Bread Winner
The best brioche pudding ever By Julia Aitken
Image credit: Ryan Szulc
A special alchemy occurs when bread and custard meet. And in the hands of Nota Bene chef David Lee, a dessert that was once the domain of the thrifty becomes positively ambrosial. There’s not a speck of cinnamon in his bread-and-butter pudding, just lovely, dense brioche (baked at Nota Bene’s sister restaurant, Splendido) and a gorgeous, golden vanilla-spiked custard. Lee flips the proportions of the traditional recipe, heaping on the rich, creamy custard and using the buttered brioche, which retains a toasty crunch, almost as a garnish. In summer, it’s paired with poached Niagara peaches, but I prefer its cold-weather manifestation: crowned with a scoop of house-made ice cream. $10.
Nota Bene, 180 Queen St. W. (at Simcoe St.), 416-977-6400.
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