Bolen Pisang
This post may contain affiliate links.Ever tried Bolen Pisang? This irresistible Indonesian treat wraps sweet, caramelized bananas with chocolate and cheese in buttery, flaky pastry —pure bliss in every bite! Whether enjoyed warm with a cup of coffee or as an afternoon snack, it is a must-try for dessert lovers.
What is Bolen Pisang?
No trip to Bandung—the vibrant capital of West Java—is complete without tasting Bolen Pisang, the city’s legendary banana pastry. This flaky pastry has become a must-buy souvenir, sold in neatly packed boxes at nearly every bakery in this small city.
Imagine buttery, crispy puff pastry hugging caramelized bananas, oozing with melted cheese or rich chocolate filling. The perfect balance of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy—one bite will make you want more!
A Taste of History
Bolen Pisang traces its roots back to the Dutch colonial era, originally known as bananenbollen. Alongside Dutch pastries like appelbollen (apple-filled) and oliebollen (raisin or apple fritters), this treat has stood the test of time, evolving into Bandung’s beloved snack.
Small, rectangular, and sprinkled with chocolate or cheese, each piece is a bite-sized addiction. You’ll never stop at just one!
Bolen Pisang isn’t the only delicious dessert of Indonesia’s colonial past—Dutch culinary heritage lives on in many popular treats. Try Lapis Legit, the rich, buttery layer cake; Ontbijtkoek, a fragrant spiced cake perfect with coffee; or Dutch Butter Cake (Boterkoek), with its dense, cookie-like crumb. For a crisp bite, try Cat Tongue Cookies (Lidah Kucing), delicate and thin with a satisfying snap.
Why You Will Love About This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Flour – I would highly recommend using high protein flour because it can help create flaky layers. Choose a good brand!
Butter or Margarine – You can use only butter or a mix of butter and margarine. I find that if butter and margarine are mixed, it adds the crunchiness.
Filling – Slice the bananas and stir fry with a bit of butter or margarine on a pan for a while. You can also use the sliced bananas without frying.
Chocolate or Cheese – Either chocolate or cheese is a good banana companion in a bolen pisang or both! Use chocolate filling and cut the cheese in a stick shape.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Bolen Pisang
STEP 1. First, let’s mix the water dough. Sieve high protein flour / bread flour into a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar. Then put in a pinch of salt, unsalted butter, and water (Image 1). Mix well using a spatula and continue kneading with clean hands (Image 2). Cover the dough with plastic wrap, let it rest for 15 minutes (Image 3). In another bowl, let’s mix the oil dough. Sieve the flour into the bowl, add in butter (Image 4).
STEP 2. Knead using your clean hands thoroughly (Image 5). Wrap with a cling wrap. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes (Image 6). Divide each dough into 20 pieces each (Images 7, 8).
STEP 3. Take one piece of water dough, flatten it, put one of the oil dough in the center (Image 10). Wrap it thoroughly and round it (Image 10). Cover with clean cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes (Image 11). Flatten the wrapped dough (Image 12).
STEP 4. Use a rolling pin to press downward lengthwise (Image 13). Fold it upward (Image 14). Fold one more time to left or right side (Image 15). Roll again to flatten it and roll it into a rectangle shape (Image 16).
STEP 5. Put in a piece of banana in the center, a dollop of chocolate jam and a piece of cheddar cheese, fold the sides of the skin towards the center (Image 17). Roll flat the bottom and top parts and fold in towards the center like an envelope (Images 18, 19, 20).
STEP 6. Finish the rest of the dough, it should be shaped square (Image 21). Line up the folded pastry on a baking pan. Brush the top with egg wash (Image 22). Decorate with chocolate rice and grated cheddar cheese (Image 23). Bake them in a preheated oven of 320°F / 200°C for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown (Image 24). Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Water dough is different from oil dough. Water dough’s texture is more elastic, while oil dough is more crumbly.
- Be careful when folding and rolling the dough, do not press too hard. Otherwise, the water dough can rupture and the oil dough can go through it. This will result in less flaky texture.
- You may stir fry the banana with butter on a pan first before putting it in the dough. This will make it even more caramelized.
FAQs about Bolen Pisang
Bolen Pisang is an Indonesian dessert made with homemade puff pastry filled with ripe bananas, chocolate and cheese. It is a combination of sweet and salty with buttery flavor. The chewy bananas with chocolate and cheese blends well with the crunchy pastry skin.
Bolen Pisang is vegetarian friendly but it is not vegan friendly. In this case, you need to substitute the butter to margarine and use alternative for the eggwash so it is safe for your vegan friends.
Sure, you can! Get your favorite brand. Cut the puff pastry in preferred sizes and wrap the bananas.
Storage
If you have some leftover, you may keep it in an airtight container in the chiller. Best eaten fresh (1–2 days), but it keeps for 3–4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in an oven or air fryer to restore crispiness.
More Snacks
- Banana Fritters
- Pandan Serabi
- Kue Kosui (Kue Lumpang)
- Ketan Serundeng
- Ongol-ongol
- Candil Biji Salak Ubi
- Kue Awug
- Roti Sisir
- Banana Almond Soft Cookies
More Asian Pastry Recipes
Bolen Pisang
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Water Dough
- 300 gr bread flour
- 110 gr unsalted butter
- 110 gr water
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 gr salt
Oil Dough
- 160 gr bread flour
- 120 gr butter
Filling
- Ripe bananas
- Chocolate paste
- Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- First, let's mix the water dough. Sieve high protein flour / bread flour into a mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar. Then put in a pinch of salt, unsalted butter, and water. Mix well using a spatula and continue kneading with clean hands. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, let it rest for 15 minutes. In another bowl, let's mix the oil dough. Sieve the flour into the bowl, add in butter.
- Knead using your clean hands thoroughly. Wrap with a cling wrap. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Divide each dough into 20 pieces each.
- Take one piece of water dough, flatten it, put one of the oil dough in the center. Wrap it thoroughly and round it. Cover with clean cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes. Flatten the wrapped dough.
- Use a rolling pin to press downward lengthwise. Fold it upward. Fold one more time to left or right side. Roll again to flatten it and roll it into a rectangle shape.
- Put in a piece of banana in the center, a dollop of chocolate jam and a piece of cheddar cheese, fold the sides of the skin towards the center. Roll flat the bottom and top parts and fold in towards the center like an envelope.
- Finish the rest of the dough, it should be shaped square. Line up the folded pastry on a baking pan. Brush the top with egg wash. Decorate with chocolate rice and grated cheddar cheese. Bake them in a preheated oven of 320°F / 200°C for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Water dough is different from oil dough. Water dough’s texture is more elastic, while oil dough is more crumbly.
- Be careful when folding and rolling the dough, do not press too hard. Otherwise, the water dough can rupture and the oil dough can go through it. This will result in less flaky texture.
- You may stir fry the banana with butter on a pan first before putting it in the dough. This will make it even more caramelized.
I love the crispy layers of the skin and when bitten, the caramelized banana blends with the chocolate filling and cheese inside. The taste is also very authentic.