One of our vendors brought us a box of Champion Malasadas the other day, continuing the seemingly daily onslaught of potentially ruining my MTV music video-worthy girlish figure. lol (Does MTV even have music videos any more?) For whatever reason, normally we see Leonard’s Malasadas land on our office snack table more often than any other, and it’s been a while since I’ve had malasadas from Champion, yet I do remember them as being EXCELLENT, and this time was just as that.
The box from Champion that arrived at our office was piping hot…
which is really the only way to fully enjoy a malasada in all its glory. With that, these had that signature airy, glutenous texture on the inside….
with a slightly chewy, slighty crunchy crust, punching it all out with an evenly-dusted coating of granulated white sugar…
It also wasn’t oily ‘n greasy at all, thank goodness. In fact, it was so airy and light, you’d just as well assume they were baked, not deep-fried, as is how they’re made.
Checking out our good friends over at WOWGrinds.com, I see they already did a blind taste test back in December of last year, putting Leonard’s, Agnes’ and Champion into the ring. The results out of 7 blind taste test judges resulted with Leonard’s in 1st place, Agnes 2nd, and Champion 3rd.
Hmmm, interesting. In and by itself, Champion Malasada is a champion in my book, and worthy of a 5 SPAM Musubi rating. Until I get the other two main competitors to try side-by-side (and still piping hot) along with it, I stand by that.
Now I’m off to doing my Pilates workout watching archived Britney Spears music videos. lol
Related links:
• www.ChampionMalasadas.com
• Leonard’s Bakery
• Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop
• Leonard’s Malasadas – The Tasty Island
• Honolulu Portugese Festa ’08 – The Tasty Island
[polldaddy poll=1549455]
I remember in the past the 70s Leonard’s truck parked outside Times Super on Liliha and that woman inside selling malasadas. A guy also inside making them.
I love Champion also, I find that they don’t get “smashed” flat the next day nor greasy or oily as Leonard’s sometimes get.
Dude if there is such a thing as food porn you are producing it my friend. I absolutely love your blog and all of the pics are a feast for my eyes. It always make me hungry and I also find it very inspirational. Thank you!
Pomai, don’t worry about your girlish figure! If you eat too much you can always call yourself “festively plump.”
A few years back I came back to Oahu to visit and were surprised to find that the Leonard’s Malasada truck near Windward Mall also sold malasadas that had fillings. I don’t remember what kind of fillings they were, but they might have been haupia and guava (?). To me it seemed sort of blasphemous to have fillings in malasadas so I just ordered and enjoyed the classic plain ones.
Have you tried the malasadas with fillings? If so, what do you think of them?
whaaaaaaaaa Nobody on the mainland makes good-kine malasadas!!!!!!!!
I live on the mainland and still make Malasadas like I did when I lived on Oahu. Buy the lowest priced canned biscuits and use a fry baby or daddy and make the veg. oil hot. Fry the individual biscuits and when they are brown and float roll them on a paper towel and then toss and roll in the sugar. Taste real good with some hot coffee. Of course I have had a 6 way by pass so maybe not the best for the health.
Champion is my favorite too. When I think of the best malasadas, Champion is the first place that pops up in my mind. They seem to pay more attention to quality like making sure there’s an even coat of sugar on each malasada and letting the dough rest before frying it. And it’s not as greasy as Leonard’s. I think they need to do that malasada blind taste test again and get a second opinion.
I wonder when the malasada became round and puffy like the ones we know from Leonard’s and Champion’s. The malasadas I run into up here in San Jose (they call ‘em “filhos”) are flatter, with a hole in the middle.
The ones at the Punahou Carnival taste like the malasadas we are familiar with, but the density almost reminds me of an andagi.
Nate, thanks for reminding me about Punahou Carnival’s most excellent malasadas. I added it to the poll.
ilikegrind, the way you described Champion is EXACTLY the impression I had when eating the one from this batch. Still, I’ll need all the competition side-by-side to make a concrete decision on who’s “the best”.
John, oh yeah, the frozen Pillsbury biscuit dough works great for making easy home-made malasadas.
Jody, make your own like John does. While not quite the same as those at the popular places here on Oahu, being home-made, they’re just as fresh and tasty.
Jenny, I have tried the filled malasadas. They’re excellent. I like them even better than the plain ones. The guava filling is especially unique and refreshing. I don’t think I’d every tell a woman “You look festively plump”. lol
Blake, glad to hear you enjoy the content here. It’s all “G”.
Kat, yeah, I find Champion doesn’t collapse as much as I remember Leonard’s do. Especially when they’re packed tightly in the box. It did also come across as being much less greasy.
Betty, one thing for sure, you can’t miss or forget that loud red and white striped Leonard’s Malasada Wagon. Truly one of the most unique and memorable food establishment icons in Hawaii.
Hey, I just had fresh made Malasadas from L&L drive in here in Portland, OR yesterday. They were a special for a small fair in the Walmart parking lot and they were every bit as delicious as I remember from living in Hawaii. I introduced them to my friends and they are hooked…I am not sure if they get imported dough or make their own…but they were good!!
Christene, I never heard of any L&L Drive Inns here on Oahu that sell Malasadas. I suppose they don’t wanna’ compete with the “Big Boys” (Leonard’s, Agnes and Champion).
As for the recipe, any chance they could be using the frozen biscuit dough like John suggested? While not quite the same (but pretty darned close!), I do agree those are equally as tasty as authentic Malasadas.