Hawaiian Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup canned pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (plus 1 egg yolk. egg white reserved)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons potato flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Steps

1. 1

   For the sponge: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sponge ingredients and let it rest for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the pineapple juice, butter, brown sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla, mixing until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, potato flour, and salt, then add this mixture to the liquid ingredients.

3. 3

   Mix and knead until the dough is cohesive and smooth; it will be very sticky at first. Beat with the flat beater of your stand mixer at medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape the dough into the center of the bowl, switch to the dough hook, and knead at medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough may form a very soft ball but will likely still stick to the bottom of the bowl.

4. 4

   Lightly grease the mixing bowl, round the dough into a ball, and place it in the bowl. Cover and let it rise until very puffy, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

5. 5

   Lightly grease a 9" x 13" (23 cm x 33 cm) baking pan. Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 15 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball and space the buns in the pan. Cover the dough gently with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise in the pan for 1 hour, until nicely puffy. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).

6. 6

   Mix the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon of cold water and brush some onto the surface of the rolls; this will give them a satiny crust. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm with butter or your favorite preserves.