In 2011, a new cafe opened in Pacific Heights, right on Fillmore St. I couldn't wait to visit, even though not a convenient location for me. Knowing me, you likely suspect they had some epic dessert on the menu, or amazing baked goods, but actually, my reason for seeking it out had nothing to do with food. I know, shocker! It was actually for the coffee I made my first venture, and more specifically, for a barista that I knew from his previous post, who was now working at Jane. His obsession with quality and brewing techniques produced some of the best cups of coffee I've ever had, and with Jane offering up a variety of brewing methods, I knew I was in for a treat.
Fast forward a bit. I went to Jane several times during that first year, always for the coffee, but I remember enjoying some treats as well. The cafe seemed to flourish, with looong lines, and raving reviews about everything from the coffee to the savory lunch items to the baked goods. Success was fast, and a second location opened two years later. And 3 years after that? A full bakery opened as well.
"At Jane we bake everything in house - pastries, breads, cookies - if it's baked we bake it. Everything is baked fresh each day."
Let's just say Jane takes the bakery program seriously, with a separate head baker for each specialty (bread, pastry, viennoiserie). And their products are good. Very, very good.
At this point, you may suspect that the owner, founder, a baker, someone was named Jane. The best I can tell, um, no Jane was involved. I don't understand the name, but I know it stands for quality.
Pastry Boxes. |
Spoiler: some of these are definitely worth going out of your way for. And if you ever spot a Jane box in your office ... RUN towards it, as fast as you can.
"4 each: cinnamon roll, fruit muffin, bran muffin, citrus brioche, banana bread, chocolate chip coffee cake."
Large Assorted Pastries. $85. |
We always had a huge lineup, including assorted muffins (with a separate box of vegan, gluten-free offerings), banana bread, coffee cake, brioche, and of course, cinnamon rolls.
Jane also makes scones, croissants, danishes, morning buns, oat cakes, tea cakes, and biscuits, which we often had as well.
I ... tried everything in this box, and subsequent ones. And, for the most part, I really liked it all. The kouign amann are among the best I've ever had, the healthy birdseed muffins and breakfast cookies became my surprise favorites, and the muesli I'm more than willing to go out of my way for. The muffins, scones, croissants, twists, cakes, etc are always interesting, and a unique aspect is that while the items don't always look, nor sound ,particularly remarkable, they all have really nicely done bases, and texture contrasts between the interior and exterior that I really appreciate. They are items that "eat well" if you know what I mean.
Even though I got Jane goodies regularly for years, I never grew sick of them, as seasonal offerings kept constant new additions to the lineup.
Muffins
Jane makes a wide variety of muffins, including seasonal fruit muffins (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, or mixed berry), hearty muffins, and even vegan, gluten-free options.
I've tried many (yes, even the vegan/gf ones), and was pleased with nearly all of them.
Jane always has a fruit muffin on the menu, but it changes with the seasons. You never know what kind of muffin it is, as they always look the same on the outside, dusted with plenty of powdered sugar. The first one I tried was raspberry,
The raspberry muffin was not much of a looker, besides that it was quite large. No visible fruit on top, and even once I cut into it, I didn't really see fruit. To be honest, it wasn't a particularly "fruit forward" muffin.
But it was a good muffin. The top was really crispy in an awesome way, I appreciated the powdered sugar on top, and the base muffin flavor was quite good, even if it had minimal raspberry.
After taking just a slice to try it, I quickly claimed the rest of the muffin.
****.
Another morning I eagerly grabbed a whole muffin, after learning that they were good last time. The muffin looked to be bursting with fruit, I suspected blueberry or other seasonal summer berry (as it was June), but ... it turned out to be cranberry. Doh. Not my fav.
The muffin was still good form - crispy top, very moist inside, sweet flavor to the insides, and loaded with juicy berries, but, cranberries are not really what I like.
Cranberry Muffin. $4. (June) |
The muffin was still good form - crispy top, very moist inside, sweet flavor to the insides, and loaded with juicy berries, but, cranberries are not really what I like.
***+.
I never know which variety the muffin will be, until I dig in, as they are never labelled, and never have visible fruit.
Blueberry Muffin. $4. (July) |
As always, the top was crispy, I liked the powdered sugar, and the base flavor was lovely, a slight tang, and very moist and fluffy. It was certainly a sweet muffin though, almost more trending towards cake, particularly with the additional powdered sugar on top, so it sweet muffins aren't quite your thing, this might not be for you.
And what was in it?
Blueberry Muffin: Side Profile. |
Blueberries. Juicy little pops, but, like many of the Jane muffins, not really loaded down in berries. I would like more fruit, but, the fruit that was there is good.
***+.
I had a blueberry muffin again few weeks later, and loved it just as much, if not more, as before.
Blueberry Muffin (August 2019). |
Fabulous crispy top, light moist base with complex flavor, and of course, berries. I could imagine pairing with fresh berries, and ice cream or whipped cream to easily transform into a dessert item. ****.
