2 weeks ago
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Chanukah starts in little over two weeks, so we’ve found some of the best doughnuts in London. Plus we’ve got some brilliant online options so you don’t even need to leave the house to get your festive fix.
Beit Café (kosher):
My absolute favourite doughnuts come from Golders Green’s Beit Café. They’re made from a brioche-style dough so light and lovely and although properly fried — as a doughnut should be — they don’t taste oily.
The best doughnut I ate last year — although I do have a few nuts I also love.
Owner and head baker, Emi, who has been developing her recipes for months told me she’ll be announcing this year’s flavours for another few days, but if you want an idea fo what to expect, last year’s batch included crème brulee – with a vanilla scented crème patisserie filling and shiny caramelised sugar topping that gave that all important sugar crack as you broke them open.
Emi makes all her own fillings from premium ingredients including jams so they’re a cut above.
Prices from £3.50 – £5.50. A treat but worth every penny. Order via phone, Instagram or in store.
Beit Café: 119 Golders Green Road, NW11 8HR. Tel: 020 8209 3592 Instagram: beit_cafe
Charlotte’s Sourdough: (kosher)
Charlotte Clife Aybes’s organic, sourdough-based ‘nuts are another favourite seasonal treat. They’re also generously sized and gorgeous looking. Previous year’s flavours have included raspberry jam; chocolate tahini and halva; lemon curd; chocolate orange or vanilla maple creme patisserie.
The magic takes place in her SKA-approved Hendon micro-bakery from where you can pick up your treasures or she delivers in certain NW postcodes — £2 for Hendon, £3 for Golders Green, Finchley, Hampstead Garden Suburb. Contact Charlotte for pricing on other areas. (Minimum orders may apply.)
Order via Instagram: charlottessourdough
Borough 22 (kosher)
Not only kosher but also free-from so perfect for any dietary need. These gluten free indulgent treats are safe for coeliacs and also made without dairy and nuts as well as being heschered by the Sephardi Kashrut Authority.
The Hanukkah (Chanukah) box (subtitled a Hole Load of Happiness this Hanukkah) contains six doughnuts — A Hole Load of Happiness this Hanukkah! — contains six fried doughnuts: two vanilla glazed rings; two sugared rings and two jam Filled ‘nuts.
You can order them online via their website or pop into Selfridges for a festive fix of their December window displays and pick up your box there.
If you prefer a (slightly) healthier Chanukah treat they also have a range of baked treats, all of which have tasty fillings including S'mores; cinnamon sugared; strawberry glazed; salted caramel; red velvet and cookies and cream.
All boxes (of six) are £32 plus delivery and all doughnuts can be frozen if you want to get ahead.
Order via their website Borough 22 or pop into their Selfridges concession.
Tami Isaac’s gorgeous pillowy doughnuts are another seasonal treat that I look forward to each year.
Owner baker Tami’s tahini halva honey doughnuts are next level and I’m also a huge fan of Christmas flavours, so her mince pie doughnut is on my festive wish list, but even her simple jam or custard-filled doughnuts are next level.
She’ll be announcing her 2024 flavours this week so watch this space but you’ll want to order ahead as they’ll be in hot demand. IYKYK.
More information and order via the Karma Bread website or Instagram.
Donutelier:
The Instagrammer’s dream — these glamorous treats are not only delicious but also dressed to thrill. The first store — closet to Leicester Square tube — had been joined by a second store on Carnaby Street.
The gourmet doughnut brand has opened a second West End store. Their new Carnaby Street outlet opened last week — just in time for Chanukah and the festive period. The flavours change every season and this year include Vanilla Pecan (vanilla ganache and pecan praline filling, Chantilly cream and caramelised pecans) and my favourite, the Rochers Gianduja, and OTT explosion of chocolate ganache and hazelnut praline filling, hazelnut and chocolate crust, milk chocolate Chantilly cream and gianduja flakes and Carnaby Toffee (date toffee and Chantilly cream filling, crumble, sugar dusting and a pipette full of caramel to squeeze into it) which is a special at the new store. Prices from £5.50.
More info here.
My pick for entertaining would be these beignets, which are a great and very light-textured treat that you can keep in your freezer to bring out whenever you need a cocktail-sized doughnut great.
FYI — an authentic beignet is a French invention, made from choux pastry dough that’s also a very New Orleans treat. Thse are made from brioche dough puffy, pillowy and easy to eat.
These are super light in texture and come in a range of fillings including apple, red fruits, hazelnut and cocoa and speculoos. Each are covered in a dusting of icing sugar and have a great ‘shelf life’ as they’re stored in the freezer until you’re ready to nosh them up.
They’re small but not too badly priced either at £20 for a 70-piece catering pack or £3.50 for a box of eight.
You can order directly from Mademoiselle or add them to your Ocado order where they’re currently on offer for £2.50 per box of eight.
Another premium artisan, handmade doughnut brand that delivers. Not only on flavour and look but also actual delivery, so they may save your skin if you forget to get your Chanukah stash sorted.
The range — many of which are finished with a festive shower of sparkly gold dust includes chocolate and orange; pear and mulled spice (which is vegan); Speculoos — another vegan ‘nut made from sourdough and filled with speculoos ganache; biscotti — filled with vanilla bean custard, glazed in an almond/pistachio glaze and topped with almond, pistachio and apricot crumble; and a delicious-sounding peanut butter, caramel and banana doughnut topped with a banana and peanut caramel glaze, cocoa-coated peanuts and a sprinkle of gold.
More information here.
Coco Bakery:
Last but definitely not least is this family-owned, Golders Green-based, kosher bakery. They do a fabulous selection of amazing flavours including Ferrero; salted caramel; white chocolate and pistachio; cookies and cream and pecan pie. I could eat every. Single, One.
And even more exciting are their cronuts — a croissant-shaped deep-fried delight filled with crème pastisserie. I’ll be all over those this month.
Prices vary but the premium flavours are £3.95 each and available in special gift boxes at £45 for eight, while the everyday flavours like custard and jam are £20 for ten.
More information here.
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