Recipe: Hawaiian Sweet Pineapple Breakfast Rolls with Pineapple Icing

HAWAIIAN SWEET PINEAPPLE BREAKFAST ROLLS

"I have a sweet spot for Hawaiian sweet rolls. I'm talking about the store-bought, yellow-hued rolls that are supersoft and slightly sweet. These cinnamon rolls are my homemade, breakfast version of those supermarket rolls. The roll dough is flavored with pineapple juice, and the inside is packed with crushed pineapple and toasted pecans. The combination is just beyond and I'm almost ready to set aside my obsession with the original roll."



"To be honest, these rolls are a bit of a commitment to make. As with anything yeasty and divine, they require hours of your attention. But the moment you sit down with a warm, fragrant sweet roll on your plate is the moment that makes all the hours worthwhile. Also, the first rule of cinnamon-roll making is that the baker gets to eat all of the centers out of each and every roll, should he or she choose to do so. I don't make up the rules, I just enforce them."

Makes 8 large rolls

FOR THE DOUGH:
1/2 cup warm water (about 105 degrees F)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup cold water
3 large eggs
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
2/3 cup granulated sugar
6 to 6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup canned crushed pineapple, well drained

FOR THE ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Put the 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast on top, and stir. The yeast may form lumps, that's okay. Add the honey and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. The yeast should become foamy. If it does not, discard the yeast and water and start over.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together 1/4 cup cold water, the eggs, pineapple juice, butter, and sugar. Add 6 cups flour and the salt. Add the yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed until the dough begins to come together and becomes smooth, 6 to 8 minutes.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Lightly flour your hands and knead the dough for about 4 minutes. The dough should be silky, smooth, and damp, but not sticky If the dough is sticky, knead in up to 3/4 cup more flour. Put the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Put the bowl in a warm place in the house and let the dough rise until doubled in size. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch metal pan; set aside.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING:
In a large bowl, combine both sugars, the pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well.

TO MAKE THE ROLLS:
When the dough has doubled in size, dump it from the bowl onto a heavily floured counter. Gently knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding a bit more flour as needed, 1 to 2 minutes, Once it's no longer sticky, put a clean kitchen towel over the dough and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10x10-inch square that's about 1/3-inch thick Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter. Pour the filling onto the dough and spread it evenly, leaving a 1-inch border at the far edge of the dough so that the roll can be sealed. Put the crushed pineapple on the filling in an even layer, Lightly press the pecans and pineapple into the dough. Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it into a tight cylinder, pressing the edge to seal. Using a thin, sharp knife, trim off the uneven edges. Cut the cylinder into 8 equal slices. Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced, in the prepared pan.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap, set in a warm place, and let rise for 1 hour. (You may also refrigerate the rolls overnight instead of letting them rise at room temperature for 1 hour.)

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Uncover the rolls. (If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.)

Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

MAKE THE ICING WHILE THE ROLLS ARE BAKING:
Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and pineapple juice in a small bowl until smooth.

Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes, Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle it over the rolls. Serve immediately.

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Homemade Decadence by Joy the Baker (Joy Wilson)