Technically, this bakery doesn’t sell donuts.
They sell bombolini; which are fried soughdough donut-holes on a large scale.
The thing to know about them is that they are tougher and denser than donuts.
But Cambera Farms Bakery in Willimantic does them very well, especially when they get fancy.
Glazed Bombolini
This bomobolini is where you taste the dough the most.
The shell is slightly sweet, and once you bite into it it flakes off immediately, leaving you with big bites that have no frosting on them.
But the downside is the dough itself is quite touch and chewy.
The Rating: Glazed Bombolini
6/10
Chocolate Frosted Bombolini
The downside here is that there is way too much dough and not enough chocolate.
Because the chocolate frosting is really good.
Like a nice childhood chocolate frosted cake.
But with so much dough underneath, it starts to get a little lost.
The Rating: Chocolate Frosted Bombolini
6.5/10
Now we get to the seasonal bombolini.
By the time you get there, these may already be gone.
But reviewing them helps us understand this place as a bakery better.
Brambleberry filled Bombolini
I had no idea what brambleberries were.
Turns out, they are very british and slightly like blackberries, though they do not taste that way.
These berries are very tart, and the filling they use has a sweet liquid in it.
Overall, the sourdough and tartness can get a bit much, but the sweet filling and powder on the outside balance nicely.
The Rating: Brambleberry-filled bombolini
7/10
Lemon Lavender Bombolini
I was worried about this one.
I hate lavender.
But here it is so light it provides almost more scent than taste.
The lemon custard inside is truly excellent, and wets down the insides.
This makes the interior less tough than in other bombolini here.
The topping is very sweet as well, which balances the tartness nicely.
The Rating: Lemon Lavender Bombolini
7.5/10
The recommendation:
The bombolini here are tough and chewy.
The sourdough needs something to balance it.
So get something with filling.
And go for as sweet a topping as possible.
Then these are real good donuts.
Cambera Farms Bakery
Address: 776 Main St, Willimantic, CT 06226
Hours:
Friday to Sunday: 8AM–12PM