National Doughnut Week: Krispy Kreme Glazed Raspberry

Krispy Kreme opened their first UK store in 2003 (it was in Harrods. Of course.) They now have about 35 stores and there are Krispy Kreme "cabinets" in many Tesco stores and WHSmiths. They are brightly coloured, packed with sugar, and a pure dopamine hit. But are they as good as the lead doughnut in our reviews, Sainsbury's Jam Ball Doughnut?

Price is £1.50 for one (although a very naughty tip: if you go through self-service tills you could, if you weren't so conscentious as me, pass them off as "Original Glazed", which cost £1.25). Bag says they're suitable for vegetarians.

Louise

Very very sweet – a thick sugar syrup coats this doughnut. It has a chewy innard that seems fresh, though possibly because it’s packed full of artificial preservatives. There’s just something too perfect about it – the shape, the sheen. It’s just so… American.

The jam pool is nice and big, reaching from top to bottom but surprisingly, for its perfection, it’s a little off-centre. The jam is fairly tart but it seems like an imposter. The flavour is the blue raspberry ice-pop that you got all over your hands, face - and for some unknown reason, socks - at Bethany Jones’s 7th birthday party.

I don’t want another and in my book, if you can’t eat two doughnuts in a row, it’s not good enough.

All in all, I just think Krispy Kreme is trying too hard.

5/10

Lewis

Krispy Kreme's elliptical doughnut rounds off the week. A generous coating of sugar syrup smothers the moist and chewy innards. The jam is more curranty than berry-y; but the blackcurrant taste upfront, unfortunately, finishes with a less pleasant after-taste. A decent attempt at the traditional jam doughnut.

7.5/10

Michelle


This was the doughnut I had been waiting for all week. And it certainly did not disappoint. If Plato’s cave had contained doughnuts, this would certainly have been it. Perfectly sized, cooked to an ideal and covered in a sugar syrup.

A single bite led me to the superbly proportioned jam pool; a beautiful tart preserve; acidic but not too much, something to provide contrast to the gorgeously light dough.

I’m tempted to hunt another one down tomorrow.

9/10 (I’m a perfectionist – I’m not sure I’d ever award 10)