These last few weeks have been pretty busy around here. We took a two week long road trip to visit family. Unfortunately, we didn’t escape the heat of Texas and went to places that were equally as hot (if not hotter). We headed out to Arizona for a few days then to Northern California and down through Vegas (to visit my 100 year old grandpa) and then back through Arizona and home to Texas. I haven’t calculated the miles we put on our car, but it was a LOT of driving! It was worth it though to see so many people we love that we haven’t seen in a while. My kids were troopers too and actually traveled pretty well; so that was a relief.
While we were in California, we headed over to San Francisco for a day. I was so excited to go to Boudin’s to get some delicious sourdough and watch them make their bread. Although, I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t sell their sourdough starter. Oh well! We also had some delicious mini donuts on Fisherman’s Wharf. It made me realize that I still haven’t shared this delicious Malasada recipe with you from the Instagram baking challenge I was a part of a few weeks back.
Malasadas are a Portuguese donut that are fried and coated in cinnamon and sugar and sometimes filled. They are so delicious! I had them for the first time several years ago in Hawaii at Leonard’s Bakery. I have dreamed about going back ever since. If you have never had one (or if you have), this recipe will not disappoint.
To begin, mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl if you are making them by hand). Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to let the yeast grow slightly.
Add the sugar, salt, hot milk (heated for 2 minutes in the microwave), melted butter, and egg to the yeast mixture. Mix until incorporated. Slowly add in the flour 1/2 cup at a time and continue to knead until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be sticky, but don’t be tempted to add more flour.
Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour. Spray your hands with cooking spray. Then using your thumb and first finger squeeze the dough to form a dough ball. Place the dough balls on a greased parchment lined baking sheet. Cover the dough balls and let them rise for 40 minutes.
When there is about 15-20 minutes left to rise, heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat to 350 degrees F. The oil should be about 3-4 inches high in the pot. In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add the cinnamon and sugar and mix together.
Fry the dough balls for about 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Drop each donut into the Ziploc bag and coat it with the sugar mixture. If you want, you can fill the malasadas with pudding using a pastry bag with a small portion of the tip cut off. With a skewer stick, puncture the malasada until the skewer is inserted about halfway through. Place the pastry bag into the hole and squeeze gently until some of the pudding comes out of the hole. I filled mine with a chocolate pudding and a coconut pudding, but you can be creative. I also coated half of mine with powdered sugar just to mix things up a bit.
These delicious fluffy dough balls will melt in your mouth and you will soon start to dream about them too!
Malasadas
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups hot milk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 8 eggs beaten
- 8 cups flour
Cinnamon and Sugar Coating
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl if doing by hand), mix together the yeast, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and warm water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom, or bubble/grow.
- Heat the milk in the microwave for 2 minutes so it is hot.
- To the yeast mixture, add the 1/2 cup of sugar, salt, hot milk, melted butter, and the beaten eggs. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
- When the dough is almost done rising, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper with cooking spray.
- Spray your hands with cooking spray as the dough will be sticky. While holding a large portion of the dough in the palm of your hand, squeeze the dough between your thumb and 1st finger to form a dough ball.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared parchment paper. Cover the dough and let it rise again for 40 minutes.
- When the dough has about 15-20 minutes left to rise, start heating the oil in a large pot over medium high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. The oil should fill about 3-4 inches up the sides of the pot.
- In a large Ziploc bag mix together 2 cups of sugar and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon.
- Fry each dough ball for 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Place the malasada into the Ziploc bag to coat with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Enjoy warm!
- If you desire, you can fill the malasadas with pudding, cream, jam, etc. To do this, puncture the malasada with a skewer stick and insert it until it reaches about halfway through the donut. Remove the skewer and fill a pastry bag with the desired filling. Cut about 2 mm off of the tip of the pastry bag and insert it into the hole. Squeeze gently and consistently until a small amount of the filling comes out of the hole.
