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King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread – REVISED

There are certain smells that can transport you instantly, and for me, the aroma of warm, sweet bread baking is one of them. It conjures up memories of my grandmother’s kitchen, a place perpetually filled with the comforting scent of her homemade loaves. While I’ve spent years perfecting countless bread recipes, there’s a particular magic to the soft, pillowy texture and subtly sweet flavor of King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread that always felt just out of reach in my home kitchen. The store-bought version is undeniably delicious, but the price tag can be a bit steep, and as any baker knows, there’s a special satisfaction in recreating that beloved taste yourself. After much tinkering and dedicated recipe testing, I believe we’ve finally cracked the code to achieving that iconic, melt-in-your-mouth goodness right at home.

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: Approximately 30 minutes (plus rising time)
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes (including rising)
Yields: 1 Loaf
Servings: 4-6
Dietary Type: Contains Gluten, Dairy, Eggs

Ingredients

Creating this bread is a testament to the beauty of simple, quality ingredients coming together. The foundation is a blend of bread flour and potato flour, which contributes to that signature soft crumb. The sweetness comes from a carefully crafted sugar water mixture, balanced with butter, eggs, and a touch of vanilla. Instant yeast ensures a good rise, while powdered milk and a proprietary dough enhancer, which we’ll discuss how to replicate, provide that extra tender texture and structure that makes this bread so distinctive.

2 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup potato flour
12 ounces sugar water (prepared as per instructions below, between 110-115 degrees F)
1 egg
⅓ cup sugar
¼ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
¼ cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons dough enhancer (see note below)

Note on Dough Enhancer: King’s Hawaiian bread famously contains a dough enhancer. For home bakers, this can be achieved by using a combination that mimics its function. A common and effective substitute is to use 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten mixed with 1 tablespoon of soy lecithin granules (available at health food stores or online). This blend helps improve dough elasticity, strength, and the final texture of the bread. If you cannot find soy lecithin, you can try using 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten alone, though the texture might be slightly different.

Equipment Needed

Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
Small saucepan (for sugar water)
Small bowl
Medium bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Spatula
Plastic wrap
9-inch pie tin or round cake pan
Wire cooling rack
Instant-read digital thermometer

Instructions

The journey to perfectly replicated King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread involves a few key stages, each contributing to the final sublime texture and flavor. We’ll start by creating our sugar water, then gently awakening the yeast, and finally bringing all our ingredients together in the mixer for a thorough kneading process. Patience during the rising stages is crucial; this is where the magic of fermentation truly transforms the dough into something wonderfully light and airy.

Prepare the Sugar Water: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of boiling water with ¾ cup of sugar. Stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved. You can add a touch more sugar if you desire, but ensure it fully dissolves to avoid grittiness. Set this aside.
Activate the Yeast: Once the sugar water has cooled down to between 100-115 degrees F, add the instant yeast and ground ginger. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy and active. This step confirms your yeast is alive and ready to work its magic.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, ⅓ cup of sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until they are thoroughly incorporated.
Temper the Butter: Allow the melted ¼ cup of butter to cool slightly. It should be warm to the touch but not hot. Take a spoonful of the egg/sugar mixture and stir it into the slightly cooled melted butter. This process, known as tempering, gently warms the butter and prevents the egg from scrambling when you combine them. Then, pour the tempered butter mixture back into the egg/sugar mixture and mix well until fully combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the bread flour, potato flour, your prepared dough enhancer (vital wheat gluten and soy lecithin mixture, if using), and powdered milk. Briefly mix these dry ingredients together on a low speed for about 30 seconds to distribute them evenly.
Combine and Mix Dough: With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour in the foamy yeast mixture and then the egg/sugar/butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Rest the Dough: Once the ingredients are just combined, stop the mixer and let the dough rest in the bowl for about 10 minutes. This short rest allows the flours to hydrate properly, making the subsequent kneading process more effective.
Knead the Dough: Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and begin kneading the dough on medium-low speed. Knead for at least 10 minutes. The dough should develop a slightly tacky feel; it will be moist but should not adhere to your fingers when you pull them away. The window pane test is a good indicator of proper kneading: pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it. If you can stretch it thin enough to see light through it without it tearing, it’s sufficiently kneaded.
First Rise: Once the dough is well-kneaded, shape it into a smooth ball by gently pulling the sides of the dough underneath itself to create a taut surface on top. Lightly coat a clean bowl with oil (cooking spray works well). Place the dough ball into the oiled bowl, turning it to coat all sides with a thin layer of oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Shape for Second Rise: When the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Hand-knead it for about 30 seconds to reform it into a ball, tucking the sides under as you did before.
Prepare for Baking: Lightly spray a 9-inch pie tin or a round cake pan with oil. Place the dough ball into the prepared tin. Cover the tin loosely with a large bowl or with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise again in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has risen to fill the bottom of the tin and forms a nice dome.
Preheat Oven: Approximately 30 minutes before the second rise is complete, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Position an oven rack in the middle or center of the oven.
Bake the Bread: Place the pie tin with the risen dough onto the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. The bread should develop a beautiful golden-brown crust. To check for doneness, insert an instant-read digital thermometer into the center of the loaf; it should register around 200 degrees F. If the crust is achieving the desired color but the interior needs more time to bake, you can loosely cover the top of the bread with aluminum foil. This will prevent further browning while allowing the inside to finish cooking.
Cooling: Once baked, carefully remove the bread from the oven. Transfer it to a wire cooling rack. You can leave the bread in the pie tin for a few minutes before removing it to the rack, or remove it directly onto the rack. Allow the bread to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing or tearing it. This cooling period is crucial for the bread’s texture to set properly.