Update (September 2019): I had another, and again just loved it. The flavor to the base, and the crispy top, really set this apart. ****.
Update (November 2019): Again. <3. This is such a great, sweet, fluffy, moist, muffin. ****.
Update (Jan 2020): I think the allure of these is fading. Still moist, still fluffy, but the flavor isn't very compelling nor complex. ***.
Update (Feb 2020); Yeah, I'm over these. They are good, but, not quite what I want for breakfast, if I want sweet, I prefer the iced cinnamon roll, and if I want hearty, I adore the birdseed muffin. They are good for dessert later in the day, with ice cream or whipped cream, but, I find they don't hold up as well as I expect. ***.
Eventually, I moved on from the sugar coated fruit muffins, and I tried the "birdseed bran" a smaller, less lofty, far healthier looking muffin. I'll admit that I was skeptical on this one.Update (September 2019): I had another, and again just loved it. The flavor to the base, and the crispy top, really set this apart. ****.
Update (November 2019): Again. <3. This is such a great, sweet, fluffy, moist, muffin. ****.
Update (Jan 2020): I think the allure of these is fading. Still moist, still fluffy, but the flavor isn't very compelling nor complex. ***.
Update (Feb 2020); Yeah, I'm over these. They are good, but, not quite what I want for breakfast, if I want sweet, I prefer the iced cinnamon roll, and if I want hearty, I adore the birdseed muffin. They are good for dessert later in the day, with ice cream or whipped cream, but, I find they don't hold up as well as I expect. ***.
Birdseed Bran Muffin $4. |
But I really liked it too! A dense, hearty muffin, nice bran flavor and texture, and a sweetness that clearly came from something other than just sugar ... molasses? The oats and seeds on top added tons of crunch and interest.
Birdseed Bran Muffin: Inside. |
I don't always go for the less sweet, heartier muffins, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. I think it would be great warmed with some jam or butter too, but it was good enough just at room temp. One of the best healthier muffins I've ever had.
****.
I'm really glad I discovered these muffins. Everyone else seems to reject them, always the last to remain, always plenty left even at the end of the day. I'm happy to take the rejected muffins, as I know just how they good they are.
Birdseed Bran Muffin #2. |
And, I do enjoy the hearty muffin from time to time. Warmed up with a touch of butter, they go nicely with a cup of coffee in the morning, on the rare days I'm not craving sweets. A dollop of jam can accent the dried fruit inside, but isn't needed. I've also had one sliced and served cold alongside a salad, and it really helped augment the meal.
I'm always happy to take these! ****.
After many months of adoring Jane muffins, I finally tried a vegan, gluten-free muffin.
Vegan, Gluten-Free Banana Blueberry Muffin. |
I waited until these were clearly just the rejects, as I am not vegan, gluten-free, nor do I like banana baked goods, so this was not a particularly compelling muffin for me. These had a very different look from the regular muffins, with pearl sugar replacing the powdered sugar, and big juicy blueberries visible on top
It ... was probably ok, if you like banana. Which does not describe me. For me, the banana was far too pronounced, although I'm sure it added moisture. At least this was not a dry, cardboard-like gluten-free muffin. The texture wasn't bad, although it did not compare to the regular fruit muffin.
The blueberries were as good as they looked, juicy, lovely pops of flavor, but, the banana just dominated this one too much for me.
**+.
I'm not sure why I tried another variety, the next month, featuring raspberry. I think I like Jane's regular fruit muffins so much I still wanted to give them hope.
Vegan, Gluten-Free Banana Raspberry Muffin. |
But ... again, it tasted like banana. I don't like banana. And it was pretty dry. Did not like anything about it.
**.
When I grabbed this, I thought it was my favorite birdseed muffin, given the pumpkin seeds on top. I wondered why it was in the special gluten-free box ...
But it turned out to be a vegan, gluten-free, pumpkin muffin. Not what I was going for, but I still tried a chunk before handing off to a gluten-free friend.
I loved the pumpkin seeds on top, and the muffin was actually pretty good. It was clearly not a normal muffin ... it was dense, almost like a bran muffin, except that, well, it wasn't bran. Slight pumpkin flavor. Crispy top that I liked, not moist exactly, but, not dry.
Overall, a nicely done muffin, and if I didn't have other things (e.g. a kouign amann!) right there, I certainly would finish it.
Vegan GF Pumpkin Muffin. |
But it turned out to be a vegan, gluten-free, pumpkin muffin. Not what I was going for, but I still tried a chunk before handing off to a gluten-free friend.
I loved the pumpkin seeds on top, and the muffin was actually pretty good. It was clearly not a normal muffin ... it was dense, almost like a bran muffin, except that, well, it wasn't bran. Slight pumpkin flavor. Crispy top that I liked, not moist exactly, but, not dry.
