Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Buns/Rolls

Butterfly Pea Sourdough Buns with Sesame Filling

March 23, 2022 | Recipe by Bake with Paws

Last Updated on Aug 24, 2025
By Bake with Paws

Close-up of soft butterfly pea flower sourdough bun revealing black sesame center


I still remember the first time I made these—my kitchen transformed into a palette of dreamy purples as the vibrant butterfly pea water seeped into the dough. I was drawn not just to its unique color, but to the cultural whimsy and wholesome element it added. In this updated version, I’ve rebalanced hydration and enhanced tips to make your baking smoother and your buns consistently gorgeous and soft.


Why You’ll Love It


  • Striking Visual Appeal: A naturally vivid hue from butterfly pea, perfect for Instagram and glowing in daylight.
  • Wholesome Flavor: Earthy notes from black sesame paired with the subtle tang of sourdough.
  • Textural Delight: Soft, pillow-like interior with a slight chew—thanks to high-gluten flour and the magic of yudane.
  • Naturally Colored & Free From Artificial Dyes: All the wow without the additives.


How To Make Butterfly Pea Flower Sourdough Buns with Black Sesame Filling


Ingredients (Yields: 12 Buns)


Butterfly Pea Flower Water:
6.5g dried butterfly pea flowers tops (removed stem and discarded)
200g water

Yudane Dough:
70g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
70g boiling butterfly pea flower water

Sweet Stiff Starter:
60g sourdough starter (100% Hydration), use at its peak 
180g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
75g butterfly pea flower water, room temperature
30g sugar (I used organic brown sugar)

Main Dough:
70g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
All yudane dough (above)
All stiff starter (above)
10g brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar)
1 tsp salt
30g milk (can be replace with water or butterfly pea flower)
30g butterfly pea flower water, room temperature (reserve 10g and add in later if needed) I used total 30g of water
30g butter, room temperature

Egg Wash: (Optional)
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked
Some extra black sesame seeds

Black Sesame Filling *:
200g sesame, toasted (170g black sesame + 20g white sesame + 10g peanuts)
35g honey
50g oil (25g butter + 25g extra virgin coconut oil)
1/4 tsp salt

* You may cut down the filling ingredients amount to 50% or 60% if you prefer less filling.

Step-By-Step Method


  1. Sesame Filling (can be prepared one night in advance):
    1. Blend the toasted sesame seeds and peanut in a blender till fine.
    2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for filling together.  The sesame paste should look very soft and not able to shape into a ball.
    3. Place in the fridge for about 60 minutes to set the paste for easy shaping.
    4. With grove on, squeeze the sesame filling into a small ball.  Make 12 balls, approximately 24g each ball.  Transfer refrigerator again to keep it chill and set.
  2. Butterfly Pea Flower Water (prepare one night before):
    1. In a sauce pan, boil flower and water.  Off the fire once boiled. 
    2. Steeping for at least 60 minutes,  strain to get the blue water.
  3. Yudane (prepare one night before):
    1. Add bread flour in a bowl, pour the boiling flower water and mix well with spatula or spoon until no dry flour.
    2. Cling film and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  
    3. Take out from the fridge 30 minutes before using to return to room temperature.
  4. Sweet Stiff Starter (prepare one night before)
    1. In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with flower water, stir in sugar and add in bread flour.  Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together.   It can be done by hand mixing too.
    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. The starter should look smooth and round dome.  It shouldn't collapse.
  5. Main Dough:
    1. Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer.  I usually torn 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 unevenly 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.  During the  kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and to prevent the motor from overheating.
  6. 1st Proofing/Resting:
    1. In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 30 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid.  This dough I rested for 45 minutes at 29C room temperature and the dough didn't rise a lot.
  7. Shaping (Please watch the video)
    1. Transfer the dough to a clean surface slightly dusted with flour, divide dough into 12 equal portions (approx. 53g - 54g each).  Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.   
    2. Shape each dough into a ball.  
    3. Roll a dough ball into a disc, the edges slightly thinner than the centre. 
    4. Place a sesame filling ball in the centre.  Gather up the edges to seal and shape into round ball.  
    5. Spread the buns about 2 inches apart on the lined baking tray.
    6. I made marks with a pencil about 0.75 cm away from the original size of the buns.  
  8. Final Proofing : 
    1. Let them proof at a warm place until the buns rise and reach the pencil marks.   It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes at 29C - 30C room temperature. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
  9. Baking:
    1. Preheat oven at 190C (top & bottom heat) or 170C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
    2. Brush with egg wash, wet the tip of your index finger. That will help you pick up the sesame seeds to be transfer onto the buns. Lightly press on the centre of the buns.
    3. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15  minutes, or until golden brown.
    4. Remove buns from oven and let them cool on rack.


Shaping



Expert Tips for Success


  • Steep the Butterfly Pea Flowers Properly: Boil them in water, then steep at least 60 minutes to fully extract the color.
  • Use Yudane Technique: Mixing hot butterfly pea water with flour creates a gel that helps retain moisture and softness.
  • Peak Starter Is Your Best Friend: Ensure your starter is at its most active (tripled in volume) for optimal rise.
  • Start Slow with Mixing: Begin with the paddle, then switch to the hook—this prevents flour clouds and promotes even gluten development.

General Tips for Sourdough Bread Baking:


  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.

Troubleshooting Guide


  • Dense buns
    • Starter not strong/active enough → Refresh starter and use only at peak.
    • Dough under-kneaded → Knead until smooth and elastic, able to pass windowpane test.
  • Pale or dull color
    • Butterfly pea not steeped long enough → Steep flowers for at least 1 hour for deeper color.
    • Used too little flower → Increase the amount or use butterfly pea powder.
  • Sticky dough
    • Too much liquid added at once → Reserve some liquid and add gradually.
    • High humidity/flour absorption differences → Dust lightly with flour or reduce hydration.
  • Wrinkled bun tops after baking
    • Overproofed dough → Watch proofing closely and use the finger poke test.
    • Oven temperature too high → Reduce baking temperature slightly or tent with foil.
  • Filling leaks out during baking
    • Filling too soft/warm → Chill filling before shaping.
    • Dough not sealed tightly → Pinch seams firmly and place seam side down.
  • Flat or spread-out buns
    • Overproofing → Stop proofing when dough rises about 80–90%, not doubled.
    • Weak gluten structure → Knead longer or use higher protein bread flour.
  • Dry or hard buns
    • Overbaked → Bake just until tops are golden (use oven thermometer for accuracy).
    • Skipped yudane → Yudane keeps buns soft and moist longer.

Serving Suggestions & Storage


Serve these buns warm for maximum aroma and texture. They pair beautifully with tea—especially jasmine or oolong. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage. To refresh, steam or microwave lightly before serving.


FAQ Section


Q: Does the butterfly pea taste floral?
A: No—it’s flavor-neutral. Its magic lies in color.


Q: Can I skip yudane?
A: You can—but expect slightly firmer buns and a shorter shelf life.


Q: Why is my dough too sticky?
A: Humidity, flour brand, or over-hydration. Add a bit more flour—1 tsp at a time—until workable.


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