Donuts Are Great Sandwich Bread
Disney World introduced the world to the grilled cheese sandwich with donuts, and for some reason not everyone is thrilled. While this is corny when it comes to stunt food, some accounts (and some people) are kidding when they are shocked by the rather mundane sandwich.
Don’t you know “how to feel” inside the magic? I’ll tell you how to feel: get a little hungry and not in the least row.
While the copy attached to the video is trivial and the frame shows long, painted nails, the sandwich itself looks pretty good. It’s 2021, my friends, and nothing about fried donut cheese should impress you. I’ve personally used grilled donuts as sandwich bread for at least seven years – the first was a donut sausage sandwich made on Christmas morning – and it’s far from the most decadent thing I do.
While the word “donut” probably conjures up hot pink, matte, sprinkled brownies, no one suggests you eat fried cheese (or any sandwich) on one of them. We suggest you use a simple frosting (or at least me). A regular glazed yeast donut is no different from any soft, sweet white bread that should be used to grill cheese. Remove the frosting and it’s no sweeter than good challah. Fried, yes, but fried stuff is good, especially when paired with cheese .
Now about the glaze. It is not uncommon for savory foods such as meat to be covered with something sticky and sweet. It’s called contrast, baby, and that’s what interests me. Give this sugar a little warmth and it will turn into a crispy and brule-like texture. This kind of caramelized crisp is good for pork belly and for a cheese sandwich.
The key is sandwiching for a crispy appearance. It adds texture and creates a deeper and richer flavor, softening some of the sweetness that everyone seems to care about. But before you start grilling, fry the inside of the donut. I do this by splitting the donut and placing it in a non-stick skillet (no oil) over medium to high heat until it turns some color (you want it to turn golden brown), then flipping one of the donut halves so that the frosting touches the pan, place the cheese on this half and place the other half on top of the cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid and let it cook on one side for a minute or so until you have a cracked sugar crust, then turn it over and repeat on the other side. The choice of cheese is up to you, but I always use American cheese.
After eating this, make a list of other donut-based sandwiches you’d like to make and then bring them to life. I am partial to donut sandwiches for breakfast, especially those made with salted sausage. After all, they were my first.