gouda. I'll ask the next time I'm in Japan. Does anybody else have any recommendations?
 
Um, I think I know what seth is talking about, or at least something similar, i got it at a American Pizza Chain in California called Red Baron's Pizza :p

Its kinda like an oval shaped pizza, thats not as big as a pizza, and it has cheese and garlic and some herbs, it was pretty good, but it had garlic so it was like a pizza garlic bread thingy.

hope this helps? 😌

ahhh i love foccacia
 
I'm pretty sure it's not focaccia. Focaccia is fairly soft and this bread is crispy. The link with the image that Pipokun provides is similar. The only difference is the bread I am talking about is flat and oval-shaped -- but the concept is the same. In fact, the cheese that I am talking about looks just like the cheese in the image in the link from Pipokun. The bread (and shape) is very much like the bread here:

2393435687_8abe303693.jpg


However, the only topping is the WONDERFUL Japanese cheese that I wrote about earlier.
If any of you happen to go to a large department store in Japan like Mitsokoshi or Isetan, please stop by one of the bakeries in the basement level. One of the bakeries should have the oval-shaped, pizza-like bread with cheese on top that I am talking about. Try some -- you won't regret it! Any information on the kind of bread or cheese would be greatly appreciated!!!!
 
Hello great minds,
I have stumpled on your fabulous Japanese forum and I am wondering if you can help me with the answer to this question I have been seeking for years.
For all these years, every Japanese bakery I go into, they ALL have this type of "Japanse French cheese" bread. They usually would either dice the cheese up and stuff it inside of breads or on top of any crusty breads. The cheese is pale yellow and it is wonderful. Until this day I can not figure out what type of cheese it is but I would like to find out and start making my own cheese bread that saves me trips to Japan just to have the breads that bring me back my childhood. I have attached a few pictures for your review and hopefully you can help me with this.

Thank you so much for your time. I truly appreciate it!

P.S. Picture 2 and 3 you can find the little round French crusty bread that has this pale yellow cheese diced up on top as I mentioned above.

P.S.S. A lot of the recipes I searched for Japanese cheese bread all call for "プロセスチーズ" which means processed cheese but I know for a fact that the プロセスチーズ they mean sure taste nothing like the processed cheese we have here in the US. I am wondering if there is any information on Japanese processed cheese? Any site?
Akie, after all these years did you find a suitable cheese? Did you try emmental cheese? I know exactly which bread you're talking about and wondering the same thing myself. There are some Japanese bakeries by me in NYC that sell it and have the same taste, maybe I should ask them.
 
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