Copycat Hawaiian Rolls- Sourdough style!
Total time: 36 hours. Hands on time: 45-60 minutes.
Makes 12 small rolls.
Soft, fluffy, sweet, and slow fermented- say no more!
Hawaiian rolls are everyone’s favorite. They’re so soft and yummy, a bread you don’t have to eat with anything on top. These are my version, made with a sweet stiff starter! Long fermentation also helps ease digestion with a fully white bread.
Sweet Stiff Starter:
10g starter
60g bread flour
30g water
20g granulated sugar
Method:
Mix all ingredients together well. Knead for 5 minutes until it starts to smooth out. Ferment at 78-80 degrees minimum (this will work for an overnight fermentation, do this right before bed. If you can, use your oven with the light on but oven off, or invest in a proofer, my #1 favorite tool that I use daily. If you plan on using the starter sooner, you can use the proofer at 85 degrees, even up to 90 if you’re in a rush, but DO NOT use the starter before it’s truly ready.).
The sweet stiff starter needs to rise at a warm temperature, and needs at minimum a 30% sugar to flour ratio. Why? Because a warmer temperature encourages yeast growth and not bacteria growth. Bacteria growth is what makes the acidic flavor stronger and for a sweeter and enriched dough, I prefer it less sour. If you don’t mind a more sour final bread, you can ferment your sweet starter at a colder temperature. The sugar in the dough also helps feed the yeast and will help curb the sourness. There is a very science based and in depth blog on Wordloaf’s website here, where Andrew describes Ian Lowe’s process for a sourdough brioche. It is very informative and I highly suggest you read it. I have long supported Andrew (@wordloaf)’s blog and if you subscribe to any baking blog, this one should be it.
Please look at the image above to reference how much your starter should grow. You can also see this Instagram video on my page that shows you what it looks like internally. It’s really cool!
Final Dough:
All the sweet stiff starter
260g bread flour
130g milk
1 egg
40g sugar
5g salt
45g soft butter
Optional: melted butter to brush on baked rolls and flaky sea salt to garnish!
Method:
Mix starter, flour, milk, sugar, egg and salt together. If you’re mixing by hand mix it for 5-8 minutes until it comes together and doesn’t have any lumps. I highly suggest you use a stand mixer on the lowest setting, but it can be done by hand. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then slowly add in the butter. Do not turn your stand mixer up! At the lowest speed, my dough took about 25-30 minutes. You want it to start separating from the sides of the bowl, but it does not have to fully reach windowpane stage. It is very important NOT to over mix your dough as it can cause the loaf to collapse after releasing it from the pan. Do not turn up your mixer because it will heat up the engine AND your dough, and that will cause the gluten to weaken which will affect the final rise and make your loaf more prone to collapse. If you are mixing by hand, I suggest you use the “slap and fold” technique to help keep your hands from cramping.
Ferment: When your dough is fully mixed, transfer it to a lightly greased (I like to use the leftover butter that is stuck on the wrapping paper) container and cover. Proof at a temperature that works for your timeline. I used my proofer at 85 and it was ready in 6 hours, you can leave it at a cooler room temperature overnight.
Guideline for proofing times/temps: (Going any lower than these will result in your dough taking a REALLY long time to fully ferment, and your bread will taste more sour.)
5-7 hours 84-86 degrees.
6-8 hours 82-84 degrees
7-9 hours 78-80 degrees
8-10 hours 75-77 degrees
Final shape and proof: When your dough is at least doubled in size, preferably even more, lightly flour your counter and cut it into 12 portions roughly 53g each. Tighten and roll into balls, here is an example of how to do that. Lightly grease a 9” by 13” pan like this one, and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a reusable dish cover. The time it takes depends on the temperature that it’s proofing at. I like to do this overnight. You can place your dough in the fridge until you’re ready to let it proof, and mine took 9-10 hours at 70 degrees AFTER being in the fridge. If you do not put it in the fridge before the final proof, it will need less time. If you did not fully ferment the stiff starter OR the dough before shaping, it will also take more time and will hinder the oven spring. ***VERY IMPORTANT: If you prefer to ferment the dough for its first rise at a very warm temperature, and then plan to let it proof for its FINAL proof (after shaping) overnight, please chill the shaped buns in the fridge. Then take them our before going to bed or you will risk OVER proofing. Dough at or above roughly 75 degrees will not need an overnight final proof and will collapse after baking. ***
Here’s what my dough looked like before/after proofing and baking.
4. Bake: Preheat your oven to 350 and bake the rolls for roughly 20 minutes. Optional step: melt 2T butter and brush the rolls immediately after baking and sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!