Tags: Bombolini Carol Co Davao City desserts Donut Doughnut Edge Davao Food Seller Home Baker Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Pandemic Kitchen Story Philippines Sourdough
Sink your teeth into naturally-leavened bomboloni by Carol Co.
Sourdough is still on the rise and the trend has gone beyond breads and crusts. Carol Co, a mother of two, has upped her home baking game by concocting her own line of Italian sourdough doughnuts, also known as bomboloni.
Think of this dessert hybrid as an upgrade of the humble doughnut, but naturally-leavened and without a hole. The deep-fried buns are rolled in sugar and stuffed with decadent cream and filling. They’re light, pillowy and chewy, with a hint of crispiness around the edges.
Sourdough bomboloni
These puffy sugar clouds piqued the interest of local epicures, when Carol started selling outside her circle of friends and photos of the mouth-watering doughnuts began circulating online. People were sold on trying out her cakes and breads, but nothing got them hooked quite like her bomboloni.
Carol Co
The kitchen story
Carol’s venture into food business is a pandemic kitchen story that pays homage to a family tradition. She, her sister and their mom share a love for cooking and baking, a passion that sprang from childhood. When she married and became a mother herself, she carried on the tradition and continued baking cakes for family and special occasions.
It was only during the pandemic that she took her friends’ suggestion to give selling a try.
Sourdough Buns: Garlic and Cheese, Bacon, Pimiento
She understood how people found a connection in comfort food and are doing their bit in helping the economy by supporting home-based food sellers, alongside restaurant take-out and delivery services. Looking at the business potential, Carol didn’t waste any more time to launch her brand, Made by Carol.
Cheese 
Banana Nutella
A standout and sellout
She became fascinated with sourdough and created different breads out of it. She also had bomboloni on her mind and she wondered how they would fare in the local food scene. At that time, sourdough doughnuts were not widely known in the community.
“This Italian sourdough delicacy is unique, not only in form and taste, but also how it is made,” shares the home baker. “It goes through a period of fermentation and it takes several days to proof the dough. It is naturally leavened—meaning no commercial yeast is added—which, I believe, makes bomboloni a healthier doughnut option.”
Dulce Cream Cheese 
Blueberry Dream
Carol’s first batch sold like pancakes and additional orders immediately came through. Soon, bomboloni became the most coveted items on the menu, followed by her sourdough buns. “The feedback I’ve received, so far, are both heartwarming and uplifting. I’m happy that my bomboloni bring joy to different families and homes.”
If you’re in the mood to try something different for a snack or dessert, these flavor bombs will not disappoint. You can choose any filling from the featured selection, such as Strawberry, Banana Nutella, Mango, Blueberry, Coffee, Dark Mocha, Pimiento, Dulce Cream Cheese, and Chocolate.
Flavor-filled bomboloni
Price starts at PHP480.00 for a box of 6 flavor-filled bomboloni. Advance order is highly recommended. For more information on availability, rates and delivery, send a message to MADE by Carol on Facebook.
This story is also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper. Photos courtesy of Carol Co.
