Kimo's Advent Calendar:
Sweet Something's in Door #19.
Haupia Cream Malasadas,
Poi Doughnuts,
and Coco Puffs!
Brace yourself, this will be easy on the eyes but brutal on the thighs!
Kimo's Advent Calendar is a reflection of the many holiday traditions and seasonal tastes during Makahiki in Hawai'i. I'm posting an Advent Door a day until Kalikimaka (Christmas), featuring a word or cultural tradition found here in Hawai'i that illuminates how we celebrate the holidays and how we share that time together with family and friends.
To say we love our sweets in Hawai'i is an understatement, especially over the holidays. There is really no place one can hide from the menacing Haupia Cream Malasada, or the punk Poi Doughnut. It’s just impossible to not go cuckoo for Coco Puffs and the multitudes of other sugary confections that lurk around every company break room, kitchen pantry, or holiday pa'ina(party) in Hawai’i. Nothing strikes more fear in the intrepid holiday dieter than seeing a box of these Sweet Somethings coming out of the elevator at the office or appearing unannounced at your front door in the gracious hands of a house guest. The generosity of the holidays are the time when these delectables come out in force, by the bakers dozen, sometimes with a chocolate chip on their shoulder.
In the late 19th Century Portuguese laborers from the Azores and Madeira came to Hawaii to work in the rapidly expanding sugar industry. The Portuguese brought along their traditional foods, including a delicious fried dough pastry called the "malasada." which translates as "under cooked" and describes the soft interior of this hole-less doughnut. Once served as a pre-Lenten treat, Malasadas have evolved into a Holiday favorite and today there are numerous bakeries in Hawai'i who specialize in malasadas and many other wonderful sweets and tasty treats. I have compiled some of Metro Honolulu's most beloved bakery's who's reputation's for Sweet Somethings are unrivaled.
Leonard's Bakery
933 Kapahulu Avenue,
Honolulu, HI 96816
This Kapahulu Bakery is renowned for their Malasadas and my favorite are their cream filled Malasadas with Haupia(coconut). Creamy fillings include Dobash(chocolate), Custard, and Pineapple. They also come dusted in Sugar, Cinnamon Sugar, or Li Hing Mui(a sugary granulated chinese topping). If you see their signature pink box in the lunch room you know someone has been naughty so be extra nice and maybe you can be naughty too.
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HOURS: 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sun – Thurs 5:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Fri & Sat
CONTACT: 808-737-5591 808-737-5537
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Liliha Bakery 
515 N. Kuakini Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
This famous 24hr a day Kalihi Bakery/ Restaurant has a opened a second location in Sam Choy's former space on Nimitz Highway near Hilo Hatties and City Mill. Stocked to the gills with holiday fare these guys are best known for their Coco Puffs, a flaky chocolate cream puff with a Chantilly cream cap. Other flavors include Green Tea Puffs, Eclair and good old powdered sugar. They serve breakfast all day and have a great lunch and dinner menu to boot.
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515 N. Kuakini St. HOURS: 24 hours a day
CONTACT: 808-531-1651
580 N.Nimitz Hwy. HOURS: 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily
CONTACT: 808-537-2488 |
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Kamehameha Bakery
1284 Kalani Street,
Honolulu, HI 96817
This Kalihi Favorite has recently moved from it's former location on School Street to it's new digs near the DMV on Kalani St. Glazed Poi Doughnuts, Haupia and Poi Malasadas and Bear Claws, Oh my! These are just a few of their specialties of the house. Other notables are their glazed Strawberry and Orange Doughnuts and Ensemadas, a glazed sweet bread roll.
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HOURS: 2 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mon - Fri 3:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sat & Sun
CONTACT: 808-845-5831
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Glazed Strawberry doughnuts from Kamehameha Bakery,
below glazed Poi doughnuts mmm ono!
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