27 DECEMBER 22-28, 2022 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | 12/22/22* miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | The Duke of Doughnuts Pastry chef Max Santiago opens Max’d Out Donuts in North Miami Beach. BY NICOLE DANNA W hether it’s classic cakes, creative cookies, or petit gateaux, Miami native Max Santiago has baked them all. Westchester-born and raised, the longtime South Florida pastry chef and baker has nearly three decades of experience crafting the sweeter things in life. In 2015, Santiago helped to cofound Miami’s first artisanal doughnut shop, the Salty Donut (now known as the Salty). When he left to begin consulting in 2017, the goal was to help others open their own pastry and doughnut shops. Along the way, Santiago found further in- spiration as a founding partner in several lo- cal businesses, including Fort Lauderdale-based Batch the Cookie Com- pany, which opened its first location in 2019 and began franchising earlier this year. “But the desire to open my own doughnut shop was still there, and I knew it would hap- pen one day,” Santiago tells New Times. Now, after a 16-month buildout and sev- eral years hosting roving pop-ups, Santiago — who partnered with local businessman Roy Casiano and his brother, Enrique Santiago — returns to his entrepreneurial roots with the first location of Max’d Out Donuts in North Miami Beach. The shop quietly opened at the Biscayne Commons shopping plaza in North Miami Beach this week. Currently in soft-open mode, Max’d Out Donuts will be open for limited hours while offering a shortened menu. A grand opening is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 7, and will feature a specialty doughnut and daylong giveaways and specials. When Max’d Out officially opens next month, the shop will exclusively offer Santia- go’s rotating menu of made-from-scratch doughnuts alongside Miami-based Great Cir- cle Coffee, roasted by local coffee aficionado Sergio Boppel. For the next few weeks, Santiago says he will be offering six of his classic brioche doughnuts that feature an elevated take on the dough he began experimenting with when he first created the recipe for the Salty Donut. “Back then, my goal was to create a fatty brioche dough that was full of flavor. But it was super dense and took a long time to mix and cook,” ad- mits Santiago. “Over time, I wanted a light and airy doughnut, but one that still had that full flavor from the fat and eggs that go into making a bri- oche. For the past four years, I’ve been working on that rec- ipe, and I can finally say that I’ve found the perfect balance. And my vegan brioche is just as good, if not better.” The resulting 24-hour raised brioche dough is Santiago’s signature touch, used to create a menu that focuses on a selection of classic and rotating flavors. Moving forward, the full menu of vegan, cake, and gluten-free options will be available, including a new ro- tating “Max’d Out” special that will be added to the menu each week and will be available for four weeks. Santiago also has a huge promise: a guar- anteed 52 flavors that never duplicate throughout the entire year. Not sure what to try first? Go for the top seller, his “O.G.” glazed doughnut. “The plain glazed is the most important — it’s how you can tell a good doughnut from a bad one. There isn’t a whole lot going on to distract you. The dough is the star of the show,” says Santiago, who uses whole vanilla bean and buttermilk to bring his life. The soft opening menu will also feature the “Homer,” topped with homemade straw- berry glaze and fancy sprinkles; a Boston cream filled with vanilla bean cream and dipped in a 46 percent Valrhona dark choco- late ganache topped with homemade choco- late curls; an apple fritter topped with brown butter glaze and finished with Mal- don sea salt and caramelized apple slices; a chocolate glaze featuring a Valrhona choco- late ganache and milk chocolate curls; and a seasonal strawberry-blueberry sugar jelly doughnut stuffed with a locally made jam made with local produce from locally crafted Gables Delight. Moving forward, don’t miss the chef’s other popular favorites when the full menu expands, like the “Cafe Con Leche,” a cinna- mon roll that’s deep fried with layers of espresso grounds and a glaze made with cafe con leche and topped with a cream cheese glaze. Or the “Key Lime Pie,” an homage to Florida’s unofficial favorite dessert, a key lime custard-filled doughnut topped with torched meringue and a fresh key lime glaze. “I want to be South Florida’s favorite local doughnut shop. This all started in Miami, and I’m super proud to be able to do this in my city,” Santiago says. Max’d Out Donuts. 14871 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach; maxdoutdonuts.com. Daily 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; starting January 7, daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. [email protected] ▼ Café Photo courtesy of Max’d Out Donuts Max’d Out Donuts’ upscale take on the classic Boston cream “THE PLAIN GLAZED IS THE MOST IMPORTANT — IT’S HOW YOU CAN TELL A GOOD DOUGHNUT FROM A BAD ONE.”
