This week is National Doughnut Week, a time when many people sell doughnuts in aid of children’s charities. Founded 25 years ago in 1991, National Doughnut Week has raised £850,074 for charities, selling more than 14 million doughnuts.

 

Doughnuts have been through a radical change over the last decade and have expanded in popularity from treats that are mainly only available in shops and at fairgrounds, to a gourmet delicacy that can be found in cafes, restaurants and food trucks all over the UK.

Upmarket versions of doughnuts are now everywhere in the UK. Instead of being filled with the traditional jam or plain vanilla custard, however, these gourmet doughnuts are stuffed and topped with all kinds of sophisticated ingredients.

The fried delights have had a serious makeover; withunique flavours from Champagne to Rosemary Olive Oil, Chicken and Waffle and Bubble Gum, doughnuts have really been brought into the 21^st Century.

But how much do you know about doughnuts?

 

1. Where did the doughnut originate?

The modern doughnut is likely to be linked back to the Dutch who served a sweet dish called an “olykoek” (oily cake). These olykoek did not have holes and were a simple ball of dough fried in oil.

 

2. Why do doughnuts have holes?

When donuts became popular in the 1830s, cooks found they cooked more evenly if you poked out the middle.

 

3. Where does the ‘nut’ in doughnut come from?

The original pastries, which didn’t have holes, were the size and shape of walnuts.

 

4. What is the world record for eating doughnuts?

The current world record was set in 2002 and is 49 glazed doughnuts eaten in just eight minutes!

 

5. What was the world’s most expensive doughnut?

The world’s most expensive doughnut was made by Krispy Kreme in 2012. The doughnut was decorated with a golden white chocolate lotus, decked in edible diamonds, stuffed with Dom Pérignon champagne jelly, and sprinkled with 24 carat gold leaf. Overall the doughnut was worth about £1,110 and was put out on display in London’s Selfridges store.

 

How many of these did you know? What is the most interesting doughnut flavour you’ve ever tasted? Let us know in the comment box below!