Ube Bread Rolls

Soft and ultra fluffy, these Ube Bread Rolls are filled with a creamy ube jam inside and finished with a luscious cream cheese frosting!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Asian, Filipino

Keyword filled bread, sweet buns recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 20

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 470kcal

Author sanna

Equipment

Stand mixer affiliate link
9x13 inch baking pan

Ingredients

FOR THE UBE (PURPLE YAM) FILLING

1 stick (or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 can condensed milk (300 ml)
1 can coconut milk (400 ml)
1 lb frozen grated ube (purple yam), found in Asian groceries, see note 1.

FOR THE BREAD

2¼ tsp active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water 105-115 ℉
⅔ cup warm milk
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 large egg
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided plus up to 3 tbsp. extra

For the Egg Wash

1 egg
1 tbsp. milk

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

125 grams cream cheese softened
¼ cup butter
½ cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

MAKE THE UBE FILLING

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the coconut milk and condensed milk and stir until heated. Add the grated ube (purple yam) and stir everything together. This process takes 35-45 minutes. Stir the mixture often and do not allow the mixture to boil or bubble vigorously. Maintain a heat level to slowly cook the mixture until it is thick. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a crust. The ube is ready once the mixture is not flowy any more but has a more spreadable consistency. Transfer the ube jam/ paste to a container and set aside.

MAKE THE BREAD

Proof the Yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and about 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let this sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the milk, egg, cream, the remaining sugar and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon.
Add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring well with the wooden spoon after each addition. Now using the remaining flour, add gradually and stir, just until the mixture gathers into a shaggy ball of dough. You will not need the entire amount of flour here.
Knead the Dough. Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Knead the dough on medium-high speed, gradually adding the remaining flour while the mixer is running. Knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is cleaning the sides of the bowl, and is smooth and stretchy. You may have used the entire amount of flour at this point. If the dough is still sticky and not gathering, sprinkle up to 3 tbsp more of extra flour as you knead. see note 2
Gather the dough into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise until doubled, about an hour to an hour and a half.
Shape the Dough. After rising, dust a clean surface with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle that is about ¼ inch thick. Spread ube jam on the rectangular dough. You will not use all of the ube jam here. Roll the dough into a log starting on the short edge. Then cut the log into 12 equal portions.
Let the rolls rise. Arrange the rolls in a parchment-lined 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for an hour, until they are soft, puffy and touching. Brush egg wash on the surface of the rolls.
Bake the ube buns at 350℉ for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Let cool then, spread cream cheese icing on top.

Egg Wash

Beat together milk and egg. Brush on the buns before baking.

Cream Cheese Icing

Beat together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and spreadable. Adjust the consistency by adding more sugar to thicken it up, or add milk a little a time, to thin it out.

Video

Notes

Purple Yam. you can also use fresh purple yam. Peel it first, then grate it. Or you can also pre-boil them, then mash. Continue with the recipe. You will need 1 lb of purple yam.

2. Kneading the Dough. The dough is adequately kneaded once it can stretch thinly like in a window pane test. Not sure? Check out How to Knead Bread Dough with Video.

Nutrition