Coffee and doughnuts, what could be better first thing on a morning. Well, what about coffee in a doughnut?
The latest in culinary fusion masterpieces. Hollow a doughnut out, coat the insides with Nutella and then fill with a small latte.
They were launched in Australia by the folks at Kenilworth Bakery Though no doubt thet will spread around the globe like wildfire.
Another of our series answering some of the many questions we have received about doughnuts, that delicious fried treat so beloved of cops, well according to Hollywood anyways.
If you eat one they wont, or even a few. If you eat loads everyday and dont work out then yes they probably will. All good things in moderation is the secret here.
Hanson Gregory, from America (obviously), claimed that he invented the ring doughnut aboard a trading ship in 1847. Apparently he wasn’t satisfied with the greasy doughnuts twisted into various shapes and undercooked in the centre. So he punched a hole through them with the ships tin pepper box, to ensure they were cooked inside.
However a recipe book dating from 1800 written by the wife of Baron Thomas Dinsdale (English) lists a recipe for cooking dow nuts.
So take your pick.
Most of them yes. But, they can also be baked. THe baked ones tend to be more compact, but are equally delicious so there is no right and wrong to which type you prefer.
The traditional doughnuts that we eat in the UK and North America are usually round. Either ring doughnuts with a hole in the middle. Or filled doughnuts which are a solid circle. But other countries have different styles. The Dutch Oliebollen is more of a ball. And a Spanish Churros is a long thin finger. Take a look at our feature on doughnuts of the world to see examples of what is out there.
Yep they certainly can, though they taste better hot and fresh. A tip is to stick jam filled doughnuts in the microwave for a minute, this warms them up and also makes them taste almost fresh again. However, beware. I once did this, and was interrupted by a phone call. After the call I hadn’t realised that they had been in for over five minutes. When I bit into one, a stream of superheated jam shot up a nostril and gave me severe burns.
According to an economist called Kate Raworth they can. The explanation is a bit heavy for a nice simple FAQ like this, so check out the idea at source. Doughnut Economics.
Well they are if you superheat them in a microwave and then bite into the jam centre!
They do contain quite a lot of saturated fat, and sugar. So they are never going to be classed as healthy. But it could be argued that the pleasure gained from eating them is good for your mental health, so it kinda balances out a bit really.
Asda, Tesco, sainsburys, Morrisons. Most of them sell premade doughnuts. They are not fresh and not hot so aren’t that good. Though we are partial to the Morrisons Jam ones, exploding versions excepted.
Boutique doughnut shops are springing up around the world, so there may be one near to you.
Or if you are holding an event such as a wedding or party, we can bring a hot fresh doughnut cart to you, free (to your guests) doughnuts all night. Hot, fresh, and slathered in sugar and Nutella.
Well, Hollywood reckons they do. And the stereotypical American cop lives solely on a diet of doughnuts, bagels and coffee. But seriously, who doesn’t love doughnuts would be a better question.
I guess there are people who don’t, but they are usually recaptured pretty quickly.
They are not good for them. They contain sugars and fats which are harmful in large doses. The oli they are fried in can cause diarrhea. And some contain caffeine or chocolate which can be fatal.
Well, the dictionary spelling is doughnut. Donut is a cut down simplified version created by our American brethren across the ocean. They seem to take delight in chopping sections out of words, and replacing the s with z. Or as they call it zee.
Don’t they realise we invented the bloody language. I think they changed everything after the War of Independence just to be awkward.
Doughnuts, or donuts as some would insist upon. The classic sugar covered doughy goodness beloved by all. Well, some people don’t like them, but they are usually recaptured pretty quickly.
Anyway, we all know what they are, but do the rest of the world share the same tastes. We look at some of the wonderful and weird examples available around the globe.
A traditional Italian recipe, the Bomboloni is made from a type of pastry called bomba (bomb). It could be due to the resemblance to an old fashioned bomb, or possibly a reference to the high calorie density i.e. a calorie bomb.
They are a filled doughnut with chocolate, custard and jam amongst others.
