Trader Joe's Apple Blossoms

I haven't tried a Trader Joe's dessert in a while, and I love anything similar to apple pie. Apple blossoms -- sometimes called apple purses -- seem to have become all the rage last year at places like Starbucks and certain chain restaurants (TGI McFunsters, anyone?) and I have been known to order them.

Trader Joe's Apple Blossom is a pie dough pastry pouch stuffed with apple filling and topped with cinnamon crumble. They can be microwaved or baked. I opted to bake.

Each little blossom is slightly smaller in diameter than your average coffee mug. The dough has a glossy sheen, and the cinnamon glaze melted into a gooey lake while baking. The dough is good -- soft, and just a little crusty. You won't mistake it for homemade, but it is damned good for frozen.



The apple filling is generous -- it's not bursting out of the crust, but there is not exactly extra room for more. The apples are perfectly cooked, but still have a little tooth to them. It is a sweet filling, and the cinnamon, while not enough to really heat things up, adds just the right amount of spice.



This is one of the best frozen baked desserts out there. As stated, I don't think you could pass them off as home made, but they're so good I doubt anyone would care.



PURCHASED FROM:
Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's Popovers

I am not a huge popover fan, but every now and then the urge mysteriously strikes. And while my mother is probably going to kill me for saying this, the best popovers I've ever eaten have been at the Women's City Club of Pasadena. Seriously, they have absolutely perfected the popover. They are gloriously puffy, yet crusty, slightly buttery, and not eggy. But sadly, they do not keep a 24/7 supply on hand, and I can't always make the half hour drive (and that's assuming light traffic) to Pasadena when that random popover craving hits. Hello, Trader Joe!

Trader Joe's offers a package of four frozen popovers that can either be baked or microwaved. And because I am so thorough, I tried them cooked both ways.



Microwaved: C'mon, it's instant gratification, who doesn't love it? This is like the online porn version of a popover. All the work and the build-up is taken out, and 15 to 20 seconds later things have grown to their full potential. The popovers are small, but they did rise nicely in the old nuke box. The crust looked surprisingly dark. In terms of texture, it is soft and slightly chewy. Because of the dark appearance you find yourself waiting for a crunch that never happens, which is a disappointment.



The center does completely hollow out the way a good popover should. The dough itself is airy, yet still dense, and is only a touch eggy. (I seriously hate when egg is the only thing you taste.) It is also a little salty. There does seem to be a slight frozen dough taste to it, but it's not bad at all. I'd find it hard to believe that a better microwavable version exists, even with no crunchy crust.



The baked version: If the microwaved version is the online porn take, then this is the old school print magazine version. You have to go to the store, bring the magazine home, turn the pages, and pretend to read the articles. In other words, there is more work...but roughly 5 to 7 minutes later you are on the verge.

The baked versions looks exactly like its microwaved siblings. In terms of color and size, there is no difference. Texture-wise, while the microwaved ones were spongy and soft, the baked version is crunchy and crusty. Also, and more importantly, the slight frozen dough taste in the microwaved version disappears completely. Everything that was already good in the microwaved version is even better when baked. Microwave if you must, but it is really worth it to do the oven bake.

One of Trader Joe's best offerings!



PURCHASED FROM:

Trader Joe's

LU Petit Écolier Dark Chocolate 45% Cocoa Biscuits

Yes, I know the Petit Écolier ("Little Schoolboy") biscuits have been LU's best known product practically forever. But there is something Hannibal Lecter-ish about these cookies. I mean, isn't there something vaguely disturbing about eating a cookie embossed with the likeness of a little French schoolboy? (Yes, he is French. LU -- short for Lefèvre-Utile Biscuit Co. -- was a French company before Kraft bought them out, and they're still made there.) It just seems a bit...unhealthy.

To be fair, though, the little French boy doesn't look entirely normal himself. He's got that glassy stare that makes you imagine his neighbors on the news years later, saying things like "he was such a quiet man" or "he always kept to himself"...so maybe it makes more sense than I thought. And what snack is he carrying in that basket, anyway? Cupcakes? More LU biscuits? Or...dare I say it...lady fingers...?



Aside from possibly being the favorite childhood snack of Dexter, the Petit Écolier Biscuits sound pretty darn yummy. The slab of 45% dark chocolate that the creepy little French boy is bas-reliefed upon sits atop what the box describes as a French Butter Biscuit.

Once you bite into the biscuit, you realize that the chocolate layer is not as thick as you might have expected. While the edges are raised and thick, the layer of chocolate that covers the center of the biscuit is thinner than it appears. But that's not such a bad thing. Actually, the proportions are very good. The chocolate is rich and creamy, though personally I think it is more of a deep milk than a true dark chocolate.



The biscuit is indeed buttery. You know those ubiquitous "gift" tins of Dutch butter cookies that are sold everywhere around the holidays? These biscuits are like a really high-quality version of those cookies. Butter is the strongest flavor. (Sometimes butter cookies just taste oily, but these don't.) The texture is light and flaky.

