Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Tuesday's Tasting - Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe has outdone himself. While at my local Trader Joe's last week I saw a box of Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants in the freezer case, a relatively new product. Recently back from a trip into Paris where I did enjoy an amazing pain au chocolat (known as a chocolate croissant in the US,) I thought I would give them a try. So, wow! You need to stop into your local Trader Joe's as soon as you can to pick up some of these amazing, bakery-fresh good chocolate croissants; one box of four croissants is $3.99

J and I decided to try them this past Sunday morning so as the directions indicate on the box, I took the frozen croissants from the box on Saturday night and placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet. I left them out on the counter to proof overnight and in the morning they had nearly quadrupled in size! I preheated the oven to 350F, baked 22 minutes (the box says 20-25,) then let them rest out of the oven for another 10 minutes. These chocolate croissants were light, airy, soft, chocolaty, and oh so delicious! There are four in a single package so J and I each had one Sunday morning, and then ate the rest yesterday. They were still delicious yesterday morning, exhibiting the slightly toothsome texture that a good French pastry should have. I strongly advise you to go out and buy a few boxes as soon as you get the chance, in fact I bought five more boxes on my way home from work last night! Once the word gets out about these, TJ's is going to have a hard time keeping them in stock!

Enjoy my Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissant experience in the following series of photographs -

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Egg Wash

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants

So there you have it, Trader Joe's Chocolate Croissants, go get some and enjoy. Tune in next week for my review of the chocolate croissant's little big cousin, Trader Joe's Mini Croissants!

Trader Joe's Mini Croissants

12 comments:

  1. Wow- those look really delicious! Great photos, too! I can almost smell them all the way here in Tokyo... :)

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  2. Yes, yes, YES! (a la Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally"). These are *delicious*. There is a bakery locally who claims to be all European fancy schmancy and THEY could learn a lesson from these "Pains au Chocolate". We worry more about running out of these than we do milk!

    RUN to Trader Joe's and get some! Just make sure you stick a note on your freezer reminding you to take them out the night before. There's nothing sadder than dreaming about them all night and waking up to them still frozen!

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  3. Hi Rachael, they are delicious! Thanks! Any TJ's in Tokyo?

    Hi Bren, YES! I worry that Trader Joe's will discontinue them someday!

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  4. I saw these guys at Trader Joe's and ended up purchasing since I remembered them from your review and they looked so good! Can't wait to try them!

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  5. Hi Carissa, let me know how you like them.

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  6. Coming from Europe, I searched and searched for "pains au chocolat" like the ones I use to eat on Sunday mornings... I finally found out what I was looking for at Trader Joe's !! They are PERFECT!

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  7. H AF, glad I could reconnect you with some good pain au chocolat, enjoy!

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  8. Yup, this is our every Sunday breakfast now :o)
    Good thing is that TJ just opened a store less than a mile from our house! How lucky we are ;o)

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  9. If Trader Joe's ever discontinues these, I think I will cry.

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  10. I haven't tried those but have recently tried the TJ's chocolate stuffed french toast- less work and YUMMY! -Staci

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  11. Just ate one this morning! Delicious!! :9

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  12. My French mother used to make croissant by hand and she always froze them. TJ's regular croissants are as close as it comes to the real deal! Even my mom loves them!

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