Sweet tooths go Cronuts
New York's famous Cronut has become one of the world's most popular desserts and WA bakers are keen to share the joy of the deep-fried pastry.
Sweet tooths' fascination with the Cronut - a croissant crossed with a doughnut - has turned New York chef Dominique Ansel's creation into social media's "most viral dessert item" since its launch on May 10.
Bakers worldwide, including in WA, have tried to replicate the original, but a trademark means the dessert is known as the BBnut at Bindoon Bakehaus and the Dossant at Surfside Bakery, Singleton. Prague Bakery in Kingsley is yet to name theirs. Not even celebrity chef Adriano "macaron king" Zumbo is immune. His version is called the Zonut.
The dessert takes three days to make. It has a layered pastry that fluffs up when deep fried and is then rolled in sugar, topped with a glaze or filled with flavoured cream.
Flavours include mocha, strawberries and cream, bacon and maple syrup and salted caramel.
Ansel said he hoped to visit Australia this year and check out local versions. "Chefs draw inspiration from each other and I am flattered," he said.
His Big Apple bakery has long queues and hundreds of Cronuts sell out within two hours. "We've had people wait up to two hours outside the shop on a rainy day," Ansel said.
Bindoon Bakehaus co-owner Anne Maree Hagge said the BBnut was similar to the popular spritzkuchen her German father Raimund baked when he owned The German Bakehaus in North Beach. "They were light and fluffy but without all the layers and he had a bit of a cult following in Perth in the early 90s," Ms Hagge said.
