By Gus Saltonstall
A dessert from a bakery on the Upper West Side was just named the best in the United States by The Food Network.
“Food Network Top 10,” a series that ranks the 10 best food items in different categories from across the country, aired its episode on “Sweet Treats” on June 30.
The best dessert in the nation? The banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery, which has a location at 200 Columbus Avenue, on the corner of West 69th Street.
“When we filmed with Food Network in March, we had no idea where Banana Pudding would land in the Top Ten ranking,” Magnolia Bakery’s CEO and Upper West Sider Bobbie Lloyd wrote on Instagram. “After watching last night’s Top Ten Sweets episode, we’re so honored to see it was chosen as #1.”
Lloyd has lived on the Upper West Side for nearly 30 years, and you can check out West Side Rag’s conversation with her here: Why the West Side: Bobbie Llyod, Chief Baking Officer of Magnolia Bakery.
The desserts were selected and ranked by chefs Esther Choi, Ayesha Nurdjaja, Owen Han, Kardea Brown, Rocco DiSpirito, and others.
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Magnolia Bakery’s Upper West Side outpost has a dedicated banana pudding bar for customers.
The dessert is made with vanilla pudding, bananas, and vanilla wafers. Magnolia Bakery first opened on Bleecker Street in 1996 and has had a location on the Upper West Side since 2008.
You can find out more about Magnolia Bakery — HERE.
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“Best dessert in the nation”?! Features instant vanilla pudding and Nabisco Nilla wafers!
Exactly! And just so people don’t think you are joking, here are the ingredients, per their own recipe book:
“A 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 1.5 cups of ice-cold water, a 3.4-oz package of instant vanilla pudding mix (like Jell-O), 3 cups of cold heavy cream, 4 to 5 ripe bananas, and an 11-oz box of Nabisco Nilla wafers.”
Fun dessert? Sure. Best in the nation? Perhaps the judges were a panel of five-year-olds.