UNITED KINGDOM
Could math be the secret to the recipe for the perfect donut?
Believe it or not, the latest findings from Dr. Eugenia Cheng, Senior Lecturer of Pure Mathematics at the University of Sheffield, suggest that it is. Contracted by Domino's Pizza UK to research the formula for the perfect bakery creation for the chain, Cheng shares that her findings boil down to what she calls the ‘Squidgy to Crispy ratio.’ The key to this ratio is the size of the donut's hole.
“The hole is integral to the ‘whole’ doughnut experience, so it makes complete sense that it affects the texture and taste,” said Simon Wallis, Sales and Marketing Director at Domino’s.
The donuts Domino's itself sells have a squidgy to crispy ratio of 3.5 : 1 thanks to a average hole size of 11mm, according to the Telegraph.
“[The] relatively small hole means that the Domino’s doughnuts are 78 per cent squidge and 22 per cent crisp – definitely squidgier than the average ring doughnut,” said Dr Cheng.
However, she did caution against taking this approach too far.
“If you’re me, then it’s easy to get carried away messing around with calculus,” she laughed. “Go ahead and eat your doughnuts however you like them.”
It's fascinating to see the science that goes behind these bakery staples. With any luck I'll get a call from Domino's sometime soon to “fact check” Dr. Cheng's research.