A Berliner Pfannkuchen is a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut made from sweet yeast dough made with eggs, milk and butter then fried in fat or oil with a marmalade or jam filling and icing or powdered sugar topping. Sometimes they are made with champagne, mocha, advocaat or chocolate.
They are traditionally a new years eve treat though they can be purchased throughout the year. A common practical joke is to fill them with mustard and serve them together with regular Berliners.
A Middle Eastern/Indian/North African snack made from deep fried maida flour then soaked in sugar syrup. They are somewhat chewy with a crystallised sugar coating. Traditionally served with curd or rabri.
They were traditionally given to the poor during Ramadan and there are cookbooks dating back to the 10th century with recipes for them. Also eaten in the Indian subcontinent were they are served with condensed milk or vegetable curry.
A traditional snack in Spain and Portugal. They are served with hot chocolate, and can be plain or filled with chocolate, jam, custard etc.
Their origins are unclear, with one theory being they were brought from China by Portuguese explorers. Another being they were invented by Spanish shepherds being easy to fry over open fires in the mountains.
An Israeli treat, nowadays very similar to the Berliner, though cooked in schmaltz due to kashrut laws. Traditionally they were made from two rings of dough surrounding a jelly filling then fried in one piece. Although this method is still used, they are more often made like the Berliner, a ball of dough with the filling injected.
They can also be stuffed with chocolate, truffle, dulce de leche and topped with a variety from coconut shavings to liquors and fruit pastes.
Looking more like Churros than traditional doughnuts, the Chinese Youtiao is a golden brown, deep fried strip of dough. Common in China and other South East Asian cuisines. Traditionally lightly salted and made to be torn in two, they are a breakfast treat, and accompany rice congee, soy milk or milk blended with sugar.
Legend has it that they are a protest against the Song Dynasty official Qin Hui who allegedly plotted to frame the general Yue Fei, an iconic patriot in China. The treat represents Qin Hui and his wife collaborating to bring about the generals downfall. They were supposedly first made in the shape of two humans before evolving into their current form.
Common in France, and French influenced areas such as New Orleans they date back to the time of Ancient Rome. Though the practice of deep frying dough goes back to at least the 5th Century BC.
They can be made with choux pastry or yeast pastry, and are commonly served at breakfast with powdered sugar and served hot and fresh.
A Japanese doughnut, made from deep fried dough filled with red bean paste. This dates from around 1983 so is a relative baby in the doughnut world.
One of our favourite doughnuts hailing from that super laid back super friendly country of Holland. They are like a dumpling, made with an ice cream scoop of dough, dropped into a deep fryer with hot oil. This provides a spherical shaped doughnut popular at funfairs and traditionally eaten on New Years Eve.
They can be injected with a variety of jams, custard chocolate etc, and are usually topped with sugar.
Hailing from the mountain kingdom of Nepal. The sel roti is a traditional home made ring shaped treat made from rice flour. Unique to Nepal, they are made mainly for the Nepali celebrations of the Tihar and Dashain festivals.
Made from a mix of flour, ghee and baking soda, these are fried in ghee or oil then dunked in a thick sugar syrup. Sweet but flaky they are a staple in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Kamataka.
A traditional Afrikaner fried dough infused with honey or syrup. Made from plated dough strips that are deep fried in oil then submerged into ice cold sugar syrup. They have a liquid syrup centre and a golden crunchy crust. Very sticky and sweet. They were traditionally baked to raise funds for the building of schools and churches.
There are literally dozens of variations of doughnuts around the world, all delicious.
Its been a longstanding joke, especially if you watch Hollywood movies, that cops & doughnuts are intricately linked.
More evidence of this has emerged with a story about a Krispy Kreme truck catching fire. The lexington Police department in Kentucky posted images on social media, of officers in mourning for the loss of the doughnuts.
Police departments across the nation were quick to offer their condolences, with the University of Kentucky Police Department writing βWe feel your loss,β . βWe donut what else to say.β
The company joined in the spirit of things with their reply;
Although the police in any country have a difficult job to do, its nice to remember that they are still, human, and a little humour is never a bad thing, so lets all spare a thought for cops & doughnuts.