Hawaiian "Sweet" Yeast Rolls

I have to admit, the one thing I love about going out to eat is those delicious HOT & Sweet yeast rolls. They are right up there with a perfectly cooked steak! Do you know what I hate about going out to eat? Those yeast rolls! Why?? Because I cannot say no and I am certain the waitress knows this ~ I am certain she and my husband are in on this together! The plan I am sure is give me those delectable rolls, a small salad and keep my ice tea glass full and way before my steak gets to the table, I am full! The strangest thing always happens too, when I take my food home thinking I will have it the next day for lunch, it always disappears! Yes indeed I think it is all part of the master plan LOL.


So I have decided it is way past time to fight fire with FIRE! So he thought he could trick me all those years huh? Oh honey do I have something for you! Look out, as you are laying there watching your race [hahahahah]  I have the ULTIMATE bake fest going on in here! We shall see indeed how long your eyes will stay open to watch the end of the race after you eat your fill of these :)  

*** No one was injured in the making or overeating of these WAY TOO Delicious yeast rolls

1 cup WARM water  90 - 110 degrees but no warmer
1 cup Amish Bread Starter OR 1 cup milk + 3 tbsp Honey or sugar
2 egg
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon salt
7  cups all-purpose flour (NOT bread flour!)
5 Tsp dry yeast 

Olive oil or veg oil for coating your pans

2  ea   10 x 15 baking sheets
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted to top with after baked

You're going to take 1 cup cup of very warm water 90-110* but no warmer as it will kill the yeast. I use my stand mixer with my dough blade as it does all the work for me, and my neck and arms really appreciate it! If you do not have a stand mixer user, use a large bowl. Add into that your 5 teaspoons of the dry yeast and 2/3 cup of sugar. Let that stand for about 10 minutes until the mixture becomes very foamy.

 After the yeast mixture is ready, you add in the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the flour. Turn your mixer on and let it mix for about 30 seconds, just long enough to mix all the ingredients together. 

Turn your mixer off and add in your 7 cups of flour, mix slowly for 1 minute. Once all of your flour is incorporated well you should have a good ball of dough, now turn your mixer on about 2-3 and let Knead 7 - 10 minutes until it becomes "spongy". 

If you are doing this by hand, get your dough ball out and place on a well floured work surface and Knead for the same amount of time. While you are waiting on the dough, get your pans out and grease them well. I use Olive oil, but you can use veg. oil, butter, crisco - whatever your normally cook / bake with.  

Once the dough is ready you will take and make little balls.  I put oil on my hand to make handling the dough easier. Take about 2 Tbsp for each dough ball, about the size of a small egg and roll it in your hands to form a ball, put on your pan and repeat. I assembled mine on my 10*15 baking sheets in rows of 3 across and 5 down.

Place your pans in a warm* oven and let the dough rise until double in size - about an hour.  I took this picture when they were "almost" ready to bake

* IMPORTANT Before I put my rolls (or any yeast bread / doughs)  in the oven, I turn it on low and let it stay on for about 30 seconds, then immediately turn it off - THEN place your pans in there. This will help the dough to rise quicker. Dough likes to be between 80 - 90 degrees to rise, any cooler and it will not rise, any hotter and the yeast dies.

When your rolls have doubled in size turn on your oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 15 - 18 minutes.