Overall, a nicely done muffin, and if I didn't have other things (e.g. a kouign amann!) right there, I certainly would finish it.
***.
Breakfast Buns / Cakes
Next up, other morning appropriate items, like cinnamon rolls, morning buns, and coffee cakes. The kind of items that you feel a bit guilty grabbing at 8am as the first thing you eat in a day, but make for a perfect treat around 10am with an additional cup of coffee ...
These items tend to go fast, clearly they call out to my coworkers as the perfect grabbable treats as they dash between meetings.
Cinnamon Roll. |
The cinnamon roll didn't actually look very special. The glaze looked a bit hard, as did the entire thing, really.
But it was quite good, I ended up liking the crisp exterior, and inside was perfectly moist. The cinnamon-sugar filling was noticeable but not too spiced, and the sweet glaze complimented everything well.
Overall, a very good cinnamon roll, and I wished I had time to warm it up, as I'm sure it would be even better that way.
***+.
So, when another box of pastries with cinnamon rolls showed up, I decided to do just that.
It was, as I suspected, even better warmed up, and even better when topped with a scoop of coconut gelato, candied pecans, and drizzled with salted caramel. Yes, I made myself a fabulous dessert from this!
Cinnamon Roll #2. |
It was, as I suspected, even better warmed up, and even better when topped with a scoop of coconut gelato, candied pecans, and drizzled with salted caramel. Yes, I made myself a fabulous dessert from this!
***+.
I had another the *next* time they arrived, and did warm it up, but found it not as exciting. I still liked the glaze, but the base itself was more boring than I remembered.
I've had these again several times since, and the glaze really is my favorite part. It is, the, uh, "icing on the cake"?
And some days, a big chunk of this, with plenty of icing, is just a lovely treat. ***.
Cinnamon Roll #3. |
I've had these again several times since, and the glaze really is my favorite part. It is, the, uh, "icing on the cake"?
And some days, a big chunk of this, with plenty of icing, is just a lovely treat. ***.
Citrus Morning Bun. |
Well coated in cinnamon and sugar though.
I would not get this again.
Update: I tried another batch, when there was an abundance and someone cut a few up, and ... yeah. Very much not my thing, just kinda dry and boring.
**.
Then it was time to try the coffee cake, never my first choice, but I did have a cup of coffee in my hand ... what choice did I have, but try the breakfast cake?
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake. |
Jane makes several coffee cakes: plain, fruit, cinnamon streusel, or, as we had, chocolate chip. The slices are ... generous to say the least.
Much like the cinnamon roll, I wasn't that impressed by the outward appearance of it. Sure, it had lots of chocolate chips and tons of powdered sugar on top, but it looked like ... well, I guess just kinda boring coffee cake?
But like nearly every item, it was the textures and contrasts that drew me in once I tried a small slice. I went back to claim a full slice soon after.
The top was crisp, the inside moist. The streusel and chocolate combination on top was a good one. The base flavor was good, not quite plain.
Overall, a really quite good slice of coffee cake. I'm curious to try the fruit versions as well. ****.
Update: I tried this again another time, and wasn't quite as into it. I did like the chocolate chips on top, but the base was more boring than I remembered. ***.
This was a unique coffee cake. Really, I'd just call it a crumble cake. Moist, lemon blueberry cake base, much like a muffin, sweeter style than normal for breakfast, but not quite decadent dessert cake. No spicing to it like a coffee cake, but the lemon was strong, and the blueberries abundant and juicy. It was also an entirely different form compared to the sliced chocolate chip version.
Update: I tried this again another time, and wasn't quite as into it. I did like the chocolate chips on top, but the base was more boring than I remembered. ***.
Blueberry Coffee Cake. |
As I don't care for lemon, the lemon ruined this for me, but I did like the crumble top, and the berries. ***.
Croissant Base: Croissants, Danishes, Tarts, Kouign Amann
Jane's lineup of croissant products is quite extensive, and are well regarded among those who rate "the best" croissants in the city. All use traditional laminated croissant dough, but they come filled with many things. Jane makes the standard offerings of chocolate, twice-baked almond, and ham & cheese croissants, but they also have a Louisiana hotlink croissant if ham & cheese is a bit boring, a buckwheat chocolate croissant to jazz up the standard chocolate croissant, a buckwheat almond croissant to up the ante on the regular almond croissant, etc, and then a slew of fascinating savory options, like a "brunch croissant" with a fried egg on top, and a smoked salmon and everything spice version. Seriously, the croissant line up is pretty impressive.
In addition to croissants, Jane offers danishes, tarts, twists, and kouign amann, all of which use the same croissant pastry base. I've tried many of these.
This is where Jane's goodies really shine, in both quality and uniqueness, particularly of some of the unexpected savory items.
The traditional croissant is a fairly standard execution, flaky messy exterior, moist, well laminated layered interior. Not particularly outstanding, but certainly not bad.
