Mala Ocean Tavern
Malasadas with MALA Mocha Sauce
Like most kids growing up on Maui, Sous Chef Mark Duque always looked forward to eating malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) at the Maui County Fair. When asked to create a new dessert for the restaurant, he decided to recreate this iconic local treat — with a twist: a decadent mocha sauce. “At Mala, we use the finest dark chocolate and blend it with our famous MALA Specialty coffee from Maui Oma Coffee Roasting Company.”
MALA Mocha Sauce
YIELD: 2 1/2 cups | PREP TIME: 20 minutes
- 8 oz. 85% dark chocolate
- 1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
- 3 Tbsp. Maui Oma Coffee Roasters “MALA Specialty Blend,” ground (available at MauiOma.com)
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Slowly heat on low, making sure to melt, not burn, the chocolate. Melt fully, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour through a fine mesh strainer.
Although Mala was unable to share their secret recipe for malasadas, Wanda Adams’s cookbook A Portuguese–Hawai‘i Kitchen* is a great go-to reference for these delightful doughnuts. We adapted the recipe, which was selected as the best of the best at the 1981 Hawai‘i Council on Portuguese Heritage. Get the book! There’s a bonus: a second malasada recipe! *Order the book online at MutualPublishing.com.
Malasadas
YIELD: 5 dozen malasadas | PREP TIME: 20 minutes + 2 1/2 hours for dough to rise, + 45 minutes to 1 hour frying time
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 pkgs. (or 2 Tbsp.) dry yeast
- 1/3 c. very warm water (110 degrees F)
- 8 c. flour, sifted
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
- 6 whole eggs
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
- 1 1/3 c. water
- vegetable oil for frying
- granulated sugar for coating doughnuts
In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes, until bubbly. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Add melted butter, whole eggs, egg yolks and yeast mixture. Mix well to a smooth batter. In another bowl, blend the evaporated milk and water. Slowly mix into the flour mixture. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. Punch down and let rise again for 30 minutes.
In a deep fryer or heavy-bottom pot, heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees F. Pinch off a ball of dough 1 1/2 inches or smaller; carefully place in the oil. Cook only a few doughnuts at a time, so the oil doesn’t cool. Turn doughnuts when golden brown on bottom. Keep turning as needed until cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Roll in sugar while warm.
