Delicious Pain Au Chocolat by Yaoko

Pain Au Chocolat

Brand: Yaoko

Price: 298 yen

Place of purchase: Yaoko

Rating:

Yaoko Bakery's Pain Au Chocolat is very popular in my household. I don't buy it weekly, but I do buy it regularly - maybe once a month. In Japan they use "Pan o chocoraa" from the French Pain Au Chocolat, sometimes called chocolate bread or chocolate croissant in English. It is more the former than the latter, in my opinion. The center is quite hollow and it isn't brimming with chocolate. There is actually only a dollop, which I think works better than being completely full of chocolate. It is lighter that way and it also means that it is not overly sweet either. However, people who prefer a stronger chocolate presence might be disappointed. The chocolate is smooth, but dry and not chunky or crunchy. The pastry is light, but has a subtle crunchiness to it.

In recent years, the price has gone up and the number of Pain Au Chocolat in the bag have gone down. However, the price isn't too bad, at 298 yen before tax. The Pain Au Chocolat aren't individually wrapped, so once you open the outer packaging, its best to eat all the contents quickly. If you are sharing, this is not a problem, but you might be hard pushed to eat them all yourself! Another reason to eat them quickly is that the shelf-life is quite short too. The pastry can feel slightly dense, and the chocolate filling is on the lighter side, which may disappoint those wanting a richer cocoa flavor. I have found that the taste varies between the different branches of Yaoko, with some branches offering a more delicious version. Presumably they are made fresh on site, but from the same 'Yaoko' recipe.