Magnifique! A previously discontinued French dessert has temporarily returned to Trader Joe’s.
The California-based grocery store chain is selling its version of cannelés, a traditional pastry dating back to at least the 18th century, for $5.49 a box, according to its website. Each pack includes with four desserts.
The baked treats are crafted for the chain by a bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area, which uses silicone molds instead of the traditional copper.
“This modern method is more efficient and cost-effective, yet yields the same delicious result as the French method: elegant-looking, striated cylinders that are chewy and caramelized on the outside, yet simultaneously soft and custardy in the middle,” according to Trader Joe’s.
What is canelé?
Canelé, a small baked custard pastry with a fluted shape, was originally called cannelé Bordelaise, according to the Institute of Culinary Education. There’s evidence of the pastry existing as early as the 15th century. It likely comes from the convents around the winemaking regions in Bordeaux in Southern France, about 362 miles from Paris.
According to the institute, the pastries are made of the following ingredients: egg yolks, flour, butter, salt and milk. The ingredients are then mixed and left overnight. The pastries are temperamental, time-consuming, complicated and require skill to bake, the institute added.
While the pastry typically has a slight rum taste, the Trader Joe’s version has a vanilla flavor. The Trader Joe’s Cannelés are kept in the frozen food section and are to be baked straight out of the packaging and ready in less than 15 minutes, according to the company’s website.
How long are Trader Joe’s cannelés available?
Trader Joe’s is bringing back cannelés for a limited time
The desserts are available through May. The company did not directly answer questions about why the dessert was discontinued or why it’s only being brought back for a limited time.
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, Trader Joe’s said, “Our buyers travel the world searching for products we think are exceptional and will find a following among our customers. Sometimes that’s a re-invention of something we’ve offered in the past.”
The frozen desserts are not widely available across stores, but the company said it plans to have them back in stock nationwide in a couple of weeks.
Where are Trader Joe’s stores located in New York?
There are 38 Trader Joe’s locations in New York, according to the company’s website. Here’s where they are in upstate New York:
Amherst: 1565 Niagara Falls Blvd.
Halfmoon: 3 Halfmoon Crossing Blvd.
Ithaca: 744 South Meadow St.
Pittsford: 3349 Monroe Ave.
Syracuse: 3422 Erie Blvd. East
Williamsville: 5017 Transit Road
To find your nearest location go to the Trader Joe’s store locator in its website.
Contributing: USA Today Network
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Trader Joe’s brings back beloved French dessert. Here’s what to know
Dining and Cooking