Traditional Croissant. $3.50. |
I have this problem with twice baked almond croissants. I always think I like them, and then ... rarely do. I need to get it out of my head that I like these.
I think it was a fine pastry, exactly as intended. Topped with frangipane and sliced almonds, powdered sugar, crispy on top and crispy on the edges, as it was twice baked. Kinda spongy inside, but generously filled with frangipane.
I've realized I just don't like the twice baked style though, so this isn't Jane's fault, it is mine.
**+.
Ham & Cheese Croissant. |
The croissant was decent, like the others, flaky enough (e.g. messy), and was quite sizable. The herbs on top added a further savory element.
The inside was the interesting part, well filled. Seemingly decent quality ham, and I could taste both it and the cheese easily.
Ham & Cheese Croissant: Inside. |
A decent ham & cheese croissant, but not particularly remarkable.
This one certainly looked exciting, although I knew that savory pastries and danishes aren't usually my favorite, I didn't know what this one was when I tried it. I was drawn in by the scroll design.
It turned out to be filled with spinach and feta, which, was a pretty big strike for me, as I don't really care for feta. Ooops.
I liked the sprinkle of sesame seeds on top, it was nicely made, but, not for me. My partner loves these.
** for me, ***+ from him.
The savory vegetable flat was very lovely, but I didn't try it, knowing it was unlikely to be for me. Kudos to Jane on the presentation though.
I moved on to sweet options.
Savory Vegetable Flat. $4. |
Seasonal Special: Cranberry Mascarpone (?). January 2020. |
I took this one with NO CLUE what it was, but, it was a new shape, and certainly looked like a sweet danish, so I was eager to try.
The pastry was similar to the croissants and savory danishes I had tried - good quality, layered, nicely laminated, crispy. Not the best I've ever had, but solid.
I liked the icing drizzle too, sweet and satisfying.
But of course, I cared about the fillings. I could see a berry filling, that turned out to be a generous amount of cranberry compote. It was tart, but sweet, and a lovely seasonal offering.
The sweet fruit was balanced nicely by the layer under it - it seemed to be mascarpone perhaps? It might have just been a cream cheese custard, but the flavor seemed more unique.
I really liked both fillings, and they complimented each other nicely.
Overall, a nice pastry. Not something I'd go seeking out in particular, but quite satisfying.
The pastry was similar to the croissants and savory danishes I had tried - good quality, layered, nicely laminated, crispy. Not the best I've ever had, but solid.
I liked the icing drizzle too, sweet and satisfying.
Seasonal Cranberry Mascarpone (?): Inside. |
The sweet fruit was balanced nicely by the layer under it - it seemed to be mascarpone perhaps? It might have just been a cream cheese custard, but the flavor seemed more unique.
I really liked both fillings, and they complimented each other nicely.
Overall, a nice pastry. Not something I'd go seeking out in particular, but quite satisfying.
***+.
This one was a looker as well! I had no idea what kind it was, just labelled "seasonal twist", but it turned out to be Vietnamese Coffee, twirls of croissant dough wrapped with a cold brew filling, complete with bits of coffee beans for crunch, and topped with pearl sugar.
Not being one for coffee flavored items (I really like coffee, just not coffee flavored things, not really sure why), I handed this off to a friend once I identified the flavor (not chocolate or black sesame as I hoped!), but it was a fairly stunning item.
Seasonal Twist: Vietnamese Coffee. $5. |
Not being one for coffee flavored items (I really like coffee, just not coffee flavored things, not really sure why), I handed this off to a friend once I identified the flavor (not chocolate or black sesame as I hoped!), but it was a fairly stunning item.
***.
Uh ... this one took me by surprise. I thought it was a sweet item. It was not. It was savory.
Seasonal Twist: Olive Tapenade (November 2019). $5. |
Imagine my surprise when I bit in to something that I thought was chocolate, cherry, and pistachio, to find ... olives and olive tapenade. Doh.
The pastry was flaky and decent, but it is hard for me to really give this a ringing endorsement, as I really don't care for the strong taste of olives, particularly when it was so unexpected. But if you like olives ...
**+.
Another month, another ridiculous seasonal twist, and another one I had no idea what it was when I grabbed it. All I knew is that I saw caramel corn on top (YES!!!) and what were clearly little chocolate pearls, so at least I knew it was certainly a sweet option. It also turned out to be a total surprise ... uh, it was passionfruit!
I did love the sticky, sweet caramel corn, and of course, I snatched up all the extra caramel corn in the box that fell off the others. I appreciated the chocolate, and the slight crunch from the crispearls.
Underlying all that though was kinda mediocre croissant pastry, and ... yeah, passionfruit goo. Chocolate and passionfruit were a really odd combo for me, and the caramel corn made no sense with it either.
I warmed it up and enjoyed the pastry more than way, but I certainly wouldn't get this again.
