Matcha Black Sesame Rolls

matcha rolls with black sesame filling and black sesame cream cheese frosting on blue plate.

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Earthy matcha and nutty black sesame combine forces in theses soft, pillowy bread rolls. Finished with a tangy black sesame cream cheese frosting, these matcha rolls are the perfect balance of bold and sweet!

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Dough Rest Time1 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Bread, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Servings: rolls

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Ingredients

Matcha Dough:

½ cup water
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (7 g)
¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (63 g)
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs room temp
4 cup all-purpose flour (520 g)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 teaspoons matcha powder* (8 g)
5 Tablespoon unsalted butter (70 g) room temperature
¼ cup half & half (or milk or heavy cream) before baking*

Black Sesame Filling

½ cup salted butter (113 g), room temp, softened
½ cup black sesame powder (60 g)
½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)

Black Sesame Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup block style cream cheese (4 oz/ 113 g), room temp
¼ cup salted butter (57 g) room temp, softened
2 Tablespoon honey (40 g)
1 cup confectioners' sugar (120 g)
½ cup black sesame powder (60 g)

Instructions

Dough

Whisk yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into warm water. Let sit for 5-7 minutes to bubble and active.
*Buy new yeast if mixture does not bubble. Or, check temperature of water and start over.
Pour yeast mixture, remaining sugar, milk, and eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together.
In a large bowl, sift matcha powder into flour and salt. Whisk together. Add 2 cups of flour mixture to mixing bowl. Use the hook attachment to mix the dough together. Mix on low speed until flour is incorporated. Add another 1 cup of flour. Continue to knead on low speed, adding softened butter 1 Tbsp at a time.
Add remaining cup of flour and knead until the dough is smooth and almost cleans the sides of the bowl.
*The dough will be a little sticky and tacky. Do not add additional flour.
Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest at room temperature for about an hour until dough has doubled in volume.

Filling

In a food processor, combine butter, black sesame powder, and granulated sugar until smooth. Alternatively, mix using an electric hand mixer. Set aside, keep covered until ready to use.

Assembly

Punch down risen dough. Transfer to clean work surface. Roll dough into a 20 x 14-inch rectangle.
Spread filling mixture all over shaped dough. Starting at the edge, roll dough into a tight log. Slice log into 12 equal parts.
Place cut rolls in a 9x12-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rolls rise for 30-45 minutes until rolls have expanded and puffed up. (see notes for overnight proofing option)
*They are ready when the rolls are touching each other and the dough springs back very slowly when poked.

Bake

Preheat oven to 325℉. Remove plastic wrap covering from rolls. Pour heavy cream over the the edges of the risen matcha rolls.
Bake for 25 minutes. At this point the rolls will be golden brown on top. Cover with foil tent. Return to over for another 10-15 minutes until internal temperature of bread registers at least 190℉. Let rolls sit in muffin tin for 5 minutes before unmolding.
Unmold rolls and place on wire rack to cool further.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Using an electric hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, and honey until smooth. Add in confectioners' sugar and black sesame powder. Mix until smooth. Spread over warm matcha rolls. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use weight measurements for best results.
Use high-quality matcha to ensure vibrant green color and rich flavor. Lower quality matcha can taste bitter and turn dull brown when baked.
Black sesame powder (also called black sesame flour) can be found at Asian markets, health stores, and Amazon.com
Original images use two of these giant 6-cup muffin pans to bake the bread rolls. Updated images are baked in this 9x13-inch baking pan.

Overnight Option: Shape and slice the rolls. Place in baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap or lid. Refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours max). The following morning, remove rolls from the fridge. Let sit at room temperature for about 45-60 minutes until dough is slightly puffy. (It make take longer if ambiant room temperature is cold) Bake as usual.

*The original 2016 recipe was topped with tangerine glaze. Whisk together 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 Tablespoons tangerine juice, and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth. Drizzle over warm matcha rolls.

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