Combined, the two flavors together make sheer happiness. Happiness as in puppy dogs and rainbows rather than fava beans and a nice Chianti. The relative simplicity of the biscuit sets off the richness of the chocolate. At the same time, the richness of the chocolate highlights the buttery goodness of the biscuit. The only thing I would have liked to have seen -- beyond a less creepy stare on the little French boy -- would have been a little extra salt. That would have really set the whole cookie off.

A good cookie/biscuit/serial killer treat overall. In fact, I'm willing to bet even normal people will like it a lot.



PURCHASED FROM:
My mom got them from Vons Supermarket

Meiji Caramel Pucca

When I saw these on the shelf at Kam Man in New York City, the first thing I thought of was classic Pepperidge Farm Goldfish snacks.

Since the entire box written in Japanese, the best I could tell is that it was a pretzel type cracker filled with caramel.



Seeing my little school of Pucca fish, that was a pretty good guess on my part (yes, yes, I AM a genius, thank you). Each fish is like a giant puffy Goldfish. The baked surface is studded with large grains of salt. The cracker itself is not exactly a pretzel--although it sure looks like it--but it's not exactly like a Pocky biscuit either. It's kinda like what would pop out of the oven nine months after a Goldfish cracker had a drunken three-way with a Pocky Biscuit and a Rold Gold Pretzel. (Is it inappropriate to speculate on the DNA possibilities of snack foods?) Anyway, no one's really sure which the baby daddy is because it could easily be either, and the appearance on Morrie isn't scheduled for another month...



Tastewise, the first thing you notice is the salt, then the cracker. The cracker is kindasorta of like a Pocky biscuit that was cooked extra long. It's a little saltier, a little yeastier.

The caramel filling is in the form of a creme rather then a hard or fluid caramel. It's cool on the tongue and smooth-- sort of like the filling in a sandwich cookie. It's on the sweet side, which the salt cuts perfectly. There's a very milky taste to the caramel.

I had only tried the Pucca because it looked interesting but didn't think I would end up caring for them one way or the other. But let me tell you, this snack was insanely addictive. Meiji makes several flavors, so you know I will have to go fishing for some!




PURCHASED FROM:
Kam Man Market, New York City

I purchased these at Kam Man, but my friends at J-List carry this flavor along with others, so be sure to check them out!

Starbucks Mini Vanilla Scones

I have said before -- recently, actually -- that much like many girls, with brief exceptions to the rules, I love all things done in miniature versions.



Starbucks has introduced mini scones to the menu. And who am I to resist the allure of mini scones? No, it's not full size, but damned if there just isn't something about it that draws you in and says, "Here, take a bite, I'm scrumptious..." It's like resisting the sarcastically sexy allure of the also-small Stanley Tucci:



You could, but you would be missing out on something good -- even if he can't always reach things on the top shelf for you. (At 4'9" myself, maybe I should shut up and not refer to anyone else as short? Stanley, I hope this doesn't mean you won't be calling, you're way taller than me, I make you look like a giant! C'mon!...)

The Scones, unlike Stanley (sadly), are covered in a thin coating of sweet, vanilla bean flecked icing. Beneath the icing lies a soft yet toothsome pastry that starts to melts in your mouth.



I think the mini scones' size helps avoid the dry and overbaked portions Starbucks scones always seem to have. The minis that I have had (and it's been several over the last week) have all been perfectly flaky and just moist enough from end to end. The scone itself has almost a neutral flavor. You can tell the vanilla is there, but it does not come off as fake or cloying. There's a very sugar cookie-like flavor to it. I would love the basic recipe, because with but a few small tweaks of flavoring, the universe of flavor possibilities would be staggering. The base dough stands well enough on its own to be a tasty and satisfying treat.

Starbucks had recently announced that it was revamping its pastry lineup, and if these scones are any indication, they are off to a fantastic start!




PURCHASED FROM:
Starbucks

Trader Joes- broccoli and Chedder Cheese Quiche

Ah quiche, the stuff that bad 80's stereotypes and mediocre brunch are made of
Sadly, TJ's version is in the mediocre brunch category. The crust (which is normally the best part of good quiche) the crust on the TJ's version is dry and bland. It's kind of like if someone had made crust out of Saltines- only less good.

The filling is eggy and salty. It reminded me of something that the airlines would have served back when they fed you (and didn't charge you to check your bags).
You can see the cheese but you can't really taste it. The broccoli pieces are teeny, tiny bits of stalk.

TJ's miss the mark on so few occasions that I am willing to forgive them for this (I am sure they will all sleep better tonight knowing that)

PURCHASED FROM:
Trader Joe's

Sara Lee Cherry Pie

Grab yourself a dancing midget and a damn fine cup o' coffee and let's have some cherry pie
Once again showing my age here... As a kid I always wanted to try cherry pie. My parents in some sort of parental wisdom wouldn't let me have it. They decided that I wouldn't like it because it was sour, I think the truth was they didn't like it because it was sour and they decided I would feel the same. So my cherry pie lust went unfulfilled.

