Description
Easy Papparoti is a soft, buttery Malaysian coffee bun topped with a crispy, aromatic coffee-flavored crust. This recipe features a tender dough filled with chilled butter cubes and a rich coffee topping that cracks beautifully once baked, making it perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
For the Filling:
- 6–8 small cubes of unsalted butter (about 1 tsp each), chilled
For the Coffee Topping:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, warm water, and egg, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Incorporate the softened unsalted butter and continue kneading until fully blended. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Make the Coffee Topping: While the dough rises, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, dissolved instant coffee, and vanilla extract, mixing well. Gradually mix in the flour until the topping turns smooth. Transfer this mixture into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Shape the Buns: Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 6–8 equal portions. Flatten each portion slightly, place a small chilled butter cube in the center, then seal and shape into a smooth ball. Place each bun on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allow them to rise again for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the buns.
- Apply Coffee Topping: Using the piping bag, pipe a thin spiral of the prepared coffee topping onto the surface of each bun. Make sure the topping covers the bun generously for the signature cracked crust.
- Bake the Buns: Bake in the preheated oven for 15–18 minutes or until the buns turn golden brown and the coffee topping has cracked and crisped beautifully.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving. Enjoy best when warm, straight out of the oven.
Notes
- Best enjoyed warm, right out of the oven for maximum flavor and texture.
- You can prepare the coffee topping ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- For a stronger coffee flavor, substitute instant espresso powder instead of instant coffee.
