BUCKTOWN — The folks at Ipsento 606 have been refining their from-scratch doughnut recipe for months and believe they "finally nailed it," owner Tim Taylor said in an email.
"The big idea with these donuts is that they are crafted with quality ingredients that don't leave you feeling like s--- afterwards," Taylor said. "I eat some every morning when I come into the shop to make sure their taste is on...and they don't leave me feeling unhealthy or like I need a nap."
To celebrate a re-launch of its under-the-radar donut program that first started when the Bucktown coffee shop opened last summer next to The 606's Milwaukee Avenue park, Ipsento will give away one free doughnut to all customers on Friday, Taylor said.
The mini doughnuts, which normally cost $1 each, are made from scratch using freshly milled kamut — an ancient, high-nutrient grain — and sweet potato, and are fried in organic coconut oil.
"This is a unique style of donut that we've never seen produced anywhere else, so it's largely uncharted territory," Taylor wrote. "But while the doughnuts might sound healthy, it would be a bad idea to market these as healthy donuts. After all, they still have sugar and grain. It's just that it's organic and milled in-house."
Traditionally, pre-mixed dry ingredients form the base of doughnuts, with bakers focusing on the glaze and garnishes, not the batter. Ipsento is trying to prioritize both, Taylor said.
During the past year of doughnut development, Taylor said his team realized the organic coconut oil needed more filtering to prevent "off" flavors.
"Milling the flour in-house also presents its challenges, and we've figured out how to be consistent here. We just needed to hold off on promoting the donuts so that the demand would be low while we dialed in the recipe better...and, now we're ready to roll with it," he said.
Beginning on Friday, new doughnut flavors will be offered on a rotating basis.
The flavors include: chocolate ganache and pistachio; chocolate and sprinkles; chocolate glaze; cinnamon & sugar; lemon; blueberry glaze; and a donut based on the Ipsento latte (honey, espresso, coconut and a touch of cayenne).
A free donut will be offered with any purchase of any menu item while supplies last on Friday.
Ipsento 606 is open from 7 a.m. to midnight Friday. Taylor said the cafe will stop frying the doughnuts at 2 p.m. and when the last batch is gone, it's gone.