Cut to a few years later and as a teenager the show "Twin Peaks" premired. Yes, much like the rest of the country I was caught up in finding out who killed Laura Palmer (and in an embarresing moment of fandom somewhere I even have a copy of "The Secret Diary Of Laura Palmer") but one of the things that caught my eye besides a rather hot Kyle McLachlan was the pie. They ate pie every episode- always cherry. That was it I had to try some! And so I did... and then I remembered that I didn't really like pie and I promptly forgot about it for the next 10 years or so (ok, now I feel really old)

Since then I have decided that pie isn't so bad. And while my parent's my still prefer they're pies sweet I prefer tart. Cherry has become one of my favorites.

The Sara Lee cherry pie is one of the best easy options for pie.
The crust is light and flaky. There is just enough salt to keep it from being both too buttery and too bland.
The cherries are juicy and almost sour, I say almost because I would prefer they be a little less sweetned, but for mass produced filling it is close enough. I like it warm with vanilla ice cream (because ice cream makes everything better).

I wish I had time to bake my own pie from scratch but since I don't this will hit the spot.

PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Trader Joe's Chocolate Souffle

I went to Trader Joe's looking for the Peppermint Joe Joe's
Sadly, my TJ's was sold out (but they did tell me if I am patient they are getting in some that are chocolate covered!) but no trip to Trader Joe's is a bad trip and in the frozen section they had heat and eat chocolate souffle's- and they are even in little ceramic ramekins!

Who doesn't love souffle? I do, but I admit I have never made myself one. I love to order them when I eat it.

The TJ's souffle, much like the chocolate croissants as the souffles are baking they fill the kitchen (or in the case of my relatively small apartment, the entire apartment) with the smell of delicious chocolate melting to perfection.

The souffles raised perfectly. The texture was light and airy. The flavor is a deep rich cocoa. There is so much chocolate flavor here it is insane! I sincerely doubt that it would be possible to make a better souffle this easily.

If you want an indulgent treat for yourself or need a dessert that looks like you slaved over it get a box of these!

PURCHASED FROM:
Trader Joe's

Nestle Toll House Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Filling

Could it really be so easy to get hot and fudgy peanut butter brownies by just opening the package and heating the oven?
Well, yes it kind of is.
The brownies are indeed fudgy and soft. There are melty chocolate chips on the top -I am pretty sure they are milk chocolate, but to be honest because of the strong flavor of the brownie it's self I couldn't tell.

Texture wise the brownies are dense and fudgy. Personally, I prefer my brownies to be on the thicker more cake like side, but these brownies are still really moist.

The best part hands down is the peanut butter. It's a thin layer that hides just before the flaky top crust. It's not too strong or sweet- it adds the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor.

For basically "instant" brownies these are pretty good!


PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Otis Spunkmeyer Mini Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

As far as I am concerned anything that makes chocolate for breakfast acceptable can't be all bad.
The Otis Spunkmeyer mini muffin has a small fudgy dome dotted with equally mini chocolate chips. It's more of a cocoa taste then a real chocolate flavor but it is pleasant. The texture is soft and a little spongy- but oddly enough at the same time the muffins are a little too oily to have a decent crumb to them.

The chocolate chips are soft- not melty soft, just soft. Even at that they are pretty good.

I have to give points to Otis because these seem vastly better then they did the last time I tried them a few years ago. Honestly, there is nothing special about these muffins but for a fast snack they are not bad.

PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket

Sticky Fingers Barkeries Wild Blueberry Scones

Sometimes you just need a nice warm scone at 9:00 pm at night...
And at times like those who wants to drive to the nearest bakery or Starbucks (if they even have any scones at that hour!)

Now, of course you can make them from scratch but I don't tend to keep the ingredients for blueberry scones on hand. Enter Sticky Fingers. Sticky Fingers Bakeries make scone mixes that all you have to do is add water, mix and roughly 12 minutes later you have warm scones.

The mix was easy enough to mix. It is VERY sticky- and if you were wanting to form cute little triangle scones you will need to have flour on hand. We all know I am a fan of raw dough- pretty much any raw dough. Well not this raw dough. It's not that I didn't like a sticky, gummy, version of envelope paste, but I am just not a fan of sticky, gummy envelope paste. Into the oven the scones went and I went to kill 12 minutes.

What the scones may have lacked in flavor when raw they did smell fantastic while baking. Gotta love having your house smell like fresh baked items with minimal effort.

So the taste?
...um... did I mention how good they smelled while baking?
Unfortunatly the aroma that wafts forth is the best part of the scone. While the scones ARE very light and fluffy the taste is just- eh. The flavor is bland doughiness and there are not nearly enough blueberries. But worst of the lot is that the envelope paste taste does not go away when fully baked.

I loved the idea of this product, but I will either need to plan my 9:00 cravings better or start making scones from scratch.

PURCHASED FROM:
Cost Plus World Market