Akkerman’s
Bakery

Aug 2018
$4.00
Donut from Akkerman's Blackwood Bakery

When I first came to Adelaide as a tourist, four years ago, I resided in Eden Hills. This is probably where my love story with Adelaide began. The house we stayed in was on multiple levels, dating from the 70’s and filled with op-shop furniture and homely touches from my creatively-talented friends. In the surprisingly cold winter, we kept warm thanks to the presence of two wood-burning fires and many a crocheted blanket. The smell of eucalyptus from the beautiful trees was new to me and instantly became one of my favourite smells. The house had a tin roof that pinged in the rain and I remember one night waking up terrified as a possum skittered loudly across the roof. The back deck stretched out into the bush, and so dense were the trees that you were unaware of the neighbours around you. One of my first koala sightings was on that deck, my first Australian BBQ, my first Australian red wine – and no doubt many a donut.

Eden Hills sits adjacent to Blackwood and I’m not entirely sure when one becomes the other. For the first week of my stay, I didn’t even realise that Adelaide city centre was a thing, my exposure was limited to the enchanting suburbs of the hills. It was Blackwood where I first went to an Australian grocery store, stumbled upon TimTams, drank the famed Australian coffee, and “brunched” with avocado. I frequented the op-shops, ran the paths and absorbed the local culture. Some reading this may not even know somewhere like Blackwood has a local culture! Well, it takes a tourist to recognise and appreciate it.

Akkerman’s Bakery,
Main Road, Blackwood
View on Map

So, when an opportunity to visit Blackwood, Eden Hills and Belair arises I get excited. A colleague I work with had stumbled across The Holey Grail (and by stumbled I mean I forced one of our business cards upon him) and suggested that there were a few bakeries in the area I should try. Now, this came as a surprise to me – that donuts had existed within a 5km radius of somewhere I had previously stayed and I hadn’t already sniffed them out. This aside, I eagerly accepted the names of the bakeries and having done some background research, managed to find a day I could get up there.

One of these bakeries in Blackwood is Akkerman’s. It sits in a little inlet of shops on Main Road, across from the Hungry Jacks and in close proximity to the main shopping district. The bakery wasn’t impressive from the outside, or for that matter aesthetically on the inside either, but had a defined look that comes from a well-established bakery. The Formica tables, iced coffee and large glass cabinets were simple and to the point. The donuts were much more impressive with a large selection – all of generous sizes – with a couple topping options available. Taking a sprinkle topped donut to go, I went for a wander up one of my favourite trails in Adelaide, enjoying the donut in the emerging sunshine overlooking the city. Now, there’s an experience you don’t forget.

Aesthetics 5

The donut was very generous in size, but very lopsided giving it an odd shape from the side. The icing was white with good coverage of small sprinkle strands that were muted in colour. The dough was a darker, golden colour.

Topping 6

The icing was plain in flavour and very thick. It reminded me of Christmas fruitcake icing which comes in sheets and can be peeled on and off. The icing was ragged around the edges and topped with small, stranded sprinkles. The icing was sweet, which may seem obvious, but really far, far sweeter than necessary – likely from the high concentration of sugar in the thick icing.

Dough 8.5

The dough was lovely, yeasty and well balanced with sweetness. It melted in the mouth. You could taste some oil, but not at all unpleasant, just giving it more of an authentic taste. The palate was left with a delightfully sweet and yeasty aftertaste.

Texture 8

The dough was a wonderful texture – a 9.5 on its own – with a nice crunchy outer dough shell and a soft, chewy middle. The real problem though was the icing – it was far too thick and lacked much crunch from the softer sprinkles. But the icing was smooth and could be peeled off to enjoy the dough on its own.

Overall

6.9

Almost Wonderful

Even as an ugly duckling of a donut, this one could have turned into a real swan! The texture and dough were great – almost perfect for both – just really let down by the thick icing.

  • Aesthetics: 5
  • Topping: 6
  • Dough: 8.5
  • Texture: 8

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