PETALING JAYA, April 23 — When I’m not revelling in Daniel Craig’s delightfully (dough) nutty performance as Benoit Blanc rambling about doughnuts in doughnut holes, I can be found thinking about a core memory that unlocked greater appreciation for these yeasted gems.
The first time I had Krispy Kreme, I inhaled a dozen glazed ones quicker than you can say "doughnut.”
I had never had a doughnut quite so light, fluffy and airy and was more accustomed to the dense, moist cake doughnut.
Since then I’ve become an ardent advocate for the yeast variety, just like the ones at Donut Plan.
Quick one aside: what’s the difference between yeast and cake doughnuts? It lies mainly in the preparation: yeast doughnuts are leavened with yeast, whereas cake doughnuts are leavened with a chemical leaven like baking powder.
The approach can be summed up more or less as this: a bread-baking approach is used for yeast doughnuts, making an actual dough, as opposed to a cake-making approach with cake doughnuts which uses something that mostly resembles a batter.
Cake doughnuts take a lot less time to make as you don’t have to let the dough proof, but all that time for the gluten to develop yields the gorgeous airy and light texture in a yeast doughnut.
As yeast doughnuts require much more time and work, the doughnuts at Donut Plan are handmade in small batches, with flavours changing daily, that usually sell out well before the end of business day.
It’s a really small space, with only five chairs total and from what I saw, most people buy doughnuts to-go.
I had the Madagascar vanilla (RM7.50) and Ceylon cinnamon (RM7) there and got the vanilla bean (RM9.50) and yuzu crème brûlée (RM12) to-go because I felt my doughnut inhaling days were over.
I couldn’t be happier to be wrong.
When I sat down for my first bite of the Madagascar vanilla, I made a sound not fit for broadcast.
The texture is unbelievably fluffy, soft and chewy in a good way, and the glaze is not super heavy. The unmistakable taste of vanilla comes through, but is subtle and restrained.
Not even taking the time to process the first doughnut, I went straight in for the Ceylon cinnamon and was rewarded with even more textural joy.
The first bite revealed an inside look at a gorgeously developed gluten structure, filled with many tiny little holes like an intricate web of air and dough.
The generous dusting of cinnamon sugar was characteristically sweet, woody and a little spicy all at once.
Even several hours later, both the filled doughnuts maintained a light, springy texture after taking it out of the fridge and letting it come close to room temperature.
The vanilla bean was a decadent bite, with the thick, creamy custard in the centre getting an added lift from the floral, perfumey notes of the vanilla.
On the other hand, I found the yuzu crème brûlée to be anything but: the tart citrus proved to be the dominant flavor, making the usually sweet custard quite refreshing.
For fans of something on the sour side, this is the one. It did lack the shattering crisp top of a usual brûlée, but I think that hardly detracts from how good the doughnut really is.
Look for the east entrance to Millennium Square and you'll find Donut Plan right next to it.
As they open from 11am till sold out, I highly recommend getting there earlier in the day. Alternatively, you can order from their social media and arrange for same-day delivery or pickup.
Donut Plan
G-073, next to East Entrance, Millennium Square, 98, Jalan 14/1, Seksyen 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Open Monday to Saturday, 11am-4pm
Tel: +60 12-522 5769
Instagram: @donut_plan
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