Yup, time to review more desserts! I have a sweet tooth, beyond belief, and yes, I finish every meal, lunch and dinner, with a full dessert course. Every day. Please don't judge. What if I say I do it for you, dear readers? :)
However, my distributor only carries an handful of items, a few breakfast pastries that I have not tried, a few individual cakes/tarts/pies, and some small assortments for catering platters. I wish they carried more, because the lineup has some that sound amazing!
I know you can't purchase these directly, but I've seen them around town in many markets and restaurants, so, chances are, you could get your hands on some if you wished.
This thing was glorious. And it didn't sound like something I'd even like that much, as I don't generally adore chocolate desserts, and I don't really like hazelnut that often. But I loved it.
The very base was super thin, snappy dark chocolate that I enjoyed, but right above that was the most boring part, a *really* thin chocolate cake. I wish I had a side profile of this one to show you, but it was very thin, so at least it wasn't that prevalent. Just a chocolate cake.
Above that was magic though, another thin layer, of chocolate hazelnut praline. I loved the crispy bits throughout. Amazing texture. Really, that could have been the base and it would be even better, or, even better, have more layers of this throughout!
And finally, the majority of the product, the bittersweet chocolate mousse. Really intense chocolate, super thick, decadent, wonderful. I really only have good things to say about this layer. I'll criticize one thing - calling it a mousse, as it is thicker, really more like a ganache?
Given how much I loved the Chocolate Crunch Hazelnut the first time, I added it to my list of desserts to work into our rotation. My group was surprised as I don't usually put bar-looking items on our lineup, and I probably have never put hazelnut on, but ... I knew these were great.
This ... was not quite a panna cotta. There was a white chocolate panna cotta "cheese mousse" on top, but there was also a layer of vanilla cake. It was garnished with strawberry curls (also white chocolate based), and had a lovely transfer sheet applied design on the side.
I'll be positive to start. I liked the white chocolate and strawberry curls. I even liked the white chocolate transfer sheet thing around it.
But this was really, really not a panna cotta. The layer that was trying to be panna cotta was a fairly firm mousse, and it was fine, but ... there was so much cake here. I really did not like the cake and panna cotta combo at all. The cake ruined this for me. Forth pick.
I don't go for lemon desserts normally, but I tried this for completeness, and, because, well, cream!
The lemon cream was more interesting than expected, with buttermilk and sour cream in the mix, and luckily for me, the lemon component was just in the very center, and there was not much of it.
The lemon cream was surrounded by a thicker, fluffy, white chocolate mousse layer, and, unexpected, it was all perched on a thin slice of almond cake. I liked the white chocolate mousse, and even the white chocolate coating. The cake was thin enough not to notice much, but it was pretty dry and boring.
Overall, a decent item, although not my favorite, it did come in number 2 for me.
And finally, the green one, pistachio.
This turned out to be a little layer cake, with white chocolate pistachio mousse and almond cake (like the lemon cone), and, a lot of glaze. So shiny on top. In a way that wasn't necessarily appealing ...
This was my least favorite, as it was mostly cake. The shiny sweet top was fine, but the mousse really didn't taste like pistachio, and dry cake was the dominant element.
Meh. Least favorite.
According to the distributor,
"Le Chef is one of the country's foremost premier bakeries specializing in high-end, European-style baked goods. With a fine array of decadent desserts, enticing breads, and a comprehensive line of breakfast pastries, frozen-dough, and fresh-baked goods, Le Chef is poised to take the spotlight on the culinary stage."Le Chef Bakery is a large wholesale bakery, offering up European-style baked goods with a huge line up of products - these range from frozen pre-made desserts of all varieties (pastries, cheesecakes, cakes, mouses, pies, tarts, brownies, bars, cupcakes, etc, etc) to fresh baked and sealed baked goods (croissants, danishes muffins, bagels, scones, pound cakes, sticky buns, etc), to breads and buns, to frozen doughs and muffin batters, to packaged dessert cups and retail snacks ... and of course they have a gluten-free line too. It is crazy extensive.
However, my distributor only carries an handful of items, a few breakfast pastries that I have not tried, a few individual cakes/tarts/pies, and some small assortments for catering platters. I wish they carried more, because the lineup has some that sound amazing!
I know you can't purchase these directly, but I've seen them around town in many markets and restaurants, so, chances are, you could get your hands on some if you wished.
Individual Cakes & Tarts
It is hard to express just how many offerings Le Chef has, and I don't want to bore you with enumerating them all, but, let me just say ... they make a lot of cakes, cheesecakes, mousses, pies, and tarts, including a large range of individual sized items.
I was able to try a few individuals, and had mixed success. I'd love to try more though.
Chocolate Crunch Hazelnut.
"Creamy bittersweet chocolate mousse jazzes up a hazelnut milk-chocolate flourless cake for a flair of drama. This is a chocolate lover’s haven!"
This thing was glorious. And it didn't sound like something I'd even like that much, as I don't generally adore chocolate desserts, and I don't really like hazelnut that often. But I loved it.
The very base was super thin, snappy dark chocolate that I enjoyed, but right above that was the most boring part, a *really* thin chocolate cake. I wish I had a side profile of this one to show you, but it was very thin, so at least it wasn't that prevalent. Just a chocolate cake.
