Indonesian Roti Sisir Original and Pandan
Roti sisir is Indonesian pull apart bread that is lined neatly looking like a comb.. It is an old time recipe that has been popular for almost 100 years.
Roti sisir or Indonesian pull apart bread has been many people’s favorite for quite a long time. All that I could remember is it was there when I was a kid and my mom said she liked it when she was a kid. It has even already existed long before that.
The bread looks like a comb, lined neatly against each other. The way to eat it is pull it apart and smear it with sweetened butter. You may sprinkle it with some chocolate rice or grated cheese.
Many famous bakeries sell this pull apart bread. There created many flavors too.
This time I would like to share pandan pull apart bread along with the sweetened butter recipe.
They are made with simple ingredients. The technique is a little different from the usual sweet bread.
You need to practice shaping the bread. If the bread comes out a little messy, do not be discouraged. Try again next time. It is not that difficult.
Original Roti Sisir / Pull-apart Bread Recipe
- 460 gr high protein flour
- 40 gr medium protein flour
- 30 gr milk powder
- 115 gr sugar
- 11 gr instant yeast
- 30 gr whipping cream
- 50 gr milk
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 70-80 gr cold water — The total liquid ingredients (whipping cream, milk, eggs, and water should be around 280 gr)
- 75 gr butter
- 6 gr salt
Instructions
- Sieve the flour and milk powder into a mixing bowl.
- Put in sugar and instant yeast in to the bowl. Pour in whipping cream, milk, eggs, and cold water. Mix for a total of 20 minutes.
- When the dry ingredients are mixed ( no longer seen), put in the butter and salt.
- Continue mixing until 20 minutes is over.
- Take out the dough from the mixing bowl. Knead with your hands, shape it round.
- Put the dough in a greased glass bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 24 pieces, 40 gram each. This recipe makes into 2 loaves. I used a 20 x 15 x 5 cm baking pan. Each pan will fit 12 pieces.
- Round the dough. Let’s shape the dough. Press longitudinally with a rolling pin. Roll both sides. Fold lengthwise. Use your palm to seal the fold.
- Smear some butter or margarine on one side. Put the folded dough standing on the sealed side. Continue with the rest of the dough until finished. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
- Let the dough ferment for 30-40 minutes until it doubles its size.
- Put the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Take out from the oven and the pan. Put it on a cooling rack.
- While it is still hot, brush with evaporated milk immediately. This will make your bread shiny.
- Let it cool completely.
- Enjoy with the sweetened butter and grated cheese or chocolate rice.
Pandan Pull-apart Bread Recipe
- 460 gr high protein flour
- 40 gr medium protein flour
- 25 gr milk powder
- 115 gr sugar
- 11 gr instant yeast
- 25 gr whipping cream
- 50 gr milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp pandan extract
- 80-90 gr cold water
- 75 gr butter and margarine
- 5 gr salt
Butter spread
- 100 gr butter+margarine
- 70 gr confectionery sugar
Instructions
- As both recipes are almost similar, I will not share the instructions anymore. However, you can watch the video with the complete steps.
Here I will only post how to make the sweetened butter to spread on the bread.
How to Make Sweetened Butter
- Put in the butter and margarine in a bowl, soften it. You can choose to use only butter, if you like. The only downside is you need to keep it chilled.
- Sieve the confectionery sugar in the bowl. Mix with spatula so when you mix it with a mixer, the powder doesn’t fly away.
- Mix until the sugar dissolves and the butter a little pale and light.
- Keep in a closed container.
Serving
- Pull apart 2 pieces of bread. Tear it apart. Spread the sweetened butter and sprinkle with chocolate rice or grated cheese.
Storage
Roti Sisir is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be stored for a few days. To preserve its freshness, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for a month. Reheat gently before serving to restore its soft texture.
FAQs
Q: What makes Roti Sisir different from other types of bread?
A: Roti Sisir stands out due to its unique texture and method of preparation. Unlike typical loaves, this Indonesian bread is characterized by its soft, fluffy layers that easily pull apart, resembling a comb (hence the name ‘Sisir’, which means ‘comb’ in Indonesian). The dough only goes through one time fermentation that makes its texture unique.
Q: Can Roti Sisir be made with gluten-free flour?
A: Yes, Roti Sisir can be adapted for a gluten-free diet by substituting traditional wheat flour with gluten-free alternatives like rice flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Q: What are some common fillings or flavors added to Roti Sisir?
A: Roti Sisir is versatile when it comes to fillings and flavors. The most traditional version includes sweetened butter. Some variations add chocolate, cheese, or fruit jams for added flavor. The choice of filling can greatly influence the overall taste and texture of the bread.
Q: How is Roti Sisir traditionally served in Indonesia?
A: In Indonesia, Roti Sisir is often served as a snack or breakfast item. It’s typically enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee. The bread can be served warm or at room temperature, and it’s common to see it being pulled apart layer by layer, which is a delightful aspect of its consumption.
This classic recipe is Dutch colonization era heritage recipe. There are many recipes passed down from that era to many Indonesians that are still popular up until now.
Original Pull-Apart Bread – Roti Sisir
Ingredients
- 460 gr bread flour
- 40 gr cake flour
- 30 gr milk powder
- 115 gr sugar
- 11 gr instant yeast
- 30 gr whipping cream
- 50 gr milk
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 70 gr water whipping cream, milk, eggs, and water should be around 280 gr
- 75 gr butter
- 6 gr salt
Sweetened Butter
- 100 gr butter (can be mixed with margarine)
- 70 gr powdered sugar
Instructions
- Sieve the flour and milk powder into a mixing bowl.
- Put in sugar and instant yeast in to the bowl. Pour in whipping cream, milk, eggs, and cold water.
- Mix for a total of 20 minutes.
- When the dry ingredients are mixed ( no longer seen), put in the butter and salt.
- Continue mixing until 20 minutes is over.
- Take out the dough from the mixing bowl. Knead with your hands, shape it round.
- Put the dough in a greased glass bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 24 pieces, 40 gram each. This recipe makes into 2 loaves. I used a 20 x 15 x 5 cm baking pan. Each pan will fit 12 pieces.
- Round the dough. Let's shape the dough. Press longitudinally with a rolling pin. Roll both sides. Fold lengthwise. Use your palm to seal the fold.
- Smear some butter or margarine on one side. Put the folded dough standing on the sealed side. Continue with the rest of the dough until finished. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
- Let the dough ferment for 30-40 minutes until it doubles its size.
- Put the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Take out from the oven and the pan. Put it on a cooling rack.
- While it is still hot, brush with evaporated milk immediately. This will make your bread shiny.
- Let it cool completely.
- Enjoy with the sweetened butter and grated cheese or chocolate rice.
Sweetened Butter
- Mix butter + margarine with powdered sugar with a spatula. Use a hand mixer to blend well for 3 minutes.
- Keep in a closed container.