Mini Coffee & Matcha Roti Buns (Kopi Roti)
Lately, I’ve been using a lot of butter experimenting with these delightful Mini Coffee & Matcha Roti Buns. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple they are to make, yet they deliver a deliciously fluffy and airy texture with a perfectly crisp coating. To add an extra touch, I even whipped up some Matcha Butter to use as a filling for the matcha buns. Here’s a detailed guide on how to make these scrumptious buns at home.
What is Roti Bun?
Roti buns, also known as coffee buns or “kopi roti”, originated in Penang, Malaysia, and have gained popularity across Asia. They are soft, fluffy milk bread topped with a sweet, crunchy cookie crust. Despite their name, these buns are not directly related to coffee but rather have a delightful coffee flavor thanks to a crispy, coffee-infused topping. The concept of roti buns is similar to Mexican conchas, Japanese melon pan, and Hong Kong pineapple buns. All these variations feature a soft bread base with a contrasting crispy crust. Roti buns are often enjoyed warm with a cup of tea or coffee, making them a perfect treat for any time of day.
Key Ingredients
Bread Dough
- Bread Flour: Provides structure and a chewy texture to the buns.
- Instant Yeast: Helps the dough rise quickly, ensuring a light and fluffy texture.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and feeds the yeast for better rising.
- Milk: Adds moisture and richness to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter: Creates a soft, tender crumb and enhances flavor.
- Egg: Adds richness and helps with the dough’s elasticity.
Coffee and Matcha Toppings
- Instant Coffee: Used in the coffee topping to give a robust flavor to the buns.
- Matcha Powder: Provides a vibrant green color and a subtle, earthy flavor to the matcha buns.
- Cake Flour: Forms the base of the topping, providing a fine texture.
- Unsalted Butter and Sugar: Creates the crispy, sweet topping that adds contrast to the soft buns.
- Egg: Binds all ingredients together
Matcha Butter Filling (Optional)
- Salted Butter: Use chilled, softened salted butter for a sweet and salty contrast. The chilled butter is easier to cut into squares and place in the center of the dough.
- Matcha Powder: Adds a rich, matcha flavor to the butter, enhancing the overall taste of the buns.
To prepare the filling, mix the softened salted butter with matcha powder until well combined. Cut the butter into small squares and use these to fill the center of each dough ball before shaping them into buns.
Tips to Make the Best Roti Buns
- Use Fresh Yeast: Make sure your instant yeast is fresh and active for the best rise. If it’s old or expired, the dough may not rise properly.
- Freeze the Butter for the Filling: After cutting the chilled salted butter into cubes, freeze them. This prevents the butter from melting into the dough while shaping and during the rising phase, ensuring a better texture.
- Chill the Topping: If you’re not using the coffee topping immediately or if your kitchen is warm, refrigerate it. It’s best to chill the buttercream topping for a few minutes before applying it to the dough. This helps prevent it from melting too quickly in the oven, allowing it to form a thicker, crispier crust on top of the buns.
- Enjoy Freshly Baked: Kopi Roti is at its best when enjoyed fresh and warm. The coffee caramel or matcha crust tends to lose its crunch over time. To restore the crispiness, re-bake the buns for about 10 minutes.
Mini Coffee & Matcha Roti Buns (Kopi Roti)
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 110 mL milk
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 170 g bread flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 17 g sugar
- 15 g unsalted butter room temperature
Coffee Coating (for 4 buns)
- 25 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 25 g sugar
- 35 g cake flour
- ½ egg approx. 25g
- 2 tsp instant coffee powder
- 1½ tsp hot water
Matcha Coating (for 4 buns)
- 25 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 25 g sugar
- 35 g cake flour
- ½ egg approx. 25g
- 2 tsp matcha powder sifted
- 2 tsp hot water
Matcha Butter Fillings (for 4 buns), optional
- 20 g salted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp matcha powder sifted
- 1 tsp sugar
Regular Butter Fillings (for 4 buns)
- 20 g salted butter frozen
Instructions
To Prepare Matcha/Regular Butter Filling:
- In a bowl, combine matcha powder and sugar.
- Mix this with softened butter until smooth and free of lumps.
- Freeze the matcha butter for at least 1 hour.
- Also, freeze 20g of regular butter for at least 1 hour.
To Prepare Dough:
- Microwave milk for 30 seconds. Stir in the instant yeast and let it sit for a few minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar.
- Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Cut the softened (but not melted) butter into cubes. Gradually add these cubes into the dough, kneading until the dough is elastic and smooth. This may take around 20 to 30 minutes.
- Once the dough becomes very elastic, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
To Prepare Matcha/Coffee Coating:
- Mix instant coffee powder (or matcha powder) with hot water and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the softened unsalted butter until creamy.
- Add sugar to the butter and whisk until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and fluffy. This may take a few minutes if using a hand mixer.
- In a small ramekin, whisk the egg. Gradually add the egg to the butter mixture, whisking until fully combined. There may be slight separation, which is normal.
- Add the coffee/matcha mixture to the butter and mix until well combined.
- Sift all-purpose flour into the mixture and stir until smooth with no lumps.
- Transfer the coffee/matcha mixture into piping bags and set aside.
To Assemble:
- When the dough is ready, it should hold its shape after being poked.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, each weighing 35g.
- Roll each piece into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide the frozen matcha and regular butter into 8 pieces, each weighing 5g.
- Flatten one dough ball and place a piece of butter (matcha or regular) on top. Seal the dough around the butter, ensuring it’s enclosed completely. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Cover the shaped dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F).
- Transfer the risen dough onto a baking sheet.
- Cut the end of the piping bag and pipe the coffee/matcha mixture in a spiral pattern, starting from the middle top of each bun and covering about 3/4 of the bun.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are crisp and golden brown.
- Let the buns rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
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