Expert Tips & Tricks

Achieving that perfect King’s Hawaiian crumb at home is all about attention to detail. Don’t be tempted to rush the rising times; allowing the dough ample time in a warm environment is key to developing its signature airy texture. When kneading, the “tacky but not sticky” feel is the sweet spot. If your dough is too wet, add bread flour a tablespoon at a time; if too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time. The window pane test is your best friend here – a well-developed gluten structure means a better rise and crumb. For an even more golden crust, you can brush the top of the loaf with a mixture of egg wash (one egg beaten with a tablespoon of water) before baking.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

This bread is absolutely divine served warm, torn by hand rather than sliced, allowing you to appreciate its pillowy texture. It’s wonderful on its own, but also pairs beautifully with butter, jam, or honey. For a truly decadent experience, try it toasted and served alongside your morning coffee or tea.

Leftovers can be stored at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days. To refresh slightly stale bread, you can gently warm slices in a toaster oven or a low oven for a few minutes. For longer storage, wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Nutritional Information

(Please note: Nutritional values are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.)

Nutrient	Amount per Serving (approx.)	% Daily Value
Calories	350 – 400 kcal	18-20%
Total Fat	12 – 15 g	15-19%
Saturated Fat	7 – 9 g	35-45%
Cholesterol	60 – 80 mg	20-27%
Sodium	300 – 400 mg	13-17%
Total Carbohydrate	55 – 65 g	20-24%
Dietary Fiber	2 – 3 g	7-11%
Sugars	18 – 25 g	36-50%
Protein	8 – 10 g	16-20%

Variations & Substitutions

While this recipe aims for the classic King’s Hawaiian flavor, feel free to experiment! For a slightly richer loaf, you could replace some of the water in the sugar water mixture with pineapple juice (though this deviates from the original ingredient list of the commercial product). Adding a tablespoon or two of coconut milk powder to the dry ingredients can impart a subtle tropical note. If you prefer a sweeter bread, you can increase the sugar in the sugar water mixture slightly, just ensure it dissolves fully.

FAQs

Q: Why is my dough not rising?
A: Ensure your yeast is fresh and that the sugar water mixture was within the 100-115 degree F range when you added the yeast. If your environment is too cold, the yeast won’t activate; try placing the dough in a slightly warmer spot, like a slightly warmed (then turned off) oven.

Q: My bread is too dense. What did I do wrong?
A: Insufficient kneading or rushing the rising times are the most common culprits. Make sure you’ve kneaded the dough until it passes the window pane test and allowed it to at least double in size during its first rise.

Q: Can I make this recipe without a stand mixer?
A: Absolutely! Kneading by hand will take longer (about 15-20 minutes of vigorous effort), but it’s a great workout and can yield excellent results. Ensure you achieve that same tacky-but-not-sticky consistency and pass the window pane test.

Q: What is a dough enhancer, and why is it important?
A: Dough enhancers, like the vital wheat gluten and soy lecithin mixture suggested, help to strengthen the gluten network in the dough. This results in a more elastic dough, better rise, and a softer, more tender crumb in the final baked bread.

Q: How can I get that signature golden-brown crust?
A: The baking time and temperature are key. If your oven tends to brown too quickly, using aluminum foil during the latter part of baking will help the interior cook through without burning the crust. A gentle egg wash before baking can also enhance browning.

Final Thoughts

Recreating a beloved classic at home is a rewarding culinary adventure. This King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread recipe, meticulously tested and adapted, aims to bring that same joy and deliciousness to your kitchen. It’s a bread that’s perfect for sharing, whether for breakfast, as a side to a meal, or simply enjoyed as a comforting treat. Take your time, enjoy the process, and savor the incredible aroma as it fills your home. I’d love to hear about your baking experiences with this recipe – share your successes and any delightful variations you discover!

King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread – REVISED Recipe