Coconut Buns with Cream

Najat

Photo by Najat

If you’re a fan of soft, fluffy bread with a sweet twist, you have to try these Coconut Cream Buns. They’re made with pillowy milk bread rolls, brushed with condensed milk, topped with shredded coconut, and filled with the most dreamy mascarpone cream. Think of it as a mix between a Chinese bakery–style coconut bun and a modern cream roll.

What I love most about these buns is how versatile they are: enjoy them as a sweet snack, serve them at brunch, or impress your guests with a homemade treat that looks straight out of a bakery. And don’t worry, even though they look fancy, this is an easy coconut bun recipe that you can totally make at home. The dough is simple, the filling comes together in minutes, and the result is pure bakery-style bliss.

So, whether you call them coconut cream buns, coconut rolls, or just soft sweet buns filled with cream, one thing’s for sure: these are going to disappear fast once they hit the table!

2 h15 min

14 Portions

Medium

Ingredients

Portions

DOUGH

100 ml coconut milk, lukewarm

160 ml milk, lukewarm

9 g instant yeast

25 g white caster sugar

16 g vanilla sugar, 2 tbsp, or 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, (m)

50 ml sunflower oil

500 g flour, all-purpose flour

5 g salt, ⅚ tsp

GARNISH

1 egg, beaten

COATING

50 g condensed milk

100 g grated coconut

CREAM

250 g mascarpone

50 g condensed milk

8 g vanilla sugar, 1 tbsp

16 g whipped cream stabilizer, 2 tbsps, or 2 tsps cornstarch

250 ml heavy cream

Tips

Make sure the milk and coconut milk are not too hot (around 37 °C / 98 °F). Too hot will deactivate the yeast, and too cold will slow the rising process.

Cover the dough while rising. Use a tea towel or plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.

By covering the buns with a tea towel immediately after baking, they stay nice and soft.

Add a little lime or lemon zest to the cream for a refreshing contrast to the coconut.

Instructions

Place the lukewarm coconut milk, lukewarm milk, yeast, white caster sugar, and vanilla sugar in a deep bowl. Mix well and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.

Add the egg and sunflower oil, and mix until combined. Add the flour and salt. Knead the dough for 10–12 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Deflate the dough and divide into 14 equal pieces of about 60 g each. Shape into balls.

Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush with the beaten egg and let the dough rise again for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Bake the buns in a preheated oven at 190 °C (375 °F) for 10–12 minutes, or until done. Immediately cover with a clean tea towel after baking.

Brush the warm buns with condensed milk and sprinkle with grated coconut.

Let the buns cool slightly.

Prepare the cream: Place the mascarpone, condensed milk, vanilla sugar, and whipped cream stabilizer in a deep bowl and mix for 1 minute. Gradually add the heavy cream and whip until firm. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a nozzle.