Seasonal Twist: Passionfruit Chocolate Popcorn? (December 2019). $5. |
I did love the sticky, sweet caramel corn, and of course, I snatched up all the extra caramel corn in the box that fell off the others. I appreciated the chocolate, and the slight crunch from the crispearls.
Underlying all that though was kinda mediocre croissant pastry, and ... yeah, passionfruit goo. Chocolate and passionfruit were a really odd combo for me, and the caramel corn made no sense with it either.
I warmed it up and enjoyed the pastry more than way, but I certainly wouldn't get this again.
*** for uniqueness?
"Layers of pastry filled with Meyer Lemon Marmalade and topped with Poppy Seeds."
Yes, yes, I don't like lemon pastries, but this was a new item, and I like to try #allTheThings. Plus, someone cut one open, so I didn't need to feel wasteful, just taking a small chunk.
The turnover exterior was good, flaky, buttery, above average, better than the croissants. I did actually really like the crunch from the poppy seed crust.
And inside, yup, the part I didn't care for, the meyer lemon marmalade, which I liked more than a lemon curd for sure, but was still more citrusy than I prefer.
A unique, well done item, for citrus lovers.
Meyer Lemon Poppy Turnover. (February 2020). |
Yes, yes, I don't like lemon pastries, but this was a new item, and I like to try #allTheThings. Plus, someone cut one open, so I didn't need to feel wasteful, just taking a small chunk.
The turnover exterior was good, flaky, buttery, above average, better than the croissants. I did actually really like the crunch from the poppy seed crust.
Meyer Lemon Poppy Turnover: Inside. |
A unique, well done item, for citrus lovers.
***.
And then ... behold, the mighty kouign amann. These are also formed from the same base croissant dough, and then ... just transformed into the king of all pastries. Imho.
The first brioche I tried was the citrus brioche, which I didn't know what it was until I read the label on the box.
This was a seasonal item in November, and I'm not quite sure what name Jane has given it, but it was the same signature brioche roll, same shape and style as the citrus, with a plain base. A bit dry for me, and not particularly special.
Between the rolls was what seemed to be a pumpkin seed spread, and it was garnished with more pumpkin seeds and icing.
I enjoyed the very top, with all the sweet icing and pumpkin seeds, but the rest, like most of the brioche rolls, was just a bit too ... boring.
The seasonal sweet scone the first time I had a chance to try one was ... currant. Boo. I dislike raisins and currants for the most part. Alas, it was winter, not berry season, so, currants it was.
The scone was decent, a crumbly texture, a bit of tang to the base, but not much. I actually prefer a buttermilk base scone, just so the base is more interesting. The currants were well distributed, and there weren't too many, so they didn't take over, but did at least provide something quasi-interesting inside, and they weren't too hard, but still ... not my thing.
I loved the generous pearl sugar on top, and these were perfectly cooked, not a burnt edge in sight (soooo often the edges of scones, even from reputable bakeries, are burnt!).
Overall, certainly above average, just not a variety I was excited about. I spread it generously with clotted cream and jam, and appreciated it much more that way.
This was a very solid (as in good, not too hard!) biscuit.
Kouign Amann. $4. |
I was excited, but still cautious, as I dove in for one of these. I adore a good kouign amann, but sometimes ... they just slightly disappoint.
This was a good kouign amann. A very good kouign amann.
The exterior was perfectly flaky and messy, in all the right ways. Well laminated moist layers within. Crispy pearl sugar on top.
This was a good kouign amann. A very good kouign amann.
The exterior was perfectly flaky and messy, in all the right ways. Well laminated moist layers within. Crispy pearl sugar on top.
Kouign Amann: Bottom. |
But the beauty of course lay in the caramelization of the base. Here you can see the bottom, just ... as caramelized as it gets!
This was truly a fabulous kouign amann, and I place only b. Patisserie above it in my rankings.
****+.
I got a chance to have another a few months later, and even though I went into it with high expectations, it was just as good as the first.
So crispy and caramelized, it looked quite dark, a few moments longer and it would have been burnt, but it wasn't, it was just caramelized goodness.
Kouign Amann (August 2019). |
So crispy and caramelized, it looked quite dark, a few moments longer and it would have been burnt, but it wasn't, it was just caramelized goodness.
Jane has nailed these.
****+.
I mean, really. Look at the bottom of this thing. Perfection.
Another month, another perfect kouign amann.
Kouign Amann: Bottom (August 2019). |
Kouign Amann (September 2019). |
I mean really. The caramelization. The flaky layers. A++.
****+.
Um. Jane's Kouign Amann are already life changing. And I adore pecans. So when I saw the pecan on top of this I was already drawn in, but realizing it was stuffed with kumquat nearly made me exclaim with glee. I had no idea how this would possibly work, but, I was in.
The pastry, as expected, was just insane. Buttery, sugary, caramelized, flaky, decadent, top notch. Seriously. So so very unhealthy, and so very very well done. And yes, I loved the sugared pecan on top. Because, you know, a pastry with a fully caramelized bottom, that is coated in sugar on top, clearly *needs* more sugar elements.
