Sweet Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls #BBB

 

Some families grow up with Hawaiian rolls and some don't.  They were certainly available when I was a kid, but not something we ever got.  I think hubby's family had them though, because he was keen to eat them split, toasted and buttered/jammed.  I think they would make wonderful sliders, though I might make 12 instead of 9 for that.  (These are good sized rolls, 103g each for mine.)  

It's interesting that the store bought versions do not use pineapple juice, though most homemade recipes do.  Don't worry about the rolls tasting like pineapple though, it's just a mild sweetness with a very subtle fruity undertone.  You wouldn't pick them up and immediately think pineapple, especially with this sourdough version.  (Yes, it does take three hours to rise each time, be patient.)  I hear they were originally based on Portuguese sweet bread, which is a lovely bread as well.  I did the full sourdough, overnight option.  It took the whole three and a half hours, but the rolls were almost tripled when they were finally ready to bake.

We would love for you to bake along with us this month and try out these lovely sweet rolls.  There is also a sourdough discard  version on the host kitchen's site!  Check out our Facebook group to see the participants' baking results.  If you would like to post your results with a Buddy badge on a blog, let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page.  

Sweet Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls
makes 9 rolls

Levain (1:1:1 ratio, ready in 3-4 hours at 78-80ºF)

    55g ripe and bubbly sourdough starter (about ¼ cup)
    55g all purpose flour (about 7 tbsp)
    55g water (about ¼ cup)

Rolls

    150g ripe and bubbly levain  (scant ⅔ cup)
    115g canned pineapple juice (about ½ cup)
    60g milk (about ¼ cup)
    1 large egg (about 50g)
    5g vanilla extract (about 1 tsp)
    70g brown sugar (about ⅓ cup)
    20g potato flakes  (about 3½ Tablespoons) (I used 2 tsp potato flour)
    8g salt (about 1 tsp kosher or 1¼ tsp sea salt)
    400g bread flour 12.5% protein (scant 3 cups)

For the levain (1:1:1, 3-4 hours until bubbly and active at 78-80ºF)

Mix together the active sourdough starter, flour, and water for the levain.  Cover and let rise for 3-4 hours until the starter has doubled in size, peaked and is airy and filled with bubbles.

For the rolls:

In a stand mixer, combine the levain, pineapple juice, milk, egg, vanilla, brown sugar, potato flakes, salt and 2½ cups of the bread flour.  Mix until completely combined and the dough feels tacky (not super sticky) and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  (My mixture was pretty stiff from adding all the flour at once, and I added another tbsp juice.)

Knead together for 8-10 minutes, adding the rest of the flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should be tacky and not overly sticky.  If it is quite sticky, add a little bit more flour, about 20-30 grams at a time.

Cover the dough or transfer to a container and cover.  Set in a warm, 78-80ºF place for 4 hours. 

At the end of this bulk fermentation time, the dough should be puffed up and feel elastic. If it doesn't feel this way, let it ferment for another half hour and check again

Overnight Option: At this point, after the bulk fermentation has finished, and the dough may be moved to the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.  Proceed with the recipe the next day, shaping and proofing the rolls before baking.

When ready to shape (remembering that the rise time is 3+ hours): Scrape out the dough onto a countertop.  Cut the dough into 9 equal pieces.  Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball.  Roll the ball on the counter using a cupped hand to seal the balls and create tension for the roll to rise.  Place in a lightly buttered 8x8-inch pan, fitting the rolls evenly in a 3 by 3 grid.

Cover the pan with plastic or a dish towel and let rise in a nicely warm area (80-85ºF) until puffed up and doubled in size, about 3-4 hours. Do not bake these rolls yet if they have not risen fully.  Warm the dough up and let them rise for more time. 

Around the time the rolls are fully risen and ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 400ºF with a rack in the center.  Brush the rolls with heavy cream or egg wash if desired.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until baked all the way through.  Brush the tops with melted butter if desired and enjoy! 

The rest of the Bread Baking Babes

• Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
  
• Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
• My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
• Bread Experience - Cathy
• Thyme for Cooking - Katie
• My Kitchen in Half Cups - Tanna
• Feeding My Enthusiasms - Elle 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories - Karen