Based in Manila, Philippines, Dessert Comes First is a chronicle of the food-obsessed food writer, Lori Baltazar. This website is all about desserts, restaurants, coffee, and the pleasures of homebaking. Read more about me Love Them Buns
Thu, February1st of 2007
1:25 pm
Note: In honor of the month of lo-o-o-ve (pronounced: luuuv, draw out the ‘uh’), every post in February will be about gifts you can give your love(s), places to take your love(s), and most importantly, food you will love yourself for eating. February is also my most favorite month of the year and you’ll see why in 15 days.
Delifrance’s coffee buns
A few days after my feature on Kopi Roti came out, Diana Tan of Delifrance emails me:
Is it okay for us to send you a box of our coffee buns? I think they’re pretty good (and in my opinion better than Kopi Roti’s! Hehe). I never say no to food so after I send Diana an affirmative reply, I pretty much camp out on my doorstep eagerly awaiting the delivery from Delifrance. Food is always worth waiting for.
coffee bun, softboiled egg — now all we need is the kaya jam
There’s no way, absolutely no way that you’ll miss these buns. For one thing, they’re HUGE. More than four inches across, I admit that they remind me of a few things, some quite salacious actually. But it’s all in good fun and it’s all good. A light brown kissed by cinnamon is the color of these delightful orbs. Contrary to their appearance, they’re lightweights, not heavy or dense at all. You could polish one off by yourself.
I poke my finger lightly onto the top of a bun. A dimple develops, evidence of its airiness. I’m intrigued. So I bite. My teeth sink through tufts of puff, and then encounter chewiness, the “bite” evident in a product that’s been made with bread flour; think: pugon pandesal, or that first bite of a macaroon. That unexpected tug and resistance to the bite is a texture that delights.
coffee bun middle
Eager to see if there’s any filling, I rip open a bun with my bare hands. Immediately my guilty conscience dictates that I should’ve at least used a bread knife. Savage. And there the middle is, staring at me, a tunnel of sweet butter. More like a glaze than frosting or liquid, it adds a jolt of sweetness, a reward for getting to the core — or sharing this bun with someone.
what lies beneath
coffee frosting bits
The only coffee really, in this roll of sorts, is the coffee frosting around the edges. Look closely at the photo and you can actually see the marks of the piping tip that was used to create this effect. I nibble the edges (they come off easily), and instantly, a suggestion of coffee comes forth.
So I play. First, a bite of the edges: an echo of coffee. Then a peck close to the center: a smattering of buttery sweetness hugged by pillows of soft dough. Then a hot sip of my coffee that I’ve brewed earlier: its tempered bitterness and caramel undertone combine the previous tastes of coffee and butter. The flavors echo on my tongue. I must have another bite.
Boo with Boo, the doll/cartoon character she was named after
Delifrance’s coffee bun
Available at all Delifrance outlets
P210/box of 6; or P35/each
The buns are best if reheated before serving.
Special thanks to Diana Tan of Delifrance for this remarkable coffee bun experience.
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You’re truly welcome, Lori! I’m really happy you liked them.
Thank you for the lovely post!
[Reply]
Comment by Diana Tan — February 1, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
YAY! An easily accessible coffee bun! Although Bread Talk has their own version (where I first tried it), they’ve changed it and it’s no longer as good as before. Hmm…there’s a Delifrance in my gym’s building. Perfect reward for working out!
[Reply]
Comment by katrina — February 1, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Thanks Lori! I tried it today at the Greenhills branch. You can say I’m your blog fan.
Definitely yummy! I could really smell the coffee from the bun. It was the perfect mix of sweet and salty.
Great buns! (HEHE)
[Reply]
Comment by Jane — February 1, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
Too much bread for so little filling. I would rather have a smaller bun to be able to better appreciate the stuff inside. I tried Kopi Roti’s and basically had the same opinion. Good but too much bread.
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — February 1, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
awww I miss delifrance! our office used to be at PSE and we had 2 delifrance resto’s near us. Care to open one at Cybergate Pioneer? hehehe
[Reply]
Comment by renee — February 1, 2007 @ 11:39 pm
hey diana!! you should give me some!
when we were at ateneo, you should have given me lots 
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Comment by Jason Tan — February 1, 2007 @ 11:50 pm
I can taste those.
The bread is supposed to shine if there isn’t much filling, right? I’d say that’s the point.
And Boo! From Monsters Inc! I never made that connection. Ha.
[Reply]
Comment by Abby — February 2, 2007 @ 12:53 am
I’ve been addicted to this coffee bun since last year. This post makes me want to run to the nearest Delifrance and get my coffee bun fix.
Keep up the great posts!
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Comment by Orange Git — February 2, 2007 @ 11:47 am
Do they have kaya buns at Delifrance?
I’m going to try the kaya bun and coffee bun from Breadtalk and try them alongside with Delifrance and KOPI ROTI.
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — February 2, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Renee: Thanks for the tip! I’ll be sure to check the site out.
Jason: Hoy! Funny seeing you here!! The coffee buns were just launched last year so they weren’t available when we in school. Next time let’s meet and I’ll bring you some too!
Anonymous 2: Sorry, we don’t have kaya buns; but if you do get to try all of them together, feel free to tell me your opinion at diana.tan@delifrance.com.ph.
Lori, I forgot to say that Boo is getting prettier everyday.