And then inside, a fascinating pecan kumquat marmalade like substance. A bit hard to describe, but, basically tons of cooked down kumquat and chunks of pecan, in a jam-like base. I kinda loved it, but I kinda didn't like it at the same time. I liked the kumquat, and I loved the pecan, but it didn't feel quite right inside my kouign amann. It almost detracted from the glory that was the flaky caramelized layers, and didn't seem to compliment it that well.
I ended up eating the kouign amann around it, and then eating the filling with some ice cream later, and enjoyed it that way, but, I wouldn't want this filling again given a choice.
Seasonal Kouign Amann: Kumquat Pecan (February 2020). |
The pastry, as expected, was just insane. Buttery, sugary, caramelized, flaky, decadent, top notch. Seriously. So so very unhealthy, and so very very well done. And yes, I loved the sugared pecan on top. Because, you know, a pastry with a fully caramelized bottom, that is coated in sugar on top, clearly *needs* more sugar elements.
Kumquat Pecan Kouign Amann : Half Section. |
I ended up eating the kouign amann around it, and then eating the filling with some ice cream later, and enjoyed it that way, but, I wouldn't want this filling again given a choice.
***+.
Brioche
The brioches are equally impressive as the croissant based items, offered in a huge range, savory and sweet, and often seasonal.
Don't get me started on how much I want to try the salted caramel twist or matcha knot ... but alas, our boxes have never contained these. Still, I've tried many, many of the brioches, although they tend to look better than they taste.
Don't get me started on how much I want to try the salted caramel twist or matcha knot ... but alas, our boxes have never contained these. Still, I've tried many, many of the brioches, although they tend to look better than they taste.
Citrus Brioche. $4.50. |
Well, it looked great, but, I don't tend to like citrus baked goods.
This was actually good, but, the citrus aspect of it, as I expected, wasn't quite for me. But the item itself was unique, again, crispy exterior, although a bit gooey too from moist sugar, with folds of more moist sweetness (citrus flavored), and a slightly caramelized exterior. As with all the other items, I found the base flavor good, and I liked the crispy, sticky, sweet combo. I just wish it didn't taste like citrus.
**+.
Update: I did try a chunk anther time when they showed up, and, knowing it was citrus, I was able to appreciate it much more. I still would prefer that it not have the citrus, but the crispy caramelized exterior was fabulous, and I almost appreciated the soft citrus insides.
***.
Seasonal Brioche (November 2019). |
Between the rolls was what seemed to be a pumpkin seed spread, and it was garnished with more pumpkin seeds and icing.
I enjoyed the very top, with all the sweet icing and pumpkin seeds, but the rest, like most of the brioche rolls, was just a bit too ... boring.
**+.
The next brioche I tried was an entirely different looking item. It was labelled, so I knew it was a brioche, otherwise I would have never realized it from looks alone.
Raspberry Brioche. |
This was the seasonal raspberry brioche, a brioche round, filled with pastry cream, raspberry jam, fresh glazed raspberries, raspberry powder, and lemon zest, with a ring of streusel around the edges, and a dusting of superfine powdered sugar over it all.
Um, yeah, that is a lot to take in, and I loved the attention to detail this item had. You got the light fluffy brioche dough, the creamy pastry cream in the center, the raspberry 3 ways (fresh glazed, jam, powder), the balance of the tiny hit of lemon zest, the crunchy streusel ... it had nearly everything.
Um, yeah, that is a lot to take in, and I loved the attention to detail this item had. You got the light fluffy brioche dough, the creamy pastry cream in the center, the raspberry 3 ways (fresh glazed, jam, powder), the balance of the tiny hit of lemon zest, the crunchy streusel ... it had nearly everything.
That said, I found this item only ok. The brioche was fine, the streusel was crisp and sweet and enjoyable, the fruit was fresh and sweet but ... I somehow wanted it to add up to more than it was. I found myself actually just wanting more of everything - more cream! More streusel! More fruit! I think the having it all approach actually took away slightly for me.
Still good, but not my favorite.
***.
I tried it again a month later, again drawn in by the beauty.
I again liked the crunch from the streusel. But everything else just fell short. A boring item, which makes no sense, given the complexity.
Raspberry Brioche (September 2019). |
I again liked the crunch from the streusel. But everything else just fell short. A boring item, which makes no sense, given the complexity.
***.
I tried one more time, again drawn in by the looks, but, besides the juicy berries in the center (which I really do love!), this item just isn't for me.
Raspberry Brioche (January 2020). |
**+.
Next up, another brioche, and another one that looked entirely different.
Nutella Filled Brioche. |
At first glance, it kinda looked like a muffin or coffee cake, but luckily it was labelled so I knew it was not only a brioche base, but also that it had Nutella hiding inside. On top was a full cap of the same streusel and powdered sugar that the fruit brioche had around the edges.
