When it comes to sweet decadent snacks on the island of Oahu, you simply can’t afford to miss out these sinfully sugary and to-die-for malasada, or malassada (the correct spelling)–a confection of Portuguese origin.
We were lucky. Had I not received two emails and a comment from my loyal reader Burt, we would have completely missed out one of the most delightful sweet treats in the whole world! And when I say this, I mean it because I am not much a sweet tooth and don’t even like sweet thing. However, for these puffy, pillowy, fluffy fried dough-balls with outer layer deep-fried to golden crisp and glory, I simply couldn’t resist…
So, every morning, we got ourselves some hot-off-the-fryer malasadas (malassadas), made a pot of coffee, sat out in the balcony soaking up the balmy weather of Oahu, looking out to the simmering blue sea fringing the legendary Waikiki Beach. Sometimes, life is just sweeeeeet and beautiful!
Champion
1926 S Beretania Street
Honolulu, Oahu
808-947-8778
Champion’s malasadas is our favorite. At 60 cents each, their plain malasada has perfect textures: eggy, ultra-light and chewy at the same time. Sinking my teeth into their freshly-made malasadas is pure heaven.
Leonard’s Bakery
933 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, Oahu
808-737-5591
Leonard’s Bakery is hard to miss with its iconic neon sign erected on Kapahulu Ave. Leonard’s malasadas are good, but the texture is a little soft and less chewy. Their custard malasadas are better compared to Champion’s, and they also offer cinnamon sugar coating in addition to plain sugar. If you like varieties, then Leonard’s is your answer.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This malasada looks so soft and light. Yummy.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Yes, these malasadas were so soft and light. So yummy!
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Glad you got to taste the delectable malasada. Champion Bakery’s is my absolute favorite, too — perhaps because it’s so convenient to where I live. They fry it to order, so sometimes you have to wait a few minutes; but, it’s well worth it! It’s so yummy, but so not good for you. Then again, you can’t eat just one.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Well, let’s eat first think later. They are to-die-for, I would eat malasadas everyday if I have.
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This thing looks heavenly. I wish I can get that at Singapore :(
You should buy the recipe and get it franchised. Hee
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Yes, they are heavenly. There is a Cantonese confection called “sha yong” 沙翁。
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Looks like beignets, of all things. Except rounder. Maybe that’s what we should make for breakfast-for-supper tonight. :D
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Yes, the guide book said it’s like French beignets. I have never tried beignets so I don’t know how they taste.
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Coddled egg is called malasado (undercooked) in the Philippines, obviously derived from Spanish. These filled doughnuts look like coddled eggs in that the soft center filling kind of oozes out as you take a bite. They have exactly the same treat in Brazil filled with runny dulce de leche.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
I think this is Portuguese origins, according to the guide book, but there might be a Spanish equivalent to it. I am not sure.
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oh, i was hoping for a recipe. these things are INCREDIBLEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
I don’t have the recipe but if you do, please share. Yes, malasadas are INCREDIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
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Hi Bee, it looks like donuts. Malasala is the way Hawaii ppl cal?
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Rachel – it does look like donut but it’s soooo much more better than doughnuts, and Krispy Kreme would say so, too.
You will have to try these malasadas out yourself.
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I think I can find a recipe, but I have not tested it. I will translate and then send it to you. It would be a way of thanking for sucj a good blog. By the way, the portuguese name means literally “no roasted enough”. I wonder why ?
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Joao – thanks so much, you are so sweet. Funny literal translation, it sounds very exotic nonetheless.
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Take a look at this one,
http://www.portuguese-recipes.com/Malasadas.htm
it looks ok even though some of the recipes I’ve seen use orange juice for flavour as we do in a very similar recipe called “sonhos” (dreams) and also a litle glass of brandy.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Joao – what is yeast cake??? Is it just yeast??
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João Pedro replied:
It’s the yeast that is used to make the bread, but most of the recipes I’ve seen use regular dry yeast – 20g for each kilo of flour. If you use dry yest you’d better let it start in the lukewarm water for 10 minutes before adding it.
About the name there is also another theory that it used to be something like Melaçadas, a word derived from melaço (the same as molasses) ,
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Joao, you are a star.
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I would love to try this. Just perfect with coffee, like you said it!
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I love Champion malasadas too and whenever I go home I try to stop by at least once!
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Malasada looks yummy, would like to try them.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Yes, I want to try making them.
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