Hawaii Eats: Malasadas

HawaiiEats

From as far back as I can remember, visiting my Aunty Edith’s Kapahulu house always meant one thing; dessert. No matter the time of day, we would always bring a white box of warm Leonard’s Malasadas in hand for all to share. Now with my own children in tow, the tradition continues.

Malasadas—a fluffy, light, Portuguese sugar coated donut—was introduced at Leonard’s Bakery soon after it opened in Honolulu in 1952. Best eaten piping hot, the traditional Malasadas has no filling, and has a generous dusting of granulated sugar. The palm sized donut (without a hole) is wonderfully light and just a bit chewy with a slight crunch from the deep fried outer crust—YUM! Other versions of this local favorite include cinnamon sugar malasadas and filled malasadas; choose from haupia, chocolate and custard filled.

Two notable up and coming malasadas that harken after the Leonard’s Bakery tradition are Champion’s malasadas and Ted’s Bakery’s glazers (a glazed sugar malasadas), both definitely worth a try and some even favor these over the Leonard’s original. And if you find yourself somewhere far, far away from a Leonard’s Malasadamobile Wagon, you can bring a little bit of Hawaii to your home by trying this super simple and quick home recipe:

1 can Pillsbury Biscuit
1 cup of granulated white sugar
3-4 cups of vegetable or canola oil

On the stovetop, heat oil to medium high heat in a pot and carefully drop in one biscuit at a time. Brown evenly on both sides. While still hot, toss the deep fried biscuits in the granulated sugar and coat well. Enjoy this homemade version of Honolulu’s malasadas!

Whatever your favorite, it is no secret that people in Hawaii love to eat. From plate lunches to bentos and everything in between, the meals we share together bond us. Just as nicknames and private jokes create intimacy between those in the know, enjoying local food allows everyone to connect with the often unspoken body of shared knowledge and experiences that make up our intimate island community.

We would love to hear about your malasadas memories, either as a first timer or as a long time fan.

Photocredits: Christian Razukas and _e.t