← Sweets
Pastries & buns · everyday

Berlina y donut

Two fried counter sweets: one filled, one with a hole

also: «berlinesa», «bola de Berlín», «bomba», «dona», «rosquilla glaseada»

Pastries & buns

The berlina is a ball of sweet dough, fried and filled with cream or jam; the donut is a fried ring, glazed or filled.

Berlina y donut
Berlina y donut

Where it comes from

Central Europe (berlinesa)

These are the two fried sweets that are never missing from a neighbourhood display case, and they should not be confused.

The berlina — also berlinesa, bola de Berlín, bomba or suspiro de monja, depending where you order it — is a ball of sweet dough fried in oil or fat and filled with jam, cream or dulce de leche. The dona or donut belongs to the other school: a ring, hole and all, fried and then coated or filled.

Papaviejos and buñuelos de San Antón have their date in the calendar; these two have none: they get eaten on any given Tuesday, which is why the display case is never without them.

What it is made with

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Egg
  • Oil (frying)
  • Cream or jam