August 2013 – Having read about the Cronut phenomenon in New York and elsewhere in the world over the past months, I couldn’t wait to try one. And finally, the Cronut craze has hit the Lion City!

The Cronut is a hybrid between a croissant and a donut. Chef Ansel created the flaky, doughnut shaped pastries at The Dominique Ansel Bakery in Soho, New York. Fans would queue up in the wee-hours for the shop’s 8am opening as the Cronuts sell out fast.

Variations of the Cronut have appeared across United States and other parts of the world. According to my fellow blogger, Just An Attitude, it has sprung up in Ireland!

The first Cronut-inspired pastries hit Singapore in June. Da Paolo Gastronomia, developed its own version, calling it the “Crodo.” It is a deep-fried flaky pastry, also shaped like a donut. Since only a limited number are on offer due to the labor-intensive baking process, I heard that they sell out fast.

Yours truly was a little late in trying these hotties, but here they are. Da Paolo’s version comes in 3 flavors: Chocolate Glazed, Lemon Meringue and Cream.

Chocolate Glazed – chocolate cream filling inside. Very rich and heavy, ideal for chocolate lovers.

Lemon Meringue – tasty but a bit too sweet. Personally I prefer the pie pastry with lemon meringue custard.

Cream – sugar-coated on the exterior with a cream custard filling. This was my favorite of the three.

In my opinion, I haven’t found any donut in Singapore or Hong Kong, which can rival those in the United States. Most of the ones I have tried are either too oily or too crispy. I miss the light, soft dough of the U.S. donuts. So I guess a Crodo – though a hybrid – is better than any donut I have tasted here thus far.

Of course, other enthusiastic bakers in Singapore caught the Cronut bug too, so there are a few more versions out there to be savored!

All photos were taken by Mrs. King.