Seven pastry hybrids and innovations to check out

A combination of the Japanese mochi rice cake and a deep-fried donut, the mochi donut isn’t a completely new invention; it dates back to the 1990s. But this chewy, elastic product is going through a revival. In Amsterdam, NOBU recently opened a dedicated mochi donut shop. The snack has several USPs: it's easily shareable, not too sweet, and has a naturally gluten-free dough.

Asian sweets with interesting textures, like the mochi, are a global food trend. Discover other interesting examples.

The croffle, a croissant-waffle hybrid, originates from South Korea but has now gone international. A bakery in Queens called Croffle House introduced the treat to the United States, offering sweet croffles dipped in chocolate or topped with cream and fresh fruits, and savory options with melted cheddar on top. Several other cafes and bakery shops have added croffles to their ranges. Will the hype persist? Time will tell!

It can’t easily be traced back to a single inventor, but trendy restaurants and coffee shops have suddenly embraced the baklava cheesecake as a dessert or treat. It’s made from flaky filo pastry with an orange-blossom cheesecake filling and topped with honey and pistachios. The creaminess and crunchiness are a match made in heaven!

We featured a whole list of sourdough innovations last year, such as croissants, panettone, and brioche, and now we have the sourdough donut too. Based on sourdough instead of yeast dough, it has a distinct taste and attracts consumers who are already fond of sourdough bread products. Donut shops around the world creating exclusively sourdough varieties include The Rolling Donut in Ireland, Soughdara in Indonesia, and The Everyday Kitchen in Canada.

When New York’s Lafayette Bakery launched its Suprême last year, it attracted worldwide media attention. The circular croissant, also known as the New York Roll and created by pastry chef Scott Cioe, is made from laminated pastry filled with pastry crème and topped with ganache and a crumbly topping. This unique treat was an instant success, with long lines of people wanting to try it. The Suprême has been followed by round croissants in other countries, such as the Singaporean Swish Roll and the Bolivian Emilia Almacen.

Can you guess what the crogg is made of? You probably got the croissant part right, but the ‘gg’ comes from ‘egg’. The crogg, a Japanese invention available exclusively in Osaka, consists of a 27-layer square croissant with velvety egg cream custard in the middle. It can be eaten hot or cold, but warm and fresh from the oven at the Crogg bakery is definitely the preferred option for most fans.

7. The doffle Why combine just two pastries when you can use three? Bear Doughnut in New York created a tri-hybrid dessert that looks like a cross between a donut, a bagel and a waffle. Meet the doffle: two mochi waffles with yogurt whipped cream sandwiched in between. For now, the doffle comes in a blueberry and apple-cinnamon flavor, but the options will expand if the pastry becomes a hit.