By Karen Axelton
Say it ain’t so, dough: the humble donut is going upscale. Like every other food item from the hotdog to the Twinkie, apparently it’s the fried-dough-ring’s turn to get gussied up with fancy flavors. TrendCentral recently reported on some of the donut trends taking place:
- Donuts being made to order or in small batches so each customer gets a fresh batch
- Fillings like Ghirardelli chocolate and Italian mascarpone cheese
- Artisanal donuts with organic, locally grown whole grains
- Vegan donuts in flavors like Organic Green Tea and Kaffir Lime Leaf Glaze
In New York City, trendy dessert shop Momofuku Milk Bar is selling tiny dough balls it’s dubbed “cake truffles.” Let’s call it what it is…a donut hole.
For any baker or dessert shop, the haute donut trend offers tons of possibilities. Look at what’s been done with ice cream, beer, bacon, chocolate, cupcakes and other decadent treats in the past few years; apply the same ideas to donuts; and you’ve got a sure-fire hit on your hands. Now, pass me that cruller.
