Bombolini: doughnuts worth getting out of bed for!

Posted on 1 April, 2016

I think there’s an art to making doughnuts and there are few people with the skills to execute them.

There’s something special about biting into a hand crafted, fluffy ball of fried dough…especially when it explodes into a cascade of the silkiest, creamiest, flavourful filling you’ve ever tasted. The dough should be light and fluffy and not too sweet. The ingredients should shine, not hide behind a blanket of sugar. The fillings should burst in your mouth. They should be just like the ones from new Canberra business, Bombolini Doughnuts.

“The doughnut dough itself is special, as I use an enriched dough with zest and leave it proofing for a longer time to develop sourdough-like flavours,” says Geoff, Bombolini’s master creator.

What sets Bombolinis apart from the sub-par pastries that flaunt themselves on supermarket shelves are the flavours—they’re beautifully balanced, with a mix of classic favourites and gourmet combinations. They’re unpretentious but exceptionally delicious and you can practically taste the love, care and passion that goes into making them.

“They are made fresh on the morning of sale and filled til exploding with handmade flavoured custards and jams” says Geoff.

Each week he offers his lucky customers eight flavours and there is always a Madagascan vanilla with wild flowers and dark chocolate with shaved chocolate curls. Other flavours have included passionfruit and white chocolate, lemon curd and grated pistachio, and brûléed banana – the only limit is Geoff’s imagination.

“I have loved baking and been inspired by the great food scenes of the world, the dedicated master craftsman that have spent time perfecting their work because they love it” says Geoff, speaking enthusiastically about what drove him to start Bombolini.

Originally from the UK, Geoff lived in Scotland for 10 years before moving to Canberra to be with his girlfriend. He studied Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh before realising his passion for creativity and food.

“I read every book I could get my hands on by the great chefs of the world, which spiralled out of control—I would be seeking books by the chefs who inspired them” he says.

It’s that unwavering passion and an insatiable urge to continue to learn and grow that makes Bombolini truly special.

You wouldn’t think that being an early-riser on the weekend could be enjoyable, but as the mornings start to chill with autumn air, it’s time to start a new morning ritual. Forget the tangled mess of your blankets bed on Saturday morning and head to the Capital Region Farmers Market to grab yourself a delightfully fresh doughnut (…or six). Pair your Bombolini with a hot coffee and take your tastebuds on a quick trip to the cobblestoned streets of Florence, where bombolini and espresso are a breakfast ritual. Bellissimo!

Be sure to get in early as Geoff sells out of his hundreds of hand made Bombolini very quickly every weekend. He is at both the Capital Region Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and the Southside Farmers Market on Sunday. I recommend visiting both.

the essentials

What: Bombolini Doughnuts
Where: Canberra Region Farmers Market (Exhibition Park in Canberra) and Southside Farmers’ Markets (CIT Woden)
When: 7:30 to 11:30am Saturday (Canberra Region) and 8am to 11:30am (Southside)
Web: instagram.com/bombolini_doughnuts and www.facebook.com/Bombolini

All photography by Martin Ollman