This $4 Aldi Bakery Find Never Lasts Long in My House

The latest Aldi must-have in my house is a deceptively modest loaf of bread. The loaf in question peeks out from its clear-plastic packaging in a bendable aluminum tin, leaving little of its golden swirls to the imagination. My son would eat it at practically every meal as a main course if I let him. I also find myself gravitating towards it during the day, slicing off a teeny, tiny snack … immediately followed by another teeny, tiny snack.

What is this captivating baked good, you may ask? It’s the latest sensation from Aldi’s bakery section: Specially Selected Vanilla Cream Brioche.

We’re big fans of Aldi’s brioche and pastry dough in all its forms in my family. The dark chocolate croissants, brioche buns, and chocolate chip brioche loaves have all found their way into my quarter-driven shopping cart on a pretty regular basis.

But none of these delectable baked beauties come close to the instant gratification of the vanilla cream brioche. I tossed the $4.39 loaf into my cart about two weeks ago, and it did not last long. Once my son discovered it on the kitchen counter, it disappeared in about the same amount of time it took me to buy it.

This spongy, light loaf is studded with pockets of sweet vanilla-flavored pastry cream. It reminds me of some of the Spanish pastries our housekeeper, Señora Ramona, would serve my roommates and me for breakfast with café con leche, when I lived in Madrid.

My son, who adores the croissants and other brioche creations from Aldi, says this is his favorite hands-down. He likes it best warmed slightly in the microwave, but sometimes he’ll also cut a slice and slather it in apricot or raspberry jam. My husband likes it best when it’s covered in chocolate-hazelnut spread — he prefers all things chocolate — but he says it’s pretty good for a non-chocolate pastry, which is high praise from him.

It’s so delicious on its own, and tastes great alongside a simple cup of coffee or tea. I also think it would make a strong base for particularly decadent French toast, a delectable bread pudding, or warmed and then topped with vanilla ice cream for an effortless dessert.

Unfortunately it hasn’t stayed long enough in my kitchen for such culinary experiments. I’m eager to try them, though, so I’m going to have to pick up two loaves the next time I’m at Aldi.

Find it in stores: Specially Selected Vanilla Cream Brioche, $4.39 for 14.11 ounces

Do you have a favorite brioche-based snack at Aldi? Share in the comments below.