Referring to malasadas as “Hawaiian doughnuts” grossly understates their brilliance—these beautiful puffs of lightly sweetened bread will very likely be better than any doughnut you will ever get your hands on. They’re delicious plain, but piping them full of some slightly tart guava puree or serving with some of the puree for dipping is a nice touch. Also good: dipping in any flavor of melted ice cream.
24 masaladas
- In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk, evaporated milk, yeast, and one tablespoon of sugar.
- In a stand mixer equipped with paddle attachment, beat the eggs and remaining sugar on high until pale yellow and doubled in volume.
- Reduce speed to low. Alternate additions of flour and milk mix, about one cup at a time. Add salt and increase mixer speed to high for two minutes. Dough will be very sticky.
- Remove paddle attachment and scrape clean. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature until double in size: about 2½ to 3 hours.
- Using either a bowl scraper or well-floured hands, begin folding the dough over itself, scooping from the outside and folding in and adding very small amounts of flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Do this about 25 times until dough is smooth, then return to bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24.
- Put the oil into a Dutch oven or large pot and insert a frying thermometer. Heat to 350 degrees.
- Once again, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, then divide each half into thirds, then divide those pieces in fourths to end up with 24 even pieces of dough. Roll pieces into balls, then lightly flatten with the palm of your hand. Gently fry malasadas, no more than four at a time, for 2½ minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. When the temperature of the oil returns to 350, fry the next batch.
- In a pie or cake pan, make cinnamon sugar by tossing 2 cups granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Gently toss warm malasadas in cinnamon sugar. Serve on the side for dipping.
- Process water and guava paste in a food processor for one minute until smooth.
- In a heatproof bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale, then add guava puree. Place over a pan of simmering water to create a double boiler and whisk continuously until mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon—about 5 minutes.
- Remove bowl from heat and continue to whisk, adding butter a piece at a time until it’s entirely mixed in and the curd is glossy.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of guava curd and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Use a piping bag to fill each doughnut, or serve the doughnuts with a bowl of the curd for dipping.
Allison Robicelli
Allison Robicelli is a D-list celebrity-chef chef, author, humorist, entrepreneur, general polymath, and all-around good time. You may remember her from such places as Food52, Eater, Food Network, VH1, and many other quirky corners of the food Internet. She is the author of the critically acclaimed cookbook/memoir Robicelli's: A Love Story, With Cupcakes, which has been called one of the funniest food-related books of all time. You should buy it.