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Forget pub gardens and hairdressers reopening, here’s the really big news of the week – Crosstown is launching a limited-edition Tim Tam doughnut.
If you haven’t had a Tim Tam, they’re an Australian chocolate biscuit, which is a bit like a Penguin, except probably… better? And more Australian.
For a limited time only, Crosstown is serving up Tim Tam doughnuts, which will be made with cocoa sourdough, filled with a chocolate custard made from Tim Tams and topped with a Tim Tam chocolate ganache and chopped up Tim Tam. A lot of Tim Tam, basically.
The limited-edition doughnut will be on sale from April 19 to April 25 to celebrate Anzac Day, which is a national day of remembrance for Australia and New Zealand to honour those who have served their country (ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps).
Also on the limited-edition menu is a ‘lamnut’, which is a lamington cake (another Aussie special) in doughnut form. It’ll be made filled with homemade raspberry jam, dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut.
The news sparked debate in the Time Out office – are Tim Tams better than Penguins? Is a Tim Tam doughnut a Good Thing? If you say Tim Tam ten times will the words lose all meaning? (Answer: yes). Also, why do some biscuits have such weird names? (As one Time Out-er said: ‘At least Wagon Wheels are round’.)
In order to get to the bottom of these very important questions, we asked two Time Out staffers to offer a very serious and in-depth debate about whether Tim Tams – and therefore Tim Tam doughnuts – are objectively A Good Thing or Not.
Yes, Tim Tam doughnuts are A Good Thing
As an Aussie living in London, I’m pretty relaxed when locals get things wrong about my culture. No, we don’t drink Fosters; and no, I haven’t narrowly escaped death by crocodile, shark and snake. But if I hear one more ratbag suggest that Penguins are identical to Tim Tams, I’ll go off like a frog in a sock. Penguins are Tim Tams’ poor cousins. Penguins make up for their lack of richness with an overload of sugar; Tim Tams are creamy and satisfying. There’s simply no contest, mate. And as for whether they should become part of a doughnut? Of course they bloody should! The joy of a Tim Tam is its delicious variety of textures; and these Crosstown beauties, with their crunchy bits, smooth custard and rich ganache reflect that. Tim Tams for all! It’s what those Anzac soldiers would’ve wanted. Rose Johnstone, global branded content editor
No, Tim Tam doughnuts are Not a Good Thing
I first heard about Tim Tams about 15 years ago in Yangzhou, China. An Australian teacher who I knew found a pack of them in a supermarket. She was beside herself with excitement. Genuinely jazzed, like she had being reunited with a long-lost family member. ‘Ya gotta try a Tim Tam, Joe!’ Her friend, also Australian, was incredulous I’d never heard of them: ‘These things will change your life!’ Well, I tried a Tim Tam. You know what? Nothing special. It’s just an off-brand Penguin biscuit. And Penguin biscuits aren’t at the top of anyone’s confectionery power list, are they? Look, very happy for Crosstown to cross-pollinate with foreign sweets. I just think they could and should have gone with Little Moon mochi ice creams. Joe Mackertich, Time Out London editor
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