Coffee Buns
Whether you are like me who breathe, drink, and bleed coffee and can’t start your day without one; or a normal person who appreciates a good cup of coffee, this Coffee Buns recipe is for you.
If you are looking for something more filling but still want to enjoy the invigorating aroma and flavor of your favorite beverage, these are just perfect. These goodies are fragrant, combining both the refreshing smell of newly baked bread and the energizing and earthy aroma of roasted coffee. These dome-shaped buns are soft, slightly sweet, and buttery with a hint of coffee. Paired with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, this is a perfect way to jump-start your day. The best part is, you can make these at home anytime with only a few basic ingredients that is mostly present in your pantry.
WHAT ARE COFFEE BUNS?
Coffee buns or Kopi Roti are soft dome-shaped buns covered with sweet and crumbly coffee cookie crust, with warm and buttery filling. It is initially popular in Singapore and Malaysia, and has now spread its popularity all over Asia.
HISTORY
There is varying information about the origin of “Kopi Roti” or coffee buns. Is it from Mexico? Malaysia? Singapore? To delve deeper, let’s start with the origin of the word: The word Roti (also known as chapatti) is a Hindi word for bread. Kopi is a type of traditional coffee local to Singapore and Malaysia. It is a highly caffeinated black coffee served with milk and sugar.
“Kopi Roti” is technically a café, a concept originated from Singapore when kopi tiams (a Malay word which means coffee shop) started catering to a very demanding clientele, locals who knew how coffee should be blended. It turns out the coffee bun that we know today is far from the Indian roti. It is neither of Indian nor Mexican origin but from a bakery in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. Kopi Roti, coffee buns, Mexican coffee buns, rotiboy, rotibuns, mocha buns… who cares about names anyway? So long as we get our coffee fix, regardless of the form, we should be fine.
COFFEE BUNS VARIATIONS
– Matcha flavored Kopi Roti is an infusion of the recently popular flavor “matcha” and coffee crust all in a fluffy dome-shaped bun.
– Korean Style Coffee Buns are slightly sweeter. It can be stuffed with red bean paste or a little butter.
– Coffee Buns with filling is a step-up on the coffee buns game by adding different fillings like red bean or chocolate
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS:
Domes sank after cooling down
– It could be the oven temperature. If it is too high it can cause the bread to rise too rapidly.
– The yeast in your bread has exhausted itself and does not have any more energy after you put
it in the oven. Also, your bread dough has expanded too much and when you put it in the oven it cannot rise anymore because the yeast doesn’t produce any more gasses and collapses.
It does not smell/taste like coffee
– Use coffee black coffee powder, not 3 in 1. You may also add coffee liquor or essence for
additional flavor
Spongy coffee toppings
– Don’t over-beat the eggs.
Coffee Topping is very thin
– Beat the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. If you are not going to use the coffee
topping immediately refrigerate it so it will not melt. If it is soft, it will melt and it will become
runny and will pool at the base as soon as you put the buns in the oven.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
- Steamed Pork Buns or also called SIOPAO BOLA BOLA.
- HOTDOG ROLLS
- PORK FLOSS BUNS
Coffee Buns
Ingredients
For making the dough
- 7 grams dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 4 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 60 grams soften butter
For making the coffee topping
- 2 tsp hot water
- 3 tsp coffee granules
- 1 beaten egg
- 3 1½ tbsp sugar
- ½ cup + 2 tsp cake flour
Filling
- 10 grams butter (filling for each bun)
Instructions
Making the dough
- In a small bowl pour the warm milk then add the dry active yeast. Let sit for 5 mins to bloom.
- In a mixing bowl add flour and sugar. Mix until well incorporated. When the yeast-milk mixture is ready pour into the dry ingredients then mix by hand until incorporated.
- Add soften butter and salt then knead until the dough become smooth and elastic. NOTE: If you’re using a stand mixer, attached bowl and use a hook attachment. Start mixer starting from the lowest speed. Increase speed after a minute or so.
- Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cling film or clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Making the coffee topping
- Add 2 tsp hot water into the coffee granules and stir until granules dissolves. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, Tip in butter and whisk until creamy. Add sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves.
- Tip in beaten egg then whisk until fully incorporated. Mix-in the liquefied coffee then sift the flour into the bowl. Whisk until no traces of flour is left.
- Transfer in a piping bag with a circular tip and set aside. NOTE: You can place topping in the refrigerator to keep it from becoming too soft.
Assembly
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the dough is double in size, lightly punch it to release air. Cut the dough into small sizes, approx. 80 grams each.
- Take a piece of dough and form into a ball then flatten it by hand or a rolling pin. Place 10 grams of butter in the center of the dough then seal by gathering the sides of the dough towards the middle. Pinch and twist the top to seal the ends together.
- Place the finished dough with the sealed side at the bottom on a parchment paper. Repeat the process for the remaining dough. Cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 20 minutes or double in size. Pre-heat oven at 180°C / 356 ° F.
- Take the piping bag with coffee topping. Hold the bag straight up, with the tip about half an inch above the surface of your buns. Squeeze from center and make a swirl up to the edge of the buns.
- Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes . Allow to cool on the baking sheets a little before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool. Bon appetit!
Hi Mia,
Just wanted to inform you that I just made this today and they were very soft! I actually made 3 types. I made the coffee one then I made chocolate and lastly I made cheese. I just substituted chocolate/cheese for the toppings and they actually came out great!
Thanks for always sharing!
Hey Meriam,
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you’re finding ways to create new flavors, good for you!