(This article appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)
Fany Gerson, Owner
Company Mission
At Fan-Fan Doughnuts, we’re dedicated to making great doughnuts, making people happy, and bringing people together. We want to celebrate diversity and are inspired by the flavors and traditions from around the globe.
Signature Products
We have some core flavors, and others which we rotate depending on the season. Some of our signature flavors include guava and cheese, Danny Boy, (salted brown butter caramel), mango lassi, churros and chocolate, and yuzu meringue. We also do an annual Chocolate Doughnut Festival, which is a very special event where we change all the flavors of our shop and create 18 to 20 chocolate-flavored creations, each with a different theme.
Production Tip
We weigh out certain ingredients ahead of time and create “kits” of our own, which certainly saves us time. We also try to focus on reducing waste, so we’re always thinking of ways to create by-products from leftovers. For example, we love creating something unique and special: we’ll make doughnut croutons and a doughnut chocolate bread pudding, and a cheesecake with toasted doughnut crust using leftover unglazed doughnuts.
Equipment ‘Must-Haves’
The sheeter, fryer and large mixer are the three pieces of absolute must-have equipment in order for us to properly do production. The other smaller must-have tools are Microplanes and a copper pot. We grate nutmeg by hand for all of our doughnuts and we couldn’t do it without it the Microplane. We also make our own jams and we use the copper pot to make them as they’re made in small batches just like any caramel component we have to make. It’s a great heat conductor, which makes a big difference.
Secret of Success
I think that one of the keys for us has been that it’s very personal. I’m not trying to mimic anyone and most of the flavors are inspired by people I love and are close to me, or by a self-exploration of other people and cultures that inspire me. The other thing is that we don’t take any shortcuts. We take a lot of pride in everything we do. We make the doughnuts in small batches throughout the day, so you always get a fresh doughnut! We make all of our fillings, glazes (and even sprinkles!) without any colorings, using the best ingredients we can get our hands on. Another big focus for us is building community. Community from within, our friends, neighbors and colleagues in the industry. This inspires me to continuously create and collaborate.
Future Goals
One thing I’m really looking forward to is bringing my newest savory concept, Mijo, to market. It will also be my first venture from inception to execution with my husband and business partner, Danny Ortiz de Montellano. Mijo is an abbreviation of “My Son” in Spanish and will be part of a larger project we have in the works. Stay tuned!
Visit www.fan-fandoughnuts.com for more info
Photos by Melissa Hom
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