Step-By-Step Method

1. Yudane:
1. Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
2. Cling film and leave on the counter for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.  I prepared the night before.
3. Use directly from the fridge.
2. Sweet Stiff Starter 
1. In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and add in bread flour.  Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together. 
2. Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled.  It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter.  It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C. 
3. Main Dough:
1. Put all ingredients (except butter), including all the stiff starter and yudane dough into a bowl of stand mixer. Tear the stiff starter and yudane dough into pieces first.
2. Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out.  Using the paddle attachment, mix for 2 minutes or until all incorporated.  This step is critical to prevent  an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
3. Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 12 minutes or until reach window pane stage.  The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
4. 1st Proofing/Resting:  
1. In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 45 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes and the dough rose a bit. 
5. Shaping:
1. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide dough into 6 equal portions (approx. 111g each for mine). Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.  
2. Form each portion to a ball.  Please watch the video here "How to shape bun"
3. Place bun onto the baking pans lined with non-stick baking paper.  Make sure they are about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. 
6. Final Proofing:
1. I made marks with a pencil about 1.25 cm away from the original size of the buns.  Let the buns proof at a warm place until the dough rise double in size or when it reaches the pencil marks.   This one took approximately 2.5 hours at room temperature of 30C.  The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
7. Rice Paste Topping:
1. When the buns almost double in size, mix all the topping ingredients together in a bowl with a hand whisk.  Please refer to the video for the consistency of the batter.  The batter should be thin enough to spread.   Adjust with small amount of water or rice flour until you get right consistency.  
2. Set aside to rest for about 10 - 15 mins while waiting for the oven to ready.
8. Baking:
1. Preheat oven at 200C (top & bottom heat) or 180C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
2. Scoop a teaspoon of rice topping over the bun and spread evenly with a brush.
3. Place the buns in middle rack and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack.

Main Dough

Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Don’t apply the Dutch crunch topping too early — it should go on just before baking.

❌ Don’t skip final proofing — underproofed rolls won’t open up the crust.

❌ Avoid runny topping — the rice paste should be thick and spreadable.

❌ Don’t forget a warm proofing environment — aim for 28–30°C for optimal rise.

Tips for Perfect Results

1. Sourdough Starter:   
• A healthy starter is essential for successful bread baking. To ensure your bread rises well, it's important to feed your starter regularly and use it (the levain) at its peak. A consistently fed starter will be more active and reliable. If the mother starter isn’t strong, the dough may still struggle to rise properly, even if the levain is used at its peak.  For more information, click the links: "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance".
2. Gluten Development: 
• Essential for soft, airy bread, gluten is created when flour hydrates. To develop it, use techniques like autolyse or kneading. The windowpane test checks readiness—dough should stretch thin without tearing.  From my experience, high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.
3. Kneading: 
• Please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Times vary by flour and mixer type. For higher fat dough, knead longer (18–20 minutes).
4. Flour & Hydration: 
• Use high-gluten flour for optimal texture. Always reserve some liquid to adjust dough consistency for best results.   If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency.
5. Dough Temperature:
• Maintaining the right dough temperature during kneading is crucial for a fine crumb. If the dough becomes too warm, the crumb will become too big and uneven. To prevent this, use cold water, milk, or eggs, and chill your mixing bowl or hook attachment in the freezer. Knead at low speeds, and if your kitchen is warm, rest the dough in a cooler spot. Proper dough temperature ensures a soft, fluffy bread with a fine, even crumb.
6. Proofing:
• Proofing time depends on your environment. Use the finger poke test to gauge readiness. To check dough readiness, lightly press the side with your finger:
• If it bounces back instantly, it’s under-proofed and needs more time.
• If the indentation stays, it’s over-proofed.
• If the indentation slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
• There’s also a final rise called oven spring when the dough bakes, which adds to the bread’s height.
7. Wrinkle Top or Shrinking: 
• If your bread collapses or develops wrinkles on top after baking, it might be over-proofed during the second rise. Aim for the dough to rise to 80-90% of its final size or just below the rim of the pan to prevent this. Over-proofing leads to weaker structure, causing the bread to lose shape.
8. Baking & Oven Temperarate:  
• Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.

FAQs about Sourdough Tiger Rolls

Q: Can I make the topping ahead of time?

A: Yes! Prepare the Dutch crunch topping and refrigerate. Let it come to room temp before using.

Q: Can I use regular sourdough starter?

A: You can, but the sweet stiff starter gives better strength and a softer, less tangy result.

Q: What kind of rice flour should I use?

A: Use plain white rice flour — not glutinous rice flour or rice starch.

Other Recipes You Might Love

• Sourdough Shokupan Burger Buns
• Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
• Black Sesame Sourdough Discard Buns
• Whole Wheat Sourdough Burger Buns

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