‘Product’ Review: Borough 22 Gluten Free Doughnuts!
Hello, well, yes…this is a strange one!
Anyone who has spent any length of time with me will know that doughnuts are one of the things I miss most since being gluten free (that and peshwari naans). It has now been roughly 8 years since I last at a real doughnut and as of yet I don’t think one month has passed where I’ve not contemplated one week of crippling stomach pain just to grab a custard filled delight from Greggs. For my 21st birthday my mother made me a pile of gluten free doughnuts instead of a cake, the sentiment really hit a chord with me and as much as I enjoyed every bite…they weren’t doughnuts.
So, I continue my quest for the perfect gluten free doughnut. Jam filled preferably, but really anything will do. And so I stumble upon Borough22, a gluten-free and vegan doughnut company based in London. I rarely visit London, but one of my best friends regularly goes into the big smoke for work so I sent him on regular quests to Hackney to try and find some delicious treats. Every trip ended with failure, as the stockists let him know they run out very quickly.
Then I hear great news. Manchester Selfridges have begun to stock the gluten free delights and I happened to be visiting my brother very soon. Over the course of the weekend it became a mission to hunt them down and finally on the last day we ventured to the Trafford centre and I bought the only four doughnuts remaining. Two sugar coating, two raspberry glazed. I was heartbroken that the cinnamon sugar and maple glazed varieties were gone and I heard my bank card audibly sigh as I paid almost £10 for the four treats.
But nevertheless, the mission was a success.
First off: the plain sugared doughnut. I took my first bite and…enjoyed the flavour. I really liked the taste of what I had eaten and my vegan friend also agreed it was very delicious, but I couldn’t help think it also didn’t feel like a doughnut. The texture was extremely cakey, I am not sure if it is because these were not fresh specimens, but it also felt as if they could have been dunked in a deep fat fryer for a bit longer.
I’m aware the doughnuts are baked, so I’m not even sure if a quick flash in the fry is included, but it’s certainly what they need. The best thing about doughnuts is the slight crunch of the outside and the soft fluff within, which these failed to deliver. It may all be in an effort to be ‘healthy’. But I wanted a gluten free doughnut because I wanted to eat a doughnut – there was nothing healthy about my decision.
The raspberry glazed ‘doughnut’ was much the same. A doughnut shaped cake topped with a raspberry glaze, but boy… was that raspberry glaze something else! I found the icing the most delicious part of the experience. It married well with the sweet sponge underneath as it offered a sharpness that cut through the vanilla base.
Price wise, considering you can get a dozen Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts for the same price as four Borough22 equivalents was a bit of a let-down. I would have happily paid that money if I was getting a doughnut, but it feels like I’m getting a gluten free cake shaped into a ring. I’d love to watch these being made, as if it’s actually made from dough and not batter then I would be very impressed. For me, gluten free batter is no longer difficult to make and doughnut shaped tins are everywhere. But, gluten free dough is a nightmare and that’s why I was willing to pay the money.
Price: 4/10
Flavour: 9/10
Texture: 6/10
Variety: 8/10 (I liked the difference in the two flavours and can tell there’s more available!)
Overall: 6.75/10
It was still a delicious experience and I can see why these ‘doughnuts’ are so highly praised. I’d still love to try more flavours and I love the fact that they cater for vegans as well as coeliacs and I’m glad the company is gaining popularity, as this can only help the gluten free community. However… my hunt for the perfect gluten free doughnut is still on, so if anyone has any suggestions please throw them my way!!
Natalie x
