Christmas 2018: Why the doughnut is the new king of Christmas puddings

Pillows of panettone and freshly baked mince pies may be traditional December desserts but this winter there’s a holey-er alternative — right now the best way to get your festive fix is with a doughnut. Preferably one that’s smothered with brandy icing or dressed up as a reindeer.

Bread Ahead bakery (various locations) has a mince pie doughnut made of smashed mince pies and vanilla cream wrapped up in spiced dough and Cora Pearl, Kitty Fisher’s wanton sister site in Covent Garden, is doing a roaring trade with its mince pie doughnut that’s rolled in pine sugar and served alongside brandy custard for dunking.

“We thought it would be a nice alternative to your traditional mince pie and the doughnut soaks up all the flavour of the mincemeat,” says George Barson, head chef at both sites. “They’re so popular we’re struggling to keep up with the demand.”

Crosstown Doughnuts’ (various locations) offering is perfect for Christmas parties: a box of 15 miniature doughnuts filled with homemade fruit mince, smothered with brandy icing and topped with homemade vanilla crumble. They’re bite-sized for gulping down between glasses of fizz and look jazzier than traditional mince pies for showing off on Instagram — crucial for any office party.

Crosstown’s real masterpiece, however, is its Christmas crème brûlée flavour: a sourdough doughnut filled with vanilla and calvados cream custard, folded through with a sprinkling of Christmas pudding. It’s finished with a brûlée shell and each one takes a minute to hand-torch. Footage of the spectacle has received more than 4,000 views on Instagram.

Other flavours include a gingerbread cake doughnut filled with cranberry compôte and finished with candied clementine, and a vegan winter fruit crumble doughnut filled with a festive spiced apple, pear and quince compôte — a customer favourite.

Meanwhile the festive offerings from Doughnut Time (various locations) are a feast for the eyes (and stomach): a dazzling selection of rainbow doughnuts lavished in nostalgic favourites from Terry’s Chocolate Orange to Lindt chocolate bunnies.

Choose from a vegan Santa Bae-Bae with cookie dough and chocolate drizzle; a strawberry PIG Actually featuring Percy Pigmas sweets; and a Rudolph-inspired Make It Rain version decked out with pretzel antlers and a red gummy nose — hang them on your tree to really impress your guests.

The cult doughnut company is also offering a special advent giveaway all month: on each day of December the maestros will award one lucky fan as many doughnuts as the date. Enter today’s draw to win 12 hand-dipped doughnuts or hold out until the big day itself for a chance to win 25 — enough to preclude a family fight.