Saturday, March 30, 2024
HomeTravelThe best doughnuts from around the world

The best doughnuts from around the world

Few things are as simple and delicious as a doughnut – whether jam filled, sugared, or glazed. It seems many countries and cultures have their own preferred version of the delicious fried snack.

With international travel off the table right now, food can transport you, and these doughnuts will take you all round the globe.

1. Bomboloni

Bomboloni are as fun to eat as they are to say. The Italian sweet treats are pretty close to a traditional jam doughnut: a soft, yeasted ball of dough that’s fried and stuffed with a sweet pastry cream (sometimes chocolate spread) and sprinkled with sugar.

Read: Hot Jam Doughnuts

2. Oliebollen

These guys traditionally hail from the Netherlands and Belgium, where confectionery is taken very seriously. The name directly translates to ‘oil balls’, which might not sound particularly appealing but the reality is so much better. Oliebollen are spoonfuls of sweet dough dropped into hot oil and dusted with icing sugar, making for a fluffy dumpling with a crunchy outside. Sometimes the dough is filled with raisins or sultanas, and they’re often eaten to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

3. Sel roti

If you’re partial to a ring-shaped doughnut, try sel roti. Made out of rice flour, the Nepalese dough is flavoured with cardamom and cloves and goes perfectly with a mug of something hot, eaten at breakfast or for afternoon tea.

4. Balushahi

Balushahi look like glazed doughnuts, but instead of being spongy on the inside, these northern Indian sweets have a flaky texture (due to the fact they feature baking soda as a raising agent instead of yeast) and are coated in a sugar syrup.

Read: Interesting biscuits to bake from around the world

5. Sonhos

For a lighter take on doughnuts, look to Portuguese speciality sonhos. The name means ‘dreams’ in Portuguese, and they’re often served at Christmas. These little morsels have a light-as-air texture and tend to be rolled in cinnamon sugar.

6. Fánk

Next on our tour around the world is Hungary, for fánk. These fluffy doughnuts are traditionally served during carnival in February. Known as ‘ribbon doughnuts’ because of the pale strip running around the centre, the dough is flavoured with rum, and served with a thick Hungarian jam dolloped in the middle.

7. Smultring

In Norway, smultring are usually eaten at Christmas. The dough is flavoured with lemon, cinnamon, cardamom and liqueur, and fried in rings.

8. Kuih keria

These Malaysian doughnuts shake things up with a dough made using steamed sweet potatoes. Kneaded with flour and shaped into a ring, the dough is fried and glazed in a crunchy sugar coating. As there’s no raising agent, they’re denser than some of the other doughnuts on this list.

Read: Coffees from around the world you can try at home

9. Sfenj

Moroccan sfenj are made from an unsweetened, sticky dough, which is slightly chewy, with a golden, crispy outside. As it’s not sweetened, you can enjoy sfenj with almost anything – slathered in honey, sprinkled in sugar, or even mopping up a savoury meal. Traditionally, they’re eaten alongside a cup of tea.

Which would you most like to try? Why not share your favourite bakery treat in the comments section below?

– With PA

If you enjoy our content, don’t keep it to yourself. Share our free eNews with your friends and encourage them to sign up.

FROM THE AUTHOR
- Our Partners -

DON'T MISS

- Advertisment -

MORE LIKE THIS

- Advertisment -

Log In

Forgot password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.