Editor’s Note: In case you haven’t heard, the cronut, a kind of hybrid “croissant-doughnut” invented by West Village baker Dominique Ansel, has been the talk of the town this summer. People have been waiting in line for 2 hours just to get one, and some rival bakers have been working on making their own versions. We asked West Side Rag contributor Jillian Gray to check in on local bakeries and find out if they’re planning to imitate the cronut. None were, so we asked her to find the Upper West Side equivalent of the cronut: a dessert so delectable it can hardly stay on the shelves. Here’s what she found.
By Jillian Gray
Don’t want to trudge downtown and wait in line for hours for a cronut? Check out One Cup Two Cupcakes on 107th and Columbus, where UWS native Jessica Echevarria is serving up her own spin on classic bread pudding. Served in big square-shaped portions, the pudding is moist and flavorful. Chocolate chips are swirled throughout, adding to the texture while not masking the tasty almond flavor.
Jessica got her start baking at Soutine, spending 18 years under the guidance of owner Madge Rosenberg. When Madge retired, Jessica decided to open up her own place, and One Cup Two Cupcakes was born. Born in Brooklyn, Jessica went to school right across the street and is excited to serve the area where she grew up. The bakery specializes in cupcakes and custom-made cakes for any occasion.
In addition to traditional bakery treats, Jessica wanted to create something unique – a bread pudding without raisins. After about 30 tries, she came up with the winning recipe for her famous chocolate almond bread pudding.
Made with the finest bread and chocolate available, it can also be topped with Nutella or dulce de leche, and is best served warm. Jessica and her employees (local baking students) bake the bread pudding and other treats fresh every morning. They give out samples to customers and neighbors, using word of mouth to draw in new business. There are a couple of tables inside if you’d like to enjoy your treats at the store – but be warned, the bread pudding often sells out by the afternoon!
We have Levain cookies! Who needs a Cronut?
The Food Emporium on Bway is advertising Cronuts….for anyone feeling adventurous.
I went up to One Cup Two Cupcakes today and gave the bread pudding a try. It was just out of the oven and really quite good.
Discovered One Cup Two Cupcakes after Soutine closed. One Cup Two Cupcakes is the best – a real neighborhood place. They are also really generous in donating to homeless shelters.