Aromatic Homemade Coffee Bean Buns
How to Make Coffee Bean Buns
I’ve heard that Gangneung’s coffee bean buns are famous, and I was curious about their taste, so I decided to make them myself! After searching online, I found various recipes, but I opted for one using melted butter. While I thought adding coffee flavoring might enhance the aroma, I wanted to make them as healthy as possible at home, so I omitted any artificial additives. Here’s how to make these delightful coffee bean buns with instant coffee and basic baking ingredients! Let’s get baking!
Ingredients (Makes approx. 19-20 buns)
- 70g cake flour
- 30g almond flour
- 3g baking powder
- 55g granulated sugar
- 10g honey
- 65g melted unsalted butter
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 30g warm milk
- 6g instant coffee powder
- 1 Tbsp Kahlúa (optional)
- 2 pinches of salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, cut about 65g of butter into pieces and place it in the microwave. Melt it completely by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, for about two cycles. Be careful as it will be hot.
Step 2
Warm 30g of milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds until it’s lukewarm. Add 6g of instant coffee powder to the warm milk and stir until fully dissolved. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of Kahlúa and mix well to create the coffee liquid base. (Kahlúa adds extra flavor but can be omitted if you don’t have it. I used homemade Kahlúa.)
Step 3
In a large bowl, lightly beat 1 room-temperature egg with a whisk. Add 55g of granulated sugar, 10g of honey, and 2 pinches of salt. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved. It’s important to mix thoroughly to eliminate any eggy smell.
Step 4
Pour the warm milk and coffee mixture prepared earlier into the egg mixture and whisk until evenly combined. Ensure all liquid ingredients are well incorporated.
Step 5
Sift 70g of cake flour, 30g of almond flour, and 3g of baking powder together directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Sifting the dry ingredients helps create a smoother batter without lumps. Gently mix with a spatula or whisk until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.
Step 6
Finally, pour in the completely melted butter. Use the whisk to mix everything together until you achieve a smooth and glossy batter. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop gluten and result in a tougher bun.
Step 7
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter for about 30 minutes to rest. Resting the dough allows it to stabilize, making it easier to shape and resulting in a better texture when baked.
Step 8
Transfer the rested batter into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a ziplock bag with one corner snipped off.
Step 9
Lightly grease your coffee bean bun molds with a little extra butter (not included in the recipe ingredients) to prevent sticking. Pipe the batter into each mold, filling it about 80% full. Filling them too much might cause them to overflow during baking. Gently tap the mold on the counter to even out the batter.
Step 10
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12-13 minutes. The buns are done when the tops feel slightly firm and dry to the touch. Carefully remove the mold from the oven, give it a gentle tap on the counter to release the buns, and then let them cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy your delicious homemade coffee bean buns!
