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The doughnut is an infinite circle of unending possibility. In it, all manner of flavor and texture combinations are possible. It’s as suitable for breakfast or a snack as it is for dessert and a prime spot on the buffet at life’s most festive celebrations. The doughnut shop, even, is a spot equally conducive to intrigue and revelry. One might dunk a sugared crook beyond a plate glass window after dark à la Edward Hopper, or breeze in early morning, breath a fog in the brisk air, to surprise a paramour with rings for two.
Dough has had shops in New York City since 2010, when its first location opened in Brooklyn. More followed in Manhattan and Queens, expanding the imprint for the doughnut recognized for its super-size, about three times that of a typical doughnut, says co-owner Steve Klein. Long-running fan favorite and seasonal flavors abounded over the years, too; classic contenders like the best-selling plain-glazed, the cinnamon sugar and chocolate, specialties like passionfruit, hibiscus and Nutella and occasional appearances by s’mores, pumpkin, white chocolate peppermint and pecan pie options, plus vegan varieties. It’s known the world-over not only for these, but for splashy collaborations like its French’s mustard mashup.
On September 22, Dough will open its latest Brooklyn outpost at Time Out Market New York. To celebrate the occasion, it’s updating a beloved vintage flavor for 2022 exclusively for the market—the Brooklyn Blackout—chocolate-filled chocolate brioche topped with semisweet chocolate glaze and sprinkled with chocolate cake crumbs.
“The Brooklyn Blackout was a very famous cake from Ebinger’s,” Klein says, referring to the famed bakery that operated in NYC from 1898 to 1972. “That was the most iconic cake in Brooklyn, or even in New York. A lot of people liked it because it’s chocolate with rich filling. We make it as a doughnut.”
Klein says that Dough previously crafted a similar sweet at its Prospect Heights location to huge popularity.
“We stopped doing it and everybody’s asking us to bring it back,” he says. “So we’re bringing it back into Time Out New York as an exclusive.”
This time it’ll be a bit different, Klein says, with a new twist for the market. The filling will have its familiar chocolate flavor, but it will be more of a mousse than the previous iteration.
Dough’s items are unique even before they’re dressed up in their unique, vibrant hues. In addition to their shareable size, Dough makes yeast doughnuts, rather than the cake type many are familiar with.
“A yeast doughnut, and the way we make it, is more of a pastry. Most doughnuts in America originally were cake doughnuts. America grew up on cake doughnuts,” Klein says. “The rest of the world grew up with what they call fried dough, which is a yeast doughnut. Cake doughnuts are basically a mix that you scoop, and you cut out the donut, and you put it in the oil.”
“A yeast on it has to rise, it has to proof,” he continues. “Also, ours is brioche, so it has elements of eggs and butter, you know, ingredients that a cake doughnut, most of the time, might not have. So there’s more flavor, we have some secret ingredients that we can’t give out so easily. You know, a dough, which gives it much more flavor.”
“Cake doughnuts are very, very good, based on flavor,” he explains. “Yeast doughnuts are lighter, fluffier. They go great with drinks and coffee. They’re easier to have in the morning. It’s a totally different-tasting doughnut. And the density is a lot different, and the flavor is a lot different.”
Dough tops them with unique, handmade glazes in vibrant shades easy to flash on social media. The hibiscus, which will also be on the market menu, is among its most recognizable: An eye-catching fuschia with a high-shine and a candied flower garnish. These and each of Dough’s items are made throughout the day, and the market outpost will receive several deliveries from its other kitchens throughout service hours. Klein expects some to sell out by afternoon, like they do at the other shops. So arrive early and watch this space for future exclusives to come.
Dough Doughnuts will be located on the first floor of Time Out Market New York at 55 Water Street in Dumbo. Doughnuts will be priced at from $4.95-$6.95 and available by the dozen. Tea and its locally-roasted, proprietary Bonjourno Coffee blend will also be available.