Eat Like an Italian: Bomboloni Vs. Donuts in New York City

They are every kid’s dream and any adult’s guilty pleasure. If the so-called ‘peccato di gola’ in Italian (or ‘sin of gluttony’) truly does exist, then the bombolone would certainly fit the bill, according to most Italians. That’s because so very few of us can resist the sweet temptation of the traditional bombolone (pl. ‘bomboloni’), an Italian version of the donut, filled with pretty much any ingredient you desire – from custard or Nutella to whipped cream, chocolate… You name it! Not to mention it’s fried until perfectly golden-brown! And since it’s customary to eat foods fried or baked in oil for Hanukkah (like potato pancakes and jelly donuts), why not switch it up this year, and give bomboloni a try?

The pastry's name is etymologically related to the Italian word ‘bomba’ (pl. ‘bombe’), which translates directly to the English word ‘bomb,’ perhaps referencing its round grenade-like shape like that of an old-fashioned bomb. In fact, some regions of Italy use this name instead of ‘bombolone’ for the pastry.

Originally, bomboloni were born in Tuscany, but they are traditional to other regions of Italy as well, with slight variations on the recipe. In areas once subject to Austrian rules, such as Trentino Alto-Adige, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, bomboloni are believed to have originated from the Austrian ‘krapfen’ (also called ‘Berliner’), and the recipe includes eggs (which you won’t find in the Tuscan version).

Although it might be easy to call a bombolone just a simple donut, such a literal translation doesn’t give the pastry the credit it deserves (which is usually the case in these matters). Bomboloni and donuts are indeed different, though we don’t intend to argue over which one is better – that’s simply a matter of taste. But to understand the differences, we decided to ask some Italian pastry chefs in New York to break down their concept of the famous bombolone.

Pastry chef Fabio Mussi from Cremona and Gianmarco Di Michele – who co-own and operate Zeppola Bakery, a classic Italian bakery in Midtown serving all kinds of exquisite Italian foods, from breakfast to lunch – say that the bombolone is an artisanal product, while donuts are more industrial. “In theory, the two recipes are almost the same,” Mussi explains. “To make our bomboloni, we use eggs, sugar, butter, baking powder, Italian flour, and vegetable oil to fry them. But what really makes the difference is the leavening process. It takes one-and-a-half days to make the bomboloni dough. Bottom line – it takes patience. You won’t have a soft and fluffy bombolone if you rush the process.” Chef Mussi adds that there is no glaze added, either (a typical characteristic of the classic donut). Instead, once it’s fried, the bombolone is then rolled in sugar and filled with custard, mascarpone, Nutella, ricotta, hazelnut, or pistachio cream.

“They are similar,” agrees Palermo native Vincenzo Virzì, the owner and Head Baker at Pane Pasta, the Sicilian bakery and traditional rosticceria in the West Village. “But the procedure is different. When it comes to donuts, the leavening process is very fast – maybe a couple of hours. We let our bomboloni rise at least eight hours, depending on the temperature. Then we fry them and roll them in sugar.” Chef Virzì also says that all the products in his bakery are made with Italian ingredients. The recipe for bomboloni at Pane Pasta – which is often described as an authentic Sicilian experience in the heart of the West Village – doesn’t contain eggs, and the filling varies from custard or chocolate to Nutella, and even raspberry. At Pane Pasta, they also use the bomboloni dough to make their signature ciambella – which is similar to a bombolone, but ring-shaped.

“At Palazzone 1960 , one of the number one questions we get in the morning is: ‘What’s the difference between this bombolone and an American donut?’ For us, the answer is simple – it’s a perfected, well-guarded family recipe created years ago in Italy,” explains pastry chef Giancarlo Palazzone, who has owned and operated his very own Palazzone 1960 since 2012 in Wayne, New Jersey. Chef Giancarlo is a South Amalfi Coast native, who also spent some time in the Abruzzo city of Sulmona before moving to the United States. At Palazzone, he enjoys making up new recipes for pastries and cakes every day, but when it comes to the traditional favorites – like the bomboloni (of course) – he knows his guests always prefer them made exactly as they’ve been made since the beginning. For Chef Giancarlo, the difference between their bomboloni and regular donuts is that the baking process starts with fresh ingredients, imported Italian flour, and plenty of time. “To give a bombolone its classic Italian flavor, hints of lemon and orange are added to the dough. After making the dough, it needs 8 hours to rise. This will make the bomboloni light, fluffy and delicate after being fried. After the bomboloni are removed from the fryer, they are laid on the counter to rest before adding the traditional Italian fillings, such as custard cream or Nutella. And for the final touch, a dusting of powdered sugar – before setting them out on the breakfast bar for our morning customers to enjoy.”

Bomboloni are a signature item you can also find at Eataly , where they feature a unique filling option – gianduja cream made especially by Venchi, the gourmet chocolate manufacturer from Turin, Italy. “Our bomboloni are baked in-house daily to ensure maximum freshness,” says Head Pastry Chef at Eataly Flatiron Stefano Pederzani. “We make the crema pasticcera (custard) from scratch every day, using only the best local milk and eggs. The gianduja comes from our in-store Venchi Gianduja Fountain, which toasts and grinds the hazelnuts on the spot, to make sure that the gianduja used is as fresh as possible. We try to source the best local ingredients and use our Italian know-how to make a bombolone at the height of Italian perfection in New York City.”

Last but not least, there’s Unico, a Sicilian café in Soho, where they serve an oven-baked version of the bombolone. “Our bomboloni are 100% Made in Italy,” says co-owner Federica Cipolla. “They are made in Sicily, frozen right away and shipped here. They are oven-baked and not fried. Our signature bombolone is filled with ricotta – the same filling used for cassata or cannoli. We also have a Nutella filling.” That’s a tough choice to make.