The experimentation of combining traditional patisserie and bakery classics to create a burst of new flavour and taste, captures the imagination of consumers all over the world.

New shapes, combinations of textures and surprising tastes offer any classic bakery product a new lease of life which resonates with consumers as they appeal to both your culinary and intellectual curiosity. These hybrid creations are also connected to the nostalgic trend we have seen rise during the pandemic. Consumers have sought for comfort with nostalgic flavours and classic well-known pastries, but with a new innovative and exciting twist.

From the mainstream cruffin to the world-famous cronut, it seems like everywhere we turn bakeries and patisseries are bending the traditional rules and creating hybrid products. Globally we see this trend taking off as consumers become increasingly adventurous and interested in the story behind the food they eat: including its origin, creator and process, all adding to the allure. The opportunity exists for both the humble corner stop bakery and large retailers to stand out from the crowd and at Bakels, we are committed to working with customers to push the boundaries of ingredient and application possibilities.

In today’s digital world, your next hybrid idea could be the next viral sensation. Let’s take a look at some of the leading creations to inspire your next hybrid concept:

Cronut

A croissant-doughnut made famous by French-American pastry chef Dominique Ansel, the now well-know hybrid was first introduced at Ansel’s bakery in New York’s Soho neighbourhood in May of 2013 and didn’t take look to go-viral across the world. Within nine days of introducing the pastry to the bakery’s menu, Ansel filed for a trademark for the name “Cronut,” which was approved. Although the Cronut is much less ubiquitous than its doughnut relative, the pastry has been wildly popular ever since its debut.

Scuffin

With scone-like dough and a dense, crumbly texture, the scuffin is shaped into a muffin and filled with fruit preserves. For consumers that are indecisive about their breakfast, this hybrid is a quick, convenient way to enjoy two delicious bakery products in one. The introduction of this hybrid could have dual benefits: as well as a delicious taste experience, this novel creation could be an answer to using fruit that was too ripe or not aesthetically pleasing enough. By turning this fruit into purees, it provides a way to reduce food waste, already a key action taken in the last 12 months by consumers to become more environmentally-friendly. In fact, as highlighted in Innova’s macro trends for 2022 [1], 43% of consumers cited reducing food waste as actions they are taking on the environment.

Cruffin

Very similar in name to the scuffin, the cruffin is an inventive combination of a croissant and muffin, the pastry is made by proofing and baking laminated dough in a muffin mould. Tunes can then be played with a variety of creams, jams, curds or even dried fruits which fill the product. The result is a flaky and crispy delight shaped into a muffin appearance and bakers can let their imagination run with a variety of sweet variations by dusting in sugar, or savoury with vegetable or cheese inclusions.

Doughscuit

Meet The cronut’s humble offspring: the doughscuit. This hybrid created by Chris Uhrich, chef-owner of Mucci’s Italian in St. Paul, Minnesota, is part biscuit, part doughnut and strikes an interesting mix of doughnut-fried sweetness and crumbly biscuitness. It is distinguished by its punched-out hole perched on top. The concept lends itself perfectly to applying a twist on classic dessert flavours, as Mucci’s did for crème brûlée which subsequently became a signature fan-favourite. We think coating with speculoos for a familiar spiced shortcrust biscuit flavour would be a hit with consumers responsive to familiar brand flavour cues.

Morning Bun

This delicious delight is the perfect crossover between a cinnamon bun, a croissant and the sweet Breton cake, Kouign-amman. Taking its place on the menu of Tartine Bakery, situated in the heart of San Francisco, California, morning buns are made from laminated pastry dough that puffs up during baking, resulting in delicious flaky and buttery layers. Traditionally filled with a cinnamon, sugar and orange zest fusion and finished with more cinnamon and sugar, morning buns provide the perfect indulgent treat for experimental consumers.

Bruffin

Co-created by Michael Bagley and Medy Youcef in New York, US, this hybrid sees the collision of brioche and muffin and instead of a cakey texture consumers would expect from the muffin shape, a light and flaky twist provides a pleasant element of surprise. The convenient format lends itself well to consumers on-the-go and provides a good base to experiment with different sweet and savoury fillings. The Bruffin Café in NYC generated interest with international variations, themed with national flags in-store: the Greek option contains feta cheese, spinach, olives and beef and French choice includes French bacon, gruyère cheese and brie, both included in a long line-up of globally-inspired cuisines.

Brookie

One of the most indulgent hybrids in this line-up, the brookie is a naughty fusion of cookie and brownie. Having presented the concept on American business reality television show Shark Tank, owner of Los Angeles-based milk + brookies, Jovin English, is one of the pioneers of this hybrid concept and claims it was born out of her craving for something sweet post-breakup when she couldn’t decide between a cookie and brownie! The only tough-call for a baker is whether to top the brownie with the cookie or vice versa – either way your customers are in for a treat.

Cretzel

According to the first UK retailer to bring the cretzel hybrid to the mass market, Marks and Spencer, the creation is a delicious merge of the croissant and pretzel, combining the perfect chewy bite of a pretzel with the luxurious buttery, flaky pastry typical in a croissant, for an impressive breakfast treat. This innovative invention can be enjoyed with butter or even as a lunchtime dish, filled with savoury ingredients such as meat and cheese.

Townie

Inspired by an increasing appetite for “mashup” desserts comes the Townie, a mouth-watering creation which hits the sweet spot between a tart and brownie. Popular in premium outlets such as Bea’s of Bloomsbury in London, the hybrid provides a tantalising mix of texture, from the crumbly tart shell, to the rich and gooey brownie encased within it.

The continuous quest for the next big thing in bakery leads bakers to push the limits of their imagination and at Bakels, we are no different. Our Marketing teams explore creative hybrid “mashups” to inspire bakers across the world. Our latest ideas include Hot Cross S’mores and Hot Cross Doughnut Bites from British Bakels to tap into the Easter season, hugely popular among the nation’s consumers.

Discover application inspiration in your market

Sources: 1: Innova – Macro trends for 2022.