Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (2024)

By Erin Clarkson on Mar 30, 2019 (updated Aug 17, 2021)

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Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (1)
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Hi hi! My sweet friend Alana wrote a cookbook, and I am so, so excited to be sharing a recipe from it today! Although Alana and I have never actually met IRL (story of my life, this is what happens when you’re a hermit and lots of your friends don’t live in NYC), but we have been internet friends for a few years now, and I was so stoked to get a copy of her new beautiful book, Aloha Kitchen, in the mail recently!

Alana is originally from Hawai’i, and her book not only gives you an incredible history of Hawai’i, the food, and all the cultures that have made it their home, but it is filled with the most beautiful food and recipes. Most people don’t realise just how diverse the food in Hawai’i really is, and this is reflected so, so perfectly in the book. I can’t wait to explore it a little more - the book is already filled with post it notes. Congrats lady, the book is so incredible! x

I thought I was going to have a tough time choosing a recipe to share from the book, but as soon as I came across this recipe for Malasadas with Liliko’i Pastry Cream, my decision was made incredibly easily. I think we all know by now my obsession for a) doughnuts and b) passionfruit / liliko’i, and this ticks both boxes. Passionfruit is super hard to come by in NYC, so when we went to Hawai’i with family a few years ago, it took us a few days to realise that Liliko’i were passionfruit - they are round and yellow in Hawai’i, whereas they are weird purple shrivelled things in NZ, so we didn’t put two and two together! When we did realise, we went on a mad mission to buy a bunch from the local farmer’s market to bring back to NYC, stupidly not realising we weren’t allowed to take fruit off of Maui (I promise we aren’t as stupid tourist as we sound), so we stood outside airport security in Maui, and ate about 15 each in the space of 5 minutes, before leaving the rest of the giant bag with the dude working the scanner (he was stoked). I’ve never had a stomach ache more worth it.

Malasadas are Portuguese style doughnuts - it was my first time making them, but definitely won’t be my last. The process is a little different to making brioche doughnuts, in that the dough is much sweeter and softer than brioche, which results in the softest, most pillowy doughnuts. It uses evaporated milk, which only adds to the amazing flavour. I’m totally obsessed with the texture. Alana’s recipe includes a pastry cream filling, spiked with Liliko’i juice, which is tart and flavourful, and goes perfectly with the sugar rolled doughnuts. These would be perfect for a party, or for feeding a crowd, or for whenever you feel the need to make some incredible doughnuts.

A few wee tips:

  • I made both the dough for the Malasadas and the pastry cream the night before, giving the dough an overnight rest for it’s first rise in the fridge, and giving the pastry cream time to chill completely. Splitting up the process like this makes it super manageable.
  • The dough for the Malasadas is much wetter and softer than standard brioche dough - don’t freak out (I did, a classic me move)! Just keep kneading in the mixer - it will smooth out and become beautiful and super stretchy. You’re looking for it to pull away from the sides.
  • This recipe makes 20-24 doughnuts, which is lots if there aren’t too many of you. I am sure that it can be easily halved!
  • If you’re in NZ, Bread flour is the same as high grade 🙂

❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️

I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!

Answers to your baking questions

Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:

  • baking in grams
  • adjusting oven temperatures
  • what kind of salt to use
  • and many more!

I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!

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Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (6)

Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling

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  • Author: Erin Clarkson
  • Yield: Makes 20-24 1x
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Description

Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling

Ingredients

Scale

Malasada Dough

  • 180g Whole milk, warmed to 110°f / 45°c
  • 180g Evaporated milk, warmed to 110°f / 45°c
  • 45g Unsalted butter, melted
  • Two 0.25 packages active dry yeast (4 ½ tsp total)
  • 150g sugar, and more for dusting
  • 3 large eggs
  • 600g bread flour
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • Neutral Oil, for frying

Liliko’i Pastry Cream

  • 150g Sugar
  • 480g Whole Milk
  • 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 31g Cornstarch
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 15g unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 120g Liliko’i (passionfruit) Juice

Instructions

MALASADA DOUGH

  1. In a bowl, combine both milks, the butter, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar and whisk together. Let the mixture sit until the yeast is activated and foamy, about 10 minutes
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and the remaining ¾ cup (150g) sugar together on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Turn the speed to low and incorporate the flour and the milk mixture in four additions, alternating between wet and dry ingredients. Add the salt and switch to the dough hook. Gradually turn the speed up to medium-high and knead the dough until it’s smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and quickly grease the mixer bowl with butter. Transfer the dough back to the bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and set in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Lightly grease a large piece of parchment (I used two parchment lined baking sheets) and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ½” thick. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter or 3 inch glass bowl, cut out as many rounds as you can, gathering and reusing the scraps. You should be able to make 20 to 24 rounds. Place them on the greased parchment paper, spacing them 3 inches apart. Cover the rounds with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  4. Fill a shallow bowl with some sugar and set aside. Fill a wide Dutch Oven or other pot with 2 inches of oil. Heat the pot over medium heat until the oil registers 350°f / 180°c. Alternatively, a deep fryer can be used. Using scissors, cut the greased parchment paper so that each malasada is on its own square. Working in batches, place the malasadas in the oil, paper side up, using tongs to peel off and discard the paper. Cook, flipping once, until puffed and golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a wire rack set on a baking sheet; let cool for 5 minutes, then toss with the sugar.

PASTRY CREAM

  1. In a saucepan, combine ¼ cup (50g) of the sugar and the milk and heat over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it begins to steam. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup (150g) sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt together until smooth. Slowly ladle about ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking the entire time. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking continuously, until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and liliko’i juice; continue to whisk until smooth. Pour into a medium glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the pastry cream. Set in a large bowl filled with ice water to cool. Alternatively, place in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill overnight.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Using a paring knife, cut a slit on one side into the middle of the malasadas. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip halfway full with pastry cream. Pipe about 2 Tbsp of the filling into the slit in the malasada. Refill the pastry bag when it runs low.
  2. Serve immediately, as malasadas are best fresh. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a ziplock bag for up to 24 hours.

Notes

Reprinted with permission from Aloha Kitchen

Aloha Kitchen is Copyright Alana Kysar 2019, and was Published in 2019 by Ten Speed Press.

Key Ingredients

  • Passionfruit
  • Vanilla

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    Comments

  1. Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (7)Chelsea

    Hi I had a question I did not weigh any of the ingredients I went by the cup measurements provided is this ok? I figured if it was meant for grams then the recipe should be left in grams. The dough is wet and sticky is this normal? I also put it in the fridge for overnight if that’s ok as well thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (8)Erin

      Hi! Whoops thanks for letting me know - I had forgotten to take the cup measurements out. The recipe is now all in grams so should be more accurate. This is a recipe from a friend's book so I only made it for this post but the dough is quite wet and sticky. You can add a little flour when you roll it out and it should be fine!

      Reply

  2. Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (9)Katrina

    For the Liliko'i juice do you use a specific brand? Some I have found have added sugar...

    Reply

    • Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (10)Erin Clarkson

      I can't remember what brand I used sorry - it was just straight pulp!

      Reply

    • Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (11)Lauren

      These look amazing! You mentioned that you made the dough the night before. Did you let it rise at room temperature before putting it in the fridge, or does the first rise happen in the fridge? Then did you roll it out straight from the fridge, or does it need to come to room temperature first? Thanks!

      Reply

      • Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (12)Erin Clarkson

        Hi! First rise in the fridge! Then yep roll straight from the fridge!

        Reply

Malasadas with Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Pastry Cream Filling (2024)

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