Malasadas Recipes

MALASSADAS | PORTUGUESE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it just begins to steam and form bubbles around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the eggs on medium-high until thick and luscious looking, about 5 minutes.
• Switch to the dough hook, add the milk mixture, the yeast mixture, and the flour, and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 7 minutes, adding more flour if needed. The dough should be just slightly tacky but not sticky.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, shape into a ball, and place in a lightly buttered large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until double in size, about 2 hours.
• Lightly coat a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and turn the dough onto the pan. Press and poke it with your fingers, much like making focaccia, to help stretch it until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly coat the top of the dough with cooking spray, loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest at room temperature until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 3 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C) on a deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer. Monitor the heat to keep a steady temperature.
• Using scissors or your hands, cut or pull a 2-to-3-inch piece of dough from the baking sheet and stretch it into a 4-to-5-inch circle, then lower it into the oil and fry, turning frequently, just until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes, depending on the size. Drain the doughnut on paper towels for 30 seconds and then toss in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. Devour warm.

MALASADAS (PLAIN OR HAUPIA FILLED)

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a glass liquid measuring cup in the microwave for 1 minute. In the bowl of a stand mixer*, combine the hot milk with the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy*, about 5 minutes (*see "tips" above).
• Using the dough hook and beat the eggs, butter, 1/4 cup sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 1/4 cup), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It's ok if it is still a little tacky (see picture above). Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is still too sticky.
• Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray (so the dough won't stick to it if it rises a lot). Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and cut into 16 equal pieces. Take each piece and pinch into a ball shape being careful not to overwork. Once it's nice and round, pat each piece between your hands, flattening it out a little so it looks like a fat disc. Optional: Place each dough piece on a 4" square of parchment paper, this will make it easier to handle gently and put in the oil after they rise. Cover dough pieces with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they puff up, about 45 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, heat oil to 350-degrees in a deep fryer or Dutch oven (I actually used my electirc fondue pot and it worked perfectly). Carefully add the malasadas to the oil, a few at a time. Be careful not to crowd them. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a metal slotted spoon or wooden chopstick to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over.
• Use a slotted spoon or oil strainer to carefully remove malasadas to a plate or cooling rack lined with paper towels.
• Once the malasadas are cool enough to handle (but still very warm), roll in sugar until well coated and set aside. Serve immediately.

MALASADAS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/4 cup warm water; set aside.
• In small bowl, beat eggs until thick.
• Put flour in large bowl, making a well in the center. Into the well add yeast, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, milk, 1 cup water, and salt. Beat thoroughly to form a soft, smooth dough. Cover, let dough rise until doubled.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Drop dough by big teaspoonfuls into oil, fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, shake in a bag of sugar to coat, and serve hot.

MALASADAS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water; set aside.
• Combine flour, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl; make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
• Combine yeast mixture with eggs, lemon extract(optional), butter (or margarine), evaporated milk, and water.
• Mix thorourghly and add to well.
• Combine wet and dry ingredients until the dough comes together.
• Knead to form a soft, smooth dough.
• Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1-1/2 hours).
• Punch down; form into balls on a floured surface.
• Cover; set aside to rise again (about 30 minutes in a warm place).
• Heat oil to 375 degrees; drop dough carefully into hot oil and fry until both sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Coat with sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.

MALASADAS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the yeast with 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix until the yeast dissolves then set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, vanilla, eggs, and butter and reserve.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour with 11/3 cup sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the yeast and milk mixture into the well. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, forming a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough with a clean towel and set aside to rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch the dough down, then with oiled fingers, pinch off pieces about the size golf balls. Place the dough balls on greased baking sheets. Cover the malasadas with a clean towel and set aside to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
• In a heavy, high-sided pot, heat a bout 2 inches of oil over medium-high until the oil reaches 325 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry the malasadas until they are uniformly golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes per batch. Drain the malasadas on a plate lined with paper towels just until they are cool enough to handle then roll them in cinnamon sugar and serve.

MALASADAS

Steps:

• Combine 1 egg, 3/4 cup sugar, butter and salt in bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with dough hook attachment; beat until blended. Add 5 cups flour and yeast; beat 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot water, milk and vanilla and beat until well blended. Beat in remaining 2 eggs, then 1/2 cup flour. Beat until dough is smooth, soft and slightly sticky but begins to come away from sides of bowl, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if very sticky, about 10 minutes. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Cut into 2 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece on lightly floured surface to 12x16-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 3 strips and crosswise into 4 strips, making twelve 4-inch squares. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Pour enough oil into large saucepan to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 350°F. Fry 2 or 3 malasadas until puffed and golden brown, turning once, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer malasadas to paper towels and drain. Repeat frying with remaining dough squares, heating oil to 350°F for each batch.
• Generously sprinkle warm malasadas with additional sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.