Willunga
Bakery

Mar 2019
$2.60
Donut from Willunga Bakery

On a warm Monday morning, we found ourselves south of Adelaide celebrating my husband’s birthday. An early start got us to Victor Harbor by 8AM, where we visited the fabulous Waitpinga Farm for some quad biking. Once finished, and with all limbs accounted for, we had most of the day still ahead of us. So, as we drove through McLaren Vale on the way home, we took the opportunity to sample some of their local goods.

The plan had been to stop only at Settler’s for some gin, but before we knew it we added Mollydooker and a new, gorgeous cellar door called Samson Tall to the list. A friend came and joined us mid-afternoon and once we had filled ourselves with wines – or at least had tasted them for those of us designated to driving – it occurred to the party how hungry we were.

Willunga Bakery
Willunga Bakery,
High Street, Willunga
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Willunga is a charming town. Beautiful old buildings ooze character and class with gnarley old trees, expanses of green lawns, and pleasant shaded parks lining its streets. Not only is Willunga aesthetically pleasing, but it’s surrounded by rolling vineyards, which at this time of year where dripping in juicy grapes.

The bakery matched the style of the town both inside and out. It was an old building which embraced its past with a collection of pictures and oddities that would rival an antique store. A mismatch of wooden chairs graced square tables covered in a multitude of different fabrics. Even the bakery cabinet hailed from a bygone era – beautifully crafted, no doubt by hand, it had stood the test of time. The bakery had its charm being stuck in the last century, not even having a card machine, but only taking cash (there’s an ATM next door).

The lady who served moved with precision and grace, serving up our pies and donuts with ease. We sat outside in the afternoon sun appreciating the view and our goods. It was a fabulous donut to finish a fabulous day.

Aesthetics 7.5

The dough was a dark golden brown – just on the edge of being overdone. It was covered in a dark chocolate icing with a lavish lashing of chocolate sprinkles spilling over on top.

Topping 8

There was plenty of icing but in good proportion to the dough so it wasn't overwhelming. There was a fresh crunch from the sprinkles and the chocolate flavour of the icing was "chocolate" rather than genuine, but not unpleasant or sickly as some of these icing flavourings can be.

Dough 7.5

The dough was yeasty, not too salty or too sweet and balanced well with the icing. It did have a unique flavour, which I contributed to the oil, that left an odd aftertaste and blandness on the palate.

Texture 9

The dough had an amazing texture with great density, freshness and chew. The icing was smooth and sprinkles added the crunch. The only drawback was the dough was quite oily on the fingers and mouth and the dough itself could have had a bit more crunch to its outer shell.

Overall

8.0

Heavenly Delight

The dough was fresh and well-balanced. Not a sickening donut at all despite being quite oily. A bargain price to spend your spare change on after a morning of wine tasting. We will definitely return again.

  • Aesthetics: 7.5
  • Topping: 8
  • Dough: 7.5
  • Texture: 9

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