Cuban Coffee Doughnut Bread Pudding
Have your cafe con leche and doughnut all in one! Dark cafe cubano cuts the sweet edge on this creamy dessert. Slightly stale glazed doughnuts work the best.
Doughnuts Around Town
Yes, there’s history behind these irresistible fried rings of golden dough – and a present in South Florida whose variations go from classic to over-the-top.
Olykoeks, or “oily cakes” as the Dutch called them, arrived in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan) with early settlers. During World War I, doughnuts were served to homesick American soldiers by the Salvation Army, leading to the creation of National Doughnut Day, celebrated the first Friday in June. Red Cross women – aka “Doughnut Dollies” – handed them out during World Way II. One soldier, Vernon Rudolph, expanded his doughnut chain after coming home from the military, creating none other than Krispy Kreme, which opened store No. 1,000 in Kansas City, Kansas in February. Dunkin’ Donuts, founded in 1950, sells 2.5 billion doughnuts and doughnut hole treats every year.
Today’s doughnuts come in many more flavors than glazed, jelly and cream-filled. Gourmet doughnut shops throughout the country load these foodie favorites with myriad toppings and gooey fillings. Whether you like yours loaded with bacon, infused with tropical fruit creams or topped with frozen custard, these places have you covered.
RHINO DOUGHNUTS & COFFEE/YONUTZ
Newbies to the doughnut scene, real estate broker Athan “Tom” Prakas and businessman David Tran opened their first Rhino Doughnuts in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea just last year. In their stylish coffee shop, the doughnut shrine includes Maple Bacon, Salted Caramel, Pistachio and daily specialty flavors, along with fresh muffins, sundaes, shakes and craft-brewed coffee.
Rhino makes up to 3,000 doughnuts daily at an off-premises commissary kitchen in Sunrise, plus their frostings, toppings, cream and fruit fillings and glazes. The pastries are then delivered to Rhino’s stores and partner shops, such as YoNutz in Sunrise, which combines doughnuts and froyo for a one-of-a-kind dessert experience.
At YoNutz, customers can stuff one of Rhino’s 15 doughnuts with their choice of 14 flavors of soft serve, gelato or custard, or even blend the pastries in for a unique doughnut ice cream shake. “We can create something, but the guests can really take it to the next level,” says owner Ahmed Amer.
Rhino Doughnuts & Coffee
107 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
8085 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise
YoNutz
121 NW 136 Ave., Sunrise
VELVET CREME DOUGHNUTS
It wasn’t easy to get a look at the brand-new food truck of this iconic Miami joint at the Burger Beast’s annual Burgie Awards this January. Lines stretched nearly the entire width of the event’s grounds as fans waited to buy a box of the fluffy glazed doughnuts they’d missed for the past 15 years. “Anyone who grew up here is going to remember this brand,” owner Robert Taylor says. “We want to bring that back.”
Jim Hadler first opened Velvet Creme on S.W. 8th Street in Miami in 1947, followed by a second location near the University of Miami. Because of a family illness, Hadler’s son and Taylor’s brother-in-law, Gary Hadler, closed down the business in 2000. Before Gary passed away, he asked Taylor to start up Velvet Creme again. “I promised him I would bring it back,” says Taylor.
The food truck is just the beginning. Taylor and partner George Rios plan to franchise out Velvet Creme, starting with a brick-and-mortar in Miami and another in Fort Lauderdale. The shop will feature the authentic retro red decor with drive-throughs and walk-ups where customers can watch doughnuts being made through the glass. Taylor also plans to showcase all six original flavors, including Round Johns, which are injected with cream filling and dipped in chocolate.
Velvet Creme Doughnuts
Food Truck
MOJO DONUTS
Coming up on their third year, Mojo Donuts has created over 50 flavors and they don’t plan on stopping there. “I just think, ‘I don’t know if it’s going to taste good on a doughnut, but I wanna try it,’” says Shawn Neifeld.
Recently, Shawn and his wife, Shelly, created 300 specialty flavors, including a baklava doughnut to compete in Cooking Channel’s Donut Showdown. The small coffee shop showcases over 50 varieties of doughnuts made daily, including flavors like Creme Brulee, Guava and Cheese, piped with guava jelly; and the Log Cabin Bacon Bar, topped with maple icing and crumbled bacon.
Mojo Donuts
7906 Pines Blvd., Hollywood
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GLAZED DONUTS
After working for James Beard award-winning chefs and highend restaurants, husband and wife duo Jonathan and Megan Pidgeon switched out their toques for something more their style. “We wanted to do our own thing,” says Jonathan. “We thought, ‘What does Key West not have that we need to have?’”
Glazed Donuts’ eclectic decor rebels against the tropical vibe of the island. The store is decked in 10-ft tall murals of robots shooting doughnuts and jumping over a doughnut-filled Grand Canyon. No Jimmy Buffett memorabilia here – this shop packs plenty of Key West taste with a dozen flavors including Key Lime Pie, piped with key lime pie custard, topped with meringue and graham crackers. Summer flavors include berry jelly-filled doughnuts and Cherry Pie Crumble with fresh jam and streusel.
Glazed Donuts
420 Eaton St., Key West
THE DANDEE DONUT FACTORY
Here’s a place that hasn’t stopped making doughnuts for 14 years, literally. Dandee’s Hollywood shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “Everything is made from scratch, everything is hand cut,” says owner Frank Pucine. “It’s a long process and requires a lot of time.”
But don’t let the factory-style production fool you. At this shop, regulars are called by their first names and the flavors rarely change. The Dandee Doughnut – glazed and rolled in a crumb cake topping – and the Apple Fritter, with fresh chopped apples rolled in a velvety dough, have there from the beginning. Summer flavors include Banana Cream Pie, with cream filling and fresh banana pieces, and the Mango Coconut doughnut, topped with vanilla icing and shredded coconut. “Everything is made fresh here every day,” says Frank. “And most people coming in know that the owners actually work here on a day-to-day basis and pour our heart and soul into the business.”
The Dandee Donut Factory
1900 Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach
102 North 28 Ave., Hollywood
OTHER FALLS INTO THE DOUGHNUT HOLE
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
http://krispykreme.com
Florida City, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, North Miami Beach, Palmetto Bay, Tamarac
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Cuban Coffee Doughnut Bread Pudding
Have your cafe con leche and doughnut all in one! Dark cafe cubano cuts the sweet edge on this creamy dessert....
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