- Loukoumades LK brings Greek doughnuts with a twist
Drumroll please, because Loukoumades is about to blow your mind! These pastries made of deep fried dough are one of the oldest recorded desserts found in ancient Egypt. Fun fact: They were traced back to the first Olympic Games of 776 BC, where deep-fried dough balls covered in honey were served to the winners as “honey tokens”.
Instagram-based baker Shamha Fazloon decided to bring these delicacies to Sri Lanka with her own twist to them. Her main inspiration for starting her own business was her entrepreneurial spirit and the history of bakers in her family was a major influence as well. In her own words: “I’m a sucker for desserts and my love for it got me here.”
In a town full of cookies and brownies, Fazloon wanted to launch something out of this world, and @loukoumadesLK, otherwise known as Greek doughnuts, was the first and finest to launch in the market with its own special twist.
At a glance, being a solopreneur sounds like a pretty nice gig, but challenges are common in any food and beverage business; in Fazloon’s opinion, it’s how you manage them that will make or break you.
Her biggest tip to aspiring bakers or entrepreneurs is to review your processes regularly so they work seamlessly and invest in good technology so you can put your business in the best position for success.
Talking to Brunch on how she brought this dessert to life, she commented that after hours of recipe testing to get their doughnuts just right, she thinks she has found the perfect balance. Why we say her doughnuts have a special twist is because originally, loukoumades are deep-fried dough balls soaked in sugar syrup or honey and cinnamon, and sometimes sprinkled with sesame; but at Loukoumades LK, she has two ranges on offer: standard and premium, both with varying flavours as toppings.
The standard menu offers the original loukoumades as well as these dough balls topped with triple chocolate, cinnamon sugar, peanut butter, or dessicated coconut. The premium menu comprises topping options from Nutella and pistachio, Nutella and Oreo, Nutella and Kit Kat, Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, white chocolate Oreo, strawberry cheesecake, and also the new favourite – Biscoff. They also offer a half and half option where you can pick any two flavours listed and make your own combo.
We had the opportunity to try their Biscoff loukoumades and the Nutella and pistachio combination. We must note that they are meant to be eaten while warm; only then will you get to experience the syrupy, doughy goodness with that satisfying crunch at every bite. These bite-sized balls of fluff were crispy on the outside, and soft and pillowy on the inside. The Nutella pistachio combination was amazing; who would’ve thought a hazelnut-based spread would work well with pistachios. We’re also huge pistachio enthusiasts so these were especially good; a great balance of flavours. The chocolate spread is of course melted further due to the heat of the loukoumades, but you’ll be left licking your fingers clean.
The Biscoff loukoumades were a feast on the eyes; the deep golden brown of the dough balls complemented by the caramel tones of the sticky Biscoff spread that was topped with crushed Biscoff were entirely irresistible. We think these would be the closest to the original flavour with a slight tweak in taste. These golden balls were airy and crunchy and absolutely delicious.
When considering the pricing of a 12 pack; it may seem a little extravagant, but for a delightful sweet-tooth experience, we would say it’s worth a try.
Fazloon also revealed to us that they have so much in store for their customers: “The ultimate goal would be to open up our very own food truck or café and serve a whole wide range of flavours!”
Instagram: @loukoumadeslk