[Reply]
Comment by Diana Tan — February 2, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
hi lori! roti buns are my favorite! thanks for featuring them on your site. here in central luzon, michel’s bakeshop is selling them like hotcake (literally)! try visiting one of their stores all over bataan, sm clark and sm pampanga.
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — February 2, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
Hey Di! Delifrance is just across me office here at Valero. I saw Donna before taking some surveys at that store! So if ever I visit Delifrance without you guys, do I still get complimentary coffee buns? Just leave my name with your kind staff! Hahah!
I’ve been a fan of Lori’s site for around 2 years now!
[Reply]
Comment by Jason — February 2, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
I love the coffee buns from Delifrance! The first time I saw and tried them at Delifrance Podium I was hooked! Since I’m pregnant now, I’ve bought less of these treats because of the possible caffeine and the added sugar intake (but I just sneaked out at least one the past or so
…) Nice post!
[Reply]
Comment by MrsKookie — February 3, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
Sowee but i think kopi roti’s kopi buns are better… :c
I tried out delifrance’s coffee buns and was disappointed.
kopi roti always serve their buns nice and hot, enhancing the earthy coffee aroma as well as the contrast of the crisp coffee shell and the soft buttery innards of the bun.
i hope that delifrance can still improve on their buns since they are more accessible cuz of their branches (vs kopi roti).
[Reply]
Comment by Didi — February 4, 2007 @ 3:09 pm
One day of romance that can make up for a month of grey skies :p
I’m eager for a coffee bun, myself!
[Reply]
Comment by Scott at Real Epicurean — February 5, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Hi lori!
I was just wondering, how do you heat coffee buns? Do you use the toaster or the microwave?
[Reply]
Comment by bunlover — February 5, 2007 @ 3:08 pm
I asked when I went to Delifrance today. They said I should heat it in the oven toaster for 45 seconds… so that’s what I did!
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Comment by Anonymous — February 6, 2007 @ 10:56 am
Which delifrance branch was this? I went to two delifrance branches (SM Makati and Glorietta) yesterday, but both didn’t have the coffee buns.
I should have tried the branch in greenbelt…
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — February 6, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
To the Anonymous person above my comment,
I’m really sorry for the out-of-stock experience. All of our 30 stores should have coffee buns available throughout the day.
I have already forwarded your comment to our Operations Team; and we are now taking steps to ensure that our coffee buns will be available to everyone who wants one.
Thanks very much for your feedback. Take care!
Diana
[Reply]
Comment by Diana Tan — February 8, 2007 @ 10:01 am
There’s a wonderful new roti bakeshop in Megamall, near Powerbooks – Rotimum. You have to try it!
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Comment by Jet — February 15, 2007 @ 11:29 am
APHRODITE UNDERCOVER FROM SYDNEY
Cheers Lori and everyone there in Manila.
This Coffee Bun is a copy of the original BREADSTORY HERO. It is the company’s all-time bestseller, according to their shops here in Sydney at least.
I actually discovered this heaven of a dome by SMELL. A group of Japanese girls were standing outside a Breadstory shop when I visited the store that day, all munching on this bun. A breeze delivered the venom, and the fragrance of coffee and salty butter possessed me to sniff my way through the trays and shelves until I found myself standing in front of HERO. I’ve been bitten and smitten since then.
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — February 26, 2007 @ 3:10 am
I’ve tried one coffee bun in SM Megamall – Roti Mum. They say it’s Singapore’s Best Coffee Bun, well….I should say that Roti Mum made me smile after eating it. honestly, I lined up yesterday and bought only 1 bun (tama na sana), but honestly, have to line up again to by for everyone in the house. The Best I’ve tasted so far, honestly.
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Comment by Steph — March 5, 2007 @ 9:21 am
Yeah! Roti Mum. The Bun not to miss.
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Comment by Anonymous — March 5, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Delifrance’s Coffee Bun is a pale imitation of Kopi Roti’s. Tastes more like plain bread. Tried Roti Mum’s coffee bun. It’s more flaky than Kopi Roti’s. Smells just as great. More buttery. But Kopi Roti’s is still the best.
[Reply]
Comment by Anonymous — March 9, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
[...] Related post: Delifrance’s Coffee Buns [...]
Pingback by The Coffee Bun, Bar None at Dessert Comes First - Dessert Comes First — March 14, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
I so love coffee buns, but have only tried Kopi Roti. I have yet to try Delifrance though – unfortunately the only outlet that I have access to (Centennial airport) doesn’t carry these.
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Comment by Trisha — November 4, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
Are these buns available anywhere in cebu?
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Comment by Christine — December 1, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Christine!
Unfortunately we’re not open in Cebu, but do go visit us anytime you’re in Manila!
For the Christmas products (Premium English Fruitcake, White Chocolate Walnut Fruitcake, Food for the Gods), we can do shipping for bulk orders. Please go to our website to check them out.
Thanks!
[Reply]
Comment by Diana Tan — December 4, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
i love coffee bun especially in delifrance valero the baker are friendly and good looking
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Comment by ana paola ortiz — December 14, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
Will these buns last my 3 hour travel? I really want to bring home a bunch of them for our tea session (with my mom and daddy). Thanks Lori!
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Comment by shemai — June 20, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
thank so much for all the great information in this post!
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Comment by animated dolls — January 13, 2010 @ 11:11 am
Hey good stuff…keep up the good work!
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Comment by animated dolls — January 13, 2010 @ 3:32 pm