Vegan Spelt Hawaiian Bread

Soft, pillowy, and slightly sweet, this Hawaiian bread has a hint of pineapple and ginger. It's definitely something I miss eating since going vegan, and has been on my husband's wish list since he found out about his mild wheat intolerance. White spelt flour is available at my local natural foods store, and although it can be interchangeable with all purpose flour in some recipes (like this one), it does act "funny" in others.

The "pinch" test...

You know it's Hawaiian bread when it's moist enough to stick to itself!

Although the bubbles look bigger in this bread than the Hawaiian bread from the supermarket, I suspect it's because it has less fat. Despite this, it's still yummy and moist enough to quell the average Hawaiian bread craving.

Makes two of the above loaves.

Ingredients:

1 C. pineapple juice

1 T. dry active yeast

1/2 C. coconut milk + extra for brushing tops (optional)

1/2 C. mashed potatoes (I used cooked yukon gold)

1/4 C. canola oil

3/4 C. unrefined sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry ground ginger

4 1/2 C. white spelt flour (or all purpose wheat)

Spinz:

Put pineapple juice into a small bowl and warm in the microwave to slightly warmer than room temp. Proof the yeast by sprinkling it on top of the juice, and wait for it to get bubbly. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining ingredients: coconut milk, mashed potatoes, canola oil, sugar, salt, and ground ginger until smooth. You may need to use a mixer to get out all the lumps in the mashed potatoes. Once frothy, mix in the yeast- pineapple juice mixture. Sift in the spelt flour and mix until a soft shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down and separate into rolls, placing them about 1/2 inch apart in a casserole dish or similar. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F on center rack for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Eat warm.