This was my favorite brioche - the larger brioche form factor allowed the light fluffy brioche to shine, and I liked ripping off pieces of it. So much lighter than a muffin, which is what you want sometime, but more exciting than just a slice of brioche. It reminded me a little of panettone. At least to me.
I adored the streusel, crispy, sweet, fabulous, and since the entire thing was coated with it, I was able to enjoy it more. I liked the contrast of the brioche itself and the crispy top.
And inside, a generous portion of soft Nutella. Classic Nutella, which is never the most exciting thing to me, but is nice alongside coffee in the morning.
****.
Update: I had another a few weeks later, and was less into it. The brioche was just ... light fluffy bread, and I was in "eh, I don't like Nutella" mode, so that wasn't interesting to me either. ***.
Of course, I'm not one to settle for a pastry without whipped cream, so I set about acquiring some whipped cream to really create my "perfect bite" - brioche, Nutella, whip.
This was better, 'natch. ***+.
Another month, the seasonal brioche was kinda crazy looking, so ... against my better judgement, just given how blah I find these in general, I still tried it.
Update: I had another a few weeks later, and was less into it. The brioche was just ... light fluffy bread, and I was in "eh, I don't like Nutella" mode, so that wasn't interesting to me either. ***.
Perfect Brioche Bite. |
This was better, 'natch. ***+.
Seasonal Brioche (December 2019). |
The dough was again light, fluffy and bo-ring. The few bits of blackberry didn't really help much to liven it up.
Note to self: it doesn't matter what they look like, you aren't into brioches :)
**+.
Scones
Jane makes a savory and a sweet scone at all times, rotating with the seasons. Sometimes they are square, sometimes triangle, but always a harder style, not soft biscuits.
The scones I've tried are all fine, above average, but aren't really signature, go-to items.
The scones I've tried are all fine, above average, but aren't really signature, go-to items.
Sweet Scone: Currant. $3.50. |
The scone was decent, a crumbly texture, a bit of tang to the base, but not much. I actually prefer a buttermilk base scone, just so the base is more interesting. The currants were well distributed, and there weren't too many, so they didn't take over, but did at least provide something quasi-interesting inside, and they weren't too hard, but still ... not my thing.
I loved the generous pearl sugar on top, and these were perfectly cooked, not a burnt edge in sight (soooo often the edges of scones, even from reputable bakeries, are burnt!).
Overall, certainly above average, just not a variety I was excited about. I spread it generously with clotted cream and jam, and appreciated it much more that way.
***.
I never got to try the citrus scone that came next.
The savory one looked even more exciting.
I took it, not knowing what kind it was, but assuming it was savory, and spying what looked like one of my favorite things: furikake on top!
It turned out to be togarashi, spicy with a kick! A bit of legit heat to it, in addition to the sesame seeds and seaweed. Flavorful topping, no question.
The scone itself was savory, cheddar, cheesy but not overwhelming, and studded with spicy togarashi as well. More kick. It was a crumbly harder style much like the sweet scone.
Overall this was good, fine for something different, but I prefer Jane's savory biscuit to the savory scone (keep reading!).
Savory Scone: Cheddar Togarashi. $3.50. |
I took it, not knowing what kind it was, but assuming it was savory, and spying what looked like one of my favorite things: furikake on top!
It turned out to be togarashi, spicy with a kick! A bit of legit heat to it, in addition to the sesame seeds and seaweed. Flavorful topping, no question.
The scone itself was savory, cheddar, cheesy but not overwhelming, and studded with spicy togarashi as well. More kick. It was a crumbly harder style much like the sweet scone.
Overall this was good, fine for something different, but I prefer Jane's savory biscuit to the savory scone (keep reading!).
***.
Next up, another savory version. These seemed to be ... olive? Fine, but not really great. Not flavors I go for. I'd love to catch the mushroom gruyere when it is offered again.
**+.
The regular banana bread was ... well, banana bread.
Super thick slices, moist. But, banana bread is just not something I love anymore (which is sad, I used to love it, I grew up eating it warm with butter or cream cheese melting in, and always really liked it. And some of my favorite San Francisco brunch memories are of the warn banana bread and cream cheese topping at Universal Cafe ... ).
I did try a tiny bite of the gluten-free one as well, and it was actually a bit better than the regular, even more moist. So if banana bread is your thing and you are gluten-free, this could be for you!
Savory Olive (?) Scone (Feb 2020). |
**+.
Tea Cakes / Breads
Jane makes all the standard tea cakes (banana, lemon, pumpkin, carrot), plus a gluten-free banana version. Not generally my thing, so it took me a long time to try them, but I'm glad I finally did.
Banana Bread. $4. |
Super thick slices, moist. But, banana bread is just not something I love anymore (which is sad, I used to love it, I grew up eating it warm with butter or cream cheese melting in, and always really liked it. And some of my favorite San Francisco brunch memories are of the warn banana bread and cream cheese topping at Universal Cafe ... ).
