Hawaiian Rolls

These are a very light and fluffy dinner type roll (good for any meal or snack, of course) with a slightly sweet flavor and are quite addictive. What happened to me will likely happen to you if you make them when company is around you turn about (or run upstairs for something) and a suspicious number of rolls disappear. Just sayin’. They are definitely worth having in your collection of rolls since they are always a hit.

So, start off by gathering your ingredients together.

Now I couldn’t find pineapple juice – a note – ONLY canned juice since the enzymes in the fresh pineapple juice affects the yeast and retards rising, so it’s a no no. I simply used the liquid in a can of pineapple pieces which is partially syrup and partially juice. This didn’t dramatically up the sweetness and necessity is the mother of invention and all that jazz. DH happily munched on the pineapple pieces as a snack. All good.

I used a bread machine but this can be made in a mixer just as easily. If you know your yeast is alive and kickin’ then just put the yeast in first, sugar, flour and lastly the salt (which also can retard rising, don’t let it touch the yeast directly). If you are worried about it, proof the yeast in a small bowl by placing it together with a tablespoon of the sugar and a few tablespoons of juice and let it sit till you see the yeast bubbling. Then proceed.

Start the bread machine on dough mode or mixer and just mix together, then add the soy milk, oil, juice and eggs which you beat a bit and reserve one tablespoon of the eggs to brush the rolls with after they’ve risen.

Whether in bread machine or mixer, let the dough mix together till a smooth and lightly sticky mass is formed like so:

In the bread machine, just keep covered and let rise till light and fluffy about an hour and a half. In mixer, lightly spray top of dough with oil spray and cover with clean towel or plastic wrap, right in the mixing bowl. Wait till doubled and light and fluffy. Remember the machine has a warming element so it tends to rise a bit quicker than in the mixer. Judge by eye. Okay. Take the risen dough and gently handle (it’ll deflate on its own when handled, that’s fine) and cut in half on a mat or piece of parchment paper.

Then cut in half again and again till you get 16 buns/rolls.

Note the holes in the dough, it’s light and continuing to rise, this is good.

Now roll the pieces in your hands or on the mat with a little oil to a round ball like so:

Take a rectangular 9 x 13 pan, line with a piece of parchment paper and place rolls near each other in the pan.

It’s fine if the rolls doesn’t fully touch each other, they will grow together. Leave lightly covered to rise about an additional 30 minutes. Then brush with the reserved tablespoon of egg wash.

While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Once nicely risen and fluffy, place in hot oven for about 20 minutes or till tops are nicely browned and rolls are fully baked inside. Fluffy, lightly sweet and delicious, I dare you to eat just one!

Hawaiian Rolls

2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1/2 cup demerara or light brown sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons milk/soy milk
1/3 cup oil
1 cup canned (only canned, not fresh or it negatively affects the yeast and rising of the dough!) pineapple juice
2 eggs, beat and save a tablespoon of egg for brushing on tops of rolls

Directions:

In bread machine or mixer, place yeast, brown sugar (if you aren’t sure your yeast is alive and well, proof it beforehand, see above instructions), flour and lastly the salt. Mix together (on dough function in bread machine) then add soy milk, oil, canned pineapple juice and the eggs, setting aside one tablespoon of beaten egg to brush on the tops of the rolls. Mix/beat the dough till a smooth and slightly sticky dough is formed. In bread machine, just leave top closed and let rise in the warmth about an hour and a half or till doubled and fluffy. In mixer, spray top of dough lightly with oil spray and cover with clean towel or plastic wrap till doubled and fluffy. Place dough on mat or parchment paper, cut in half and again and again until you have 16 more or less equal pieces of dough. Place a piece of parchment paper in a 9 x 13 rectangular pan and roll the dough into balls placing them loosely next to each other. If they don’t touch it’s fine, they will rise together. Cover lightly and let rise about 1/2 an hour till light and fluffy looking. Preheat the oven while they rise to 350 F/180C. Lightly brush tops of rolls with the reserved beaten egg and place in oven. Bake about 20 minutes or till tops are browned and rolls are fully baked through. Cool about 5 minutes in pan on wire rack and then remove from pan and let finish cooling directly on rack.