DOUGH's Artisan Donuts: A Far Cry From Old Fashioned

"If you're happy, the donuts are happy..."

Meet Fany Gerson, the 2011 James Beard nominated cookbook author and donut mastermind behind DOUGH, an innovative, never-a-few-hours-old artisan donut shop in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Fany was kind enough to give me a personal tour of DOUGH's back kitchen last week to watch as they handmade donuts. Now, I love a good donut. But donuts rarely amaze me. Rarely do they make me sit up and do a double-take at the sight of them. However, as I filmed DOUGH's over-sized, ring-shaped cakes getting dunked and dressed, something happened... I could literally feel my jaw drop in childlike wonder. "Wows" and "oh my gods" kept cooing from my shameless self as Fany presented donut flavor after donut flavor. I was embarrassingly, but not embarrassingly, on a filming sugar-high, and I hadn't even tried a donut yet!

Anyhow, I hope this story holds you and your sugar tooth captive, even if just for a moment. It took months for Fany to perfect her donut's dough recipe, testing and tweaking over 50 ideas before it came out just right. It's got that crisp little crunch on the bite in, then that big, soft center with a chewy give and hits of nutmeg that helps you savor the unique flavored glazes and textured toppings. It's a great donut, and the foot traffic says it all. On busy days, over 1,000 donuts in dozens of flavors are handmade for customers. Specials change daily, and once the spring/summer begins, Fany plans to introduce more seasonal flavors and filled jams.

DOUGH is definitely worth the trip out to Brooklyn. Trust me. I even shared a box with a few random strangers who admittedly didn't like donuts...until they took a bite of DOUGH's.

DOUGH's Donuts

305 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Thanks for watching food. curated. Happy eating!

 

Follow Liza de Guia on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SkeeterNYC

Comments

[Robin Maltz]

06:23 PM on 05/02/2011

I have never in my donut-eating life had a better donut than the dulce de leche at the Brooklyn Flea in Ft. Greene. It was airy and chewy on the inside with little crispy bits that were oily in a yummy way and the icing was sweetly perfectly like what it is, not anything artificial. I dreamt about eating the donut that night.

[French Toast]

09:00 PM on 04/04/2011

It's always nice to see places where they put effort and care into their food.

[murphysgirl]

01:42 PM on 04/02/2011

LeMars are the best!!

[Terri Lorz]

12:32 PM on 04/01/2011

Man that looks so good. Terri Jo Lorz

[middlechile]

07:45 AM on 04/01/2011

Here in ATL, we have Sublime Doughnuts on 10th Street and THEY ARE PHENOMENAL. I'll be in Brooklyn this summer & will have to try this place.

[Candolin Cook]

09:19 AM on 03/31/2011

My favorite donuts in the world, and located at the end of my block! I think I'm going now for breakfast...

[Woods-shade]

05:32 PM on 03/30/2011

I licked the photo.
I avert my eyes even walking by Krispy Kreme. They're like heroin to me.

[rikster]

05:06 PM on 03/30/2011

Donut Plant in Manhattan..the best donuts in the Universe....!

[slowdownsonny]

04:56 PM on 03/30/2011

I had to move to Louisiana for a job and there is nothing like this in lake charles. Not even a Dunkin Donut shop or a Krispy Kreme. Just these lame mom and pop places that give you 3 flavors and you better like vanilla!

[Majestry]

11:03 AM on 03/30/2011

Well, I know where I'm going this Saturday.

[squatch]

09:41 AM on 03/30/2011

damn these doughnuts are good. seriously.

[slowdownsonny]

05:00 PM on 03/30/2011

They look great. My only concern is the gloves they wear. Some folks have latex allergies. I just wonder what kind of gloves she's using...

[BadWolf]

11:50 PM on 03/29/2011

All of the good food seems to be coming out of Brooklyn these days...sigh. Maybe when it warm up some I'll have to embark on my own little food tour of my neighbor to the south-east.

[Robert Nix]

09:45 PM on 03/29/2011

I love to make donuts. But I'm having some problems they seem to be either to dense or to yeasty. The oil temp is also way tricky. I don't have a good thermometer :(

Your donuts look fantastic. Next trip up I know were I'm stopping.

[Katy S]

02:32 PM on 03/29/2011

Went there on a cold rainy morning a couple of weeks ago for their famous Nutella-filled donut, and also tried the chocolate with cacao nibs and the cinnamon sugar. Absolutely worth the trip (two hours total by train). Can't wait to try all of their other flavors!

[BadWolf]

11:53 PM on 03/29/2011

Nutella-filled donut? Oh, maybe I need to make a Brooklyn excursion sooner than I had planned. I'm a sucker for Nutella.

[General Public]

02:29 PM on 03/29/2011

Do they deliver to upstate New York? I'm hungry and I could really go for some donuts right now. It's only about a 200 mile drive from Brooklyn to my place, and I'd even pay the delivery boy a modest tip of ONE DOLLAR for driving out so far. I'm serious, too. I'd be willing to pay $1.00 extra to get a dozen donuts delivered to my house 200 miles northwest of Brooklyn. I mean, I still live in New York, so it's not like I'm THAT far away... just gimme some donuts. With sprinkles. Gotta love the sprinkles. Oh forget it, I just remembered there's a Dunkin Donuts only 5 miles down the street, they can deliver here faster. But for them, since they're so close, I'll only leave a tip of one shiny new penny. It's SHINY! And NEW!