But these days, just not for me, but I admit this was a quality banana bread.
***.
Gluten Free Banana Bread. $4. |
One of my gluten-free colleagues adores this.
***+.
The carrot bread was a nice surprise.
Again, huge, thick slices, quite moist.
It was loaded with shredded carrot for extra moisture, and plenty of nuts to ensure crunch in every bite. It was sweet, and honestly, was just like carrot cake .... without cream cheese frosting.
It was flavorful enough to eat just as it was, but it also transformed perfectly into carrot cake, when I created a topping of cream cheese mixed with whipped cream - cream cheese frosting in a pinch!
Carrot Bread. $4. |
Again, huge, thick slices, quite moist.
It was loaded with shredded carrot for extra moisture, and plenty of nuts to ensure crunch in every bite. It was sweet, and honestly, was just like carrot cake .... without cream cheese frosting.
It was flavorful enough to eat just as it was, but it also transformed perfectly into carrot cake, when I created a topping of cream cheese mixed with whipped cream - cream cheese frosting in a pinch!
****+.
It was rich, the berries were fine, but, yeah, it was still pound cake ... still not for me.
[ No Photo ]
Blueberry Pound Cake
After actually liking the other cakes, and after I had a really good blueberry pound cake from elsewhere a few days prior, and so I was drawn in immediately when I saw the blueberry pound cake, even though in general, pound cakes are not my thing.
It was rich, the berries were fine, but, yeah, it was still pound cake ... still not for me.
***.
Other
Jane makes a slew of other fabulous items, that I'm just calling, um, "other".
Cheddar & Chive Biscuit. |
Good crumb to it, slight tang to the base, and really quite savory, loaded with plenty of herbs, and plenty of cheese.
Flavorful enough to just nibble on on its own, but I think it would make an awesome base for a breakfast sandwich with sausage and egg inside, and would be great with gravy ...
***+.
This sorta looked like a healthy granola bar, so I tried to cut off a chunk to try it. I couldn't. Literally, I could not cut it. It was rock solid. Seriously, rock solid. Not even a real knife could get through this thing.
So I took a full one, and tried to bite it. Um, rock solid! I was worried for my teeth.
Gluten Free Honey Hemp Bar. $4. |
So I took a full one, and tried to bite it. Um, rock solid! I was worried for my teeth.
It also didn't really seem very sweet (where was that promised honey?) and didn't please me in any way.
This was a real fail for me.
*.
One day, there were cookies in our breakfast assortment. Cookies. For breakfast.
I was not opposed.
And honestly, this *was* fitting for a breakfast cookie. It seemed to be the cookie version of the birdseed muffin, studded with pumpkin seeds and bits of dried fruit, apricot in particular. It was not a very sweet cookie, nor a very soft cookie, and would never satisfy me for a "real" dessert or treat, but, for a breakfast item, it actually totally worked. Kinda like a harder, thinner, scone?
Cookie. (November 2019). |
I was not opposed.
And honestly, this *was* fitting for a breakfast cookie. It seemed to be the cookie version of the birdseed muffin, studded with pumpkin seeds and bits of dried fruit, apricot in particular. It was not a very sweet cookie, nor a very soft cookie, and would never satisfy me for a "real" dessert or treat, but, for a breakfast item, it actually totally worked. Kinda like a harder, thinner, scone?
I found myself craving these for breakfast, perfect alongside a coffee, and have gotten them many times since that initial discovery, and I enjoy them every time.
****, and a really unique item I didn't even know I needed in my life!
Tomato and Cheddar Quiche. $6/slice. |
I'm definitely not a quiche girl, at all, so I didn't try the quiche itself (it looked lovely, cheese layer was legit!), but I tried the crust. Because, after all, I do love good pastry!
It was very good crust ... for a quiche. Quality pie crust, just not sweet like a dessert pie. If only I liked quiche, Jane makes a variety of flavors, and I think I would likely enjoy it.
**** for the crust only ...
Super Berry Muesli. |
Jane makes muesli, normally part of their catering setup with yogurt and fresh fruit, or available as a component in their chia pudding parfait in the cafe. I was thrilled we got it one morning.
This, simply put, was fabulous muesli. It had a lot going on, no question, and all very healthy items, but I adore it. Yup, chia seeds, flax seed, almond meal, goji berries ... I mean, really, who *am* I?
This stuff is fantastic though. I love the play of textures (so crispy! bits of chewy fruit!), I love the healthy taste even. It goes fabulously with yogurt and honey and fresh fruit in a parfait, but I find I like it equally well with milk as a breakfast cereal, or even added on top of an ice cream sundae for crunch. It works well, every way I have tried it.
****+, some of the best muesli I've ever had. Jane also makes a granola, and I'd love to try that sometime too.
Protip: I discovered that it freezes beautifully, so I can always have a jar on hand in the freezer ...
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