Hawaiian Rolls

When I was a kid I loved Hawaiian rolls.  In the bright orange and white packaging from the store, they were unlike other kinds of bread...sweet and perfect with butter. 

Have they changed the recipe, though?  Like most store bought foods I equate with my childhood (green Skittles, Trix cereal...) the flavor just isn't what I remember anymore.

I thought I would try to make them, instead of buying them. And, boy, they turned out perfect!  Better than what I remember as a child!

I did have to try this recipe a couple of time (much to the chagrin of my family, I'm sure).  The directions on the original recipe just didn't work for me.  And while the end result was tasty and yummy, they were a little too dense for my liking and didn't have the softness I wanted.  So I switched some things around a bit and came up with a technique that worked better for me.  (There is just something about yeast that makes it finicky.  I have found certain ways of dealing with it that work well and if I stray from those, even following someone else's directions, it just doesn't get the results I look for in rolls and breads.)

Start with warming your milk to about 110-115 degrees F.  Once warmed pour the milk into the bowl of a standing mixer and sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of the sugar into it, then sprinkle the yeast on top.  You can gently stir the yeast into the milk, but it's not necessary.  Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is nice and foamy.

While the yeast is waking up, melt the butter.  To the melted butter add the pineapple juice, the eggs, and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.

 
When the yeast is ready, add the butter mixture to the yeast mixture and gently stir. This was one of the best smells when these mixtures came together!  The sweet pineapple juice against the yeast was just delightful!

Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until incorporated.

Use a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the remaining flour to the dough, one cup at a time.  Knead the dough with the mixer at medium speed for about 4-5 minutes until the dough is stretching and smooth.
 

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise till double in size, about an hour.  Pick a warm spot to let it rise.

Spray a 13x9 inch glass pan with cooking spray.

 Punch down the risen dough and divide into 15 equal pieces. Shape into balls by smoothing the top and pinching the dough at the bottom together.  Place into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl whisk one egg with 1 Tablespoon water.  Gently brush this mixture over the rolls.  Cover with plastic wrap again, and place in a warm spot to rise again, about 30 minutes.

Near the end of the second rise preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.   Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, until golden on the top and bottom.

Don't they look delicious?

Let's eat!



Hawaiian Rolls

1/2 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees F)
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup sugar, divided
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup pineapple juice (room temperature)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 large egg, for egg wash

1. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons sugar and the yeast over the warmed milk in the bowl of a standing mixer.  Set aside and allow to proof for 5-10 minutes.

2. Combine the melted butter, pineapple juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 eggs.  Add this mixture to the yeast mixture, once the yeast has become foamy.

3.  Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt to the yeast mixture and stir to make a rough dough.

4. With a mixer fitted with a dough hook add the remaining flour one cup at a time.

5. Let the dough hook knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes until the dough is stretchy and smooth.

6. Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Leave in a warm place and rise for 1 hour.

7. Prepare a 13x9 inch glass pan by spraying with cooking spray.  Punch the dough down and divide into 15 equal sized pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball and place into the prepared pan. 

8.  In a small bowl whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water.  Brush this mixture over the top of the rolls before they rise.  Cover with plastic wrap again and let rise for about 30 minutes.

9.  While the rolls rise preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  And bake the rolls for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.