Malassadas are a traditional sweet fried dough which is very typical of the Azores and Madeira islands. These are probably the most popular dessert of the two Regions, and this is a recipe which has been in my family for many generations. This is the “Alves Family Malassadas” recipe I was given by my Vavó and has been adjusted and perfected over and over again throughout the years to come up with the best sweet and crispy fried dough malassadas you can make.

Ingredients:
12 eggs
1 & a 1/2 cup milk
1 & a 1/2 cup water
2 sticks of butter
4 tablespoons of Crisco
2 packets of yeast
1 tablespoon of salt
7 tablespoons of sugar
4 cups of vegetable oil
5 lbs. of baking flour

Directions:
1) Place 5 lbs. of flour in a big bowl. Add a tablespoon of salt to the bowl.
2) Start melting 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Once melted, add 1 & 1/2 cup water, 1 & 1/2 cup milk, 4 tablespoons crisco and mix it well with a spoon. Once it reaches a smooth and even consistency turn off the heat.
3) Place 12 eggs in a bowl of hot water to have them reach room temperature.
4) Once they have reached room temperature crack them into a large bowl.
5) Mix the eggs together with a beater and add 3 and a half teaspoons of sugar while mixing.
6) Now add the egg mixture to the saucepan with the melted butter.
7) Mix while pouring.
8) Pour this mixture into the bowl of flour and begin mixing and kneading the mixture into dough until it reaches a smooth consistency.
9) Mix the packets of yeast with 2 tablespoons warm water in a cup and then add this mixture to the bowl with the dough.
10) Add some more water if you need to even the consistency. Once it reaches the right consistency add a pinch of flour to place on top of the dough, then cover the bowl and let is sit there until the dough has completely risen, and this should typically take 2.5 hours to occur
11) Once the dough has risen, add the vegetable oil to a large frying pan and begin making small pieces of dough and adding them to the pan on High heat.
12) Flip the pieces of dough in the frying pan until they are golden brown and then place them on a platter, dip in sugar on both sides as you please.
13) Once you are done, serve them to all your friends as you will have a bunch and try not to eat them all at once, Enjoy!

Em Português
Ingredients:
5 Libras de farinha
1 Duzia de ovos
1 & 1/2 Copos de leite
1 & 1/2 Copos de agua
2 Varas da manteiga
4 Colheres de crisco
2 Pacotes de fermento
1 Colher de sal
4 Copos de oleo
7 colheres de acucar

Modo de Fazer:
1) Fazer o fermento com um pouco de agua morna e um pouco de acucar.
2) Numa panela por a margarina, o crisco, a casca de limao e a agua e o leite.
3) Noutra pana bater os ovos com o batedeira e por 7 colheres de sopa de acucar, bater bem mistura-se depois para farinha o resto dos ingredientes.
4) Nao se deixa a massa muita dura nem muito mole depois frita-se em oleo.