With the British capital scoring so consistently highly for the quality of its other culinary pleasures, it should be no great surprise that it also has so much to offer for those with a ‘sweet tooth’.
But what are some of the sweets and desserts that could be considered to be London’s very best in 2022? We thought we’d cycle through the irresistible highlights.
The crodoughs of Rinkoff Bakery
For our first entry in this list, we felt it appropriate to spotlight a true London institution – and we aren’t just referring to Rinkoffs itself, which has a history dating back to 1911, when Hyman Rinkoff arrived in London from Kyiv with a determination to establish himself here as a master baker.
That’s because we’re also referring to the ‘crodoughs’ that have become the stuff of legend since they were first devised by the bakery in 2013.
As the name suggests, crodoughs represent the best of both the croissant and doughnut; in the words of the LondonWorld website, they are “rings of croissant dough deep fried in grapeseed oil, laminated in butter and slathered in jewel-bright icing.”
With currently available flavours encompassing the likes of salted caramel and pistachio, chocolate fudge, Oreo cheesecake, Nutella and marshmallow, and lemon drizzle, it’s fair to say that this particular legend lives on in rude health in the London of 2022. Crodoughs can be ordered at both of Rinkoffs’ current sites, at 224 Jubilee Street and 79 Vallance Road in E1.
Crosstown’s online doughnut delivery service
The rise of Crosstown is a resounding modern London success story, the business having effectively started at a Leather Lane market stall in 2014, and gone on to spread its tentacles across the UK.
Part of the reason for Crosstown’s success is undoubtedly the brand’s equal commitment to quality and quantity, including the formulation of tastebud-tantalising doughnuts made from the finest, locally sourced ingredients.
With Crosstown having been responsible for the creation of the world’s first sourdough doughnuts back in 2014, they’re the kind of sweet treats one might choose to have alongside a specialty coffee; indeed, this is a pairing frequently served at Crosstown’s own brick-and-mortar ‘stores’, or hubs, dotted around London.
But if you don’t get much chance to reach physical outlets, or even if you aren’t presently in London, don’t worry, as Crosstown also offers up the complete online doughnut delivery service. It’s a convenient means by which to see what all the fuss is about with this brand’s Dough Bites and Coffee Any Way You Like It Boxes, and delectable flavours ranging from Watermelon & Strawberry Cake to Chocolate Truffle and Cinnamon Scroll.
The enchanting gelato of Hackney Gelato
London is full of local success stories when it comes to all things sweet, and Hackney Gelato is no exception. The business was the brainchild of two Italian-born men who used to work together at a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant in London. Together, they pondered whether they could bring superior gelato to London, and they then got to work on making it happen.
Well, there is slightly more to the story than that; they appropriately enough spent time travelling around Italy first, discovering how to make the best gelato, before bringing those lessons with them to the British capital to set in place the foundations for their business.
It has been quite the journey since then; one of the first recipes produced by the business was Peanut Butter & Chocolate, and most of Hackney Gelato’s recipes in the intervening years have started life as bespoke creations for chefs, before becoming beloved of the business’s customers.
Customers of the business today can help themselves to dairy gelato and plant-based sorbetto in 460ml and 100ml tubs. The gelato range is made from fresh milk and cream, with flavour options encompassing the likes of banana, caramel and roasted pecan; chocolate and brownies; clotted cream and strawberry; butterscotch; and many more.
As for if you’re more in the mood for some carefully crafted and slow churned sorbetto, you are sure to be satisfied by the dark chocolate, raspberry, alphonso mango, and Sicilian lemon varieties made with amore in Hackney Gelato’s non-stop-busy East London kitchen.
And there’s plenty more where those came from…
The above institutions show that, whether you’re the type of person who’s crazy for croissants, always up for an apple pie, or can’t do without a doughnut, there will be a sweet treat for you somewhere nearby, wherever you are in the capital.
From waffle stalls and gelaterias to patisseries and creperies, there is also every kind of business to satisfy those yearnings for something sweet in London – so why do your dessert-hunting anywhere else?
