The cronut is a half-croissant/half-doughnut hybrid, and if you believe the hype – it’s quite good. Despite long lines and a $5 price tag, the new trendy delicacy is selling out daily in New York City.

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The cronut is a classic example of supply and demand economic theory, say The Daily Ticker’s Aaron Task and Henry Blodget. The Dominique Ansel Bakery, located on Spring Street in Soho, makes 200 to 250 cronuts a day. Chef Dominique says he won’t make any more… so the lines – and demand for the hard-to-get item – have followed.

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So what’s in a cronut? It’s basically a French twist on the American standby -- layers of deep-fried croissant dough filled with vanilla cream, topped off with rose sugar and rose glaze. Guesses abound for the number of calories per cronut, but it’s probably not going to become a staple of any healthy diet.

Savvy pastry entrepreneurs have stepped up to fill the demand for the cronut on the black market. In a variety of Craigslist postings, they offer to wait in line and then deliver it to eager fans – for $25 or more, per cronut.

“I would pay not to eat it! It’s so delicious, and so scary,” says Blodget above in today’s doughnut economy breakdown.

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