I tried Lottie's in Bury St Edmunds new stuffed doughnuts

Lottie's, on Angel Hill in Bury St Edmunds, recently launched its new range of stuffed doughnuts inspired by the viral creations at London's Bread Ahead bakery.

They have already proved a hit, with the first batch selling out by lunchtime on their first day offering them.

Lotties, dessert shop in Bury St Edmunds (Image: Lotties)

So, after hearing the hype, I made the journey from Ipswich to find out whether they were really worth travelling for.

My first challenge was actually getting anywhere near Lottie's.

Bury St Edmunds was completely rammed and it took me more than half an hour to find a car park with a free space.

Whether that was down to early Christmas shoppers or everyone else having the same doughnut-related idea, I am not sure.

When I eventually arrived, Lottie's itself was equally busy. Most of the tables were taken and, after I'd nabbed the final table going, staff were having to turn big groups looking for a seat away at the door.

The first thing you see when you enter the shop is the array of ice cream flavours on offer. (Image: Abigail Banks-Smith)

Inside, the shop is something of a pink paradise. Think Umbridge's office in Harry Potter, only with a considerably friendlier atmosphere.

Flowers cover the walls and tables, while families squeezed into the small seating area for a weekend sweet treat.

Owner Lottie Hassan had travelled to London's Borough Market to learn from Bread Ahead, which is renowned for its stuffed doughnuts.

Following the launch, she said: "We sold out by lunch time which was fantastic, so we plan on making bigger batches to keep up with demand."

The interior is decorated with hundreds of flowers. (Image: Abigail Banks-Smith)

Unfortunately for me, that demand meant only the pistachio and Ferrero Rocher flavours were left by the time I arrived. I was slightly gutted, having set my heart on trying the custard cream.

Naturally, I ordered one of each of those remaining.

At £7.50 for two, I thought the price was reasonable, particularly having previously visited Bread Ahead in London, where its famous stuffed doughnuts cost around £5 each.

Served in a quaint pink box, I started with pistachio, assuming it would be my least favourite of the two.

I was wrong.

The pistachio doughnut was my personal favourite. (Image: Abigail Banks-Smith)

The outside had a slight crispness and generous coating of sugar before giving way to a gooey, nutty pistachio filling.

It was messy enough that I probably would not recommend ordering one on a first date, but the flavour did not disappoint.

The nuttiness cut through what could otherwise have become overwhelmingly sweet, leaving a balanced flavour profile which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Next came the Ferrero Rocher, which Lottie herself had recommended to me as her favourite.

The doughnut was soft and sugary, complete with a piece of chocolate on top.

The Ferrero Rocher flavour was recommended by owner Lottie as her favourite. (Image: Abigail Banks-Smith)

Its hazelnut chocolate centre was slightly less gooey than the pistachio, and tasted like more than simply Nutella in a doughnut.

Slightly more doughy than the first doughnut I tried, the Ferrero Rocher option may be preferable for those who don't wish to spill sugary sauce down their clothes.

Staff regularly checked what I thought and even asked which flavours I would like to see next. I was served by owner Lottie who was friendly and attentive, while staff appeared to know several customers coming through the door by name.

Lottie's has an extensive menu of sweet treats. (Image: Abigail Banks-Smith)

Doughnuts have some particularly tough competition in my book.

My benchmark remains the warm ones from Lowestoft seafront, largely thanks to childhood memories of emerging freezing from the sea to find my mum waiting with one.

But Lottie's stuffed creations lived up to my high expectations.

They were every bit as good as the London doughnuts which inspired them, and I would even go as far as to say they could rival my Lowestoft favourites for top spot.

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