Coffee Bun

My partner and I tried this coffee bun at the quay and loved it the first time so we went back for more today. It's crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. While we were quaffing the coffee that went with it, I figured I could try making the roll myself so I went on the net and found this photo and recipe from Yummy.

I found two more versions of this bun, which is called Mexican coffee bun, but it originated in Malaysia: here and here.

Nothing beats enjoying this light and sweet roll (with a buttery sweet center and coffee icing) fresh out of the oven, but don’t forget to cool it slightly to get that delicate crunch.

Makes 8 pieces  Prep Time 2 to 3 hours   Baking Time 30 minutes

1 3/4 cups sifted bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons full powdered cream milk
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cooled
1 egg
1/2 cup water

For the filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

For the topping
1/2 cup unsalted butter
8 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 egg whites
1/2 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sifted all-purpose flour

1  In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix with a dough hook at low speed for 7 minutes.

2 Transfer mixture to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until it doubles in size.

3  Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat all ingredients together until light. Scoop tablespoonfuls of mixture into a sheet pan lined with baking paper; freeze until ready to use.

4  Punch down dough and scale into 60-gram portions; shape and set aside.

5  Take one piece and flatten the sides while maintaining a thicker center.

6  Place frozen filling in the center, gather side to enclose, and seal. Place the seam side down. Repeat with the rest of the portions.

7  Arrange the balls on a sheet pan and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm, draft-free room (or unused oven) until they double in size.

8  Make the topping: Beat butter and sugar until light. Add coffee; mix until well incorporated. Add remaining ingredients. Beat at medium speed until thick. Refrigerate until ready to use. Transfer to a piping bag with a number 12 plain tip when ready to use.

9  Pipe topping in a spiral design, from the center going out.

10 Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Selling it? Try these ideas!
 •  Sprinkle topping with chocolate chips.

 •  Cut down coffee to 1 teaspoon and add 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder to the topping mix. 

 •  Add peanut butter to the filling replacing half of the butter.


A comment from someone who's tried the recipe: our group tried this one on our baking class, we measured it right but we ended up in having a wet dough ( i think it's not really a dough because it's just like a thick mixture). we added 1 cup bread flour to make dough -like. what do you think went wrong when we did it?