Above that was magic though, another thin layer, of chocolate hazelnut praline. I loved the crispy bits throughout. Amazing texture. Really, that could have been the base and it would be even better, or, even better, have more layers of this throughout!
And finally, the majority of the product, the bittersweet chocolate mousse. Really intense chocolate, super thick, decadent, wonderful. I really only have good things to say about this layer. I'll criticize one thing - calling it a mousse, as it is thicker, really more like a ganache?
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| Chocolate Crunch Hazelnut Platter. |
I again loved it, and was again quite impressed. The thin chocolate cake layer bothered me less this time, although I still wish it just didn't exist. I again loved the crispy praline layer, and was blown away by the rich, thick, smooth "mousse".
I did find this time that the item was just a bit too rich as served, and maybe a bit too big (they are fairly big portions just given the richness), so I needed to, um, add whipped cream to cut it a bit. You know, making a dish "lighter" by adding whipped cream.
"Apples and brown sugar get fancy, topped with a delicious streusal (sic) topping."
Next we tried a mini pie, the rustic apple blossom.
These were interesting, different from the similar looking version from the Chudleigh's ones we have enjoyed so many times before (seriously, the best things ever!)
I expected these to be like mini galettes with just a slight, "rustic" overhang on the edges of the crusts, but they were almost fully enclosed with pastry. As someone who loves pie crust though, I liked this ratio quite a bit.
I think I liked these.
I tried it first at room temperature, later chilled, and then warmed. With whipped cream of course.
The crust wasn't flaky pastry, but it was kinda pie crust like, just, thick. I liked it more chilled than warmed, and liked to dunk it into whipped cream.
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| Rustic Apple Blossom. |
Next we tried a mini pie, the rustic apple blossom.
These were interesting, different from the similar looking version from the Chudleigh's ones we have enjoyed so many times before (seriously, the best things ever!)
I expected these to be like mini galettes with just a slight, "rustic" overhang on the edges of the crusts, but they were almost fully enclosed with pastry. As someone who loves pie crust though, I liked this ratio quite a bit.
I think I liked these.
I tried it first at room temperature, later chilled, and then warmed. With whipped cream of course.
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| Rustic Apple Blossom: Close up. |
The streusel on top was good, brown sugar based, but there wasn't much of it. I prefer the Chudleigh's toppings, no question.
And inside, apples. Not too mushy, not too aggressively spiced, but, eh, I wasn't feeling the apples that much.
Overall, this was fine. Like I said, I think I liked them well enough, but, since the apple wasn't really what I wanted, and they only come in apple, I wasn't thrilled.
"Filled with apples, pecans, raisins, and cinnamon, this tart satisfies a wide array of cravings – from a thirst for the sweet to a passion for the nutty. The thick, dense crust flakes and melts in one’s mouth."
The last item we tried were mini apple pecan tarts. These were not good.
The tart shell was mushy, and didn't "flake" nor "melt in your mouth", it just broke apart and made a mess.
The apples were a bit too firm, and aggressively spiced. The pecans would be a nice touch, adding crunch, but, they weren't toasted or anything, and were quite boring. There seemed to be a bit of an odd glaze on top too.
The only part I liked was the chocolate drizzle on top. I would not get these again.
"Graceful accents turn the spotlight on this classy collection blooming with a wide variety of flavors and exploding with charm and lively elegance. Flavors: Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch, Pistachio, Tiramisu, White Chocolate Lemon Cone, White Chocolate Panna Cotta."
For my group, I ordered the "Italian" assortment, in order to try a wide variety of items. Of the bunch, the only one I had before was the excellent (full size) hazelnut crunch. And yes, they make a mini "French" version too with cream puffs, Opera cake, etc.
I was pretty excited to dive into the platter.
First up, the a mini version of the larger item I had loved so much. Flourless chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, hazelnut crunch, and more chocolate.
I really enjoyed it yet again. The dark chocolate base had a great snap and seriously great dark chocolate flavor. Above that was the only layer I didn't care for, the chocolate cake, but it was thin, and not that bad, just, kinda dry, and meh to cake in general.
Above the thin cake layer is another thin layer of glory: hazelnut mousse studded with crunchy little bits. The crunch just adds a fun component to nearly every bite.
And then, the majority of the product, deep, rich, thick, chocolate mousse. It is rich, it is decadent, and it would be too much on its own, but the crunchy bits help balance it, and I always add a generous amount of whipped cream.
My favorite of the 5 items.
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| Apple Pecan Tart | . |
The last item we tried were mini apple pecan tarts. These were not good.
The tart shell was mushy, and didn't "flake" nor "melt in your mouth", it just broke apart and made a mess.
The apples were a bit too firm, and aggressively spiced. The pecans would be a nice touch, adding crunch, but, they weren't toasted or anything, and were quite boring. There seemed to be a bit of an odd glaze on top too.
The only part I liked was the chocolate drizzle on top. I would not get these again.
Minis / Banquets
To make life easy for caterers, they make a slew of mini treats, offered in different assortments. Because I wanted to sample as many items as possible, I opted for one of these assortments to try out 5 items at a time.
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| Mini Italian Assortment (Mini Pastries) | . |
For my group, I ordered the "Italian" assortment, in order to try a wide variety of items. Of the bunch, the only one I had before was the excellent (full size) hazelnut crunch. And yes, they make a mini "French" version too with cream puffs, Opera cake, etc.
I was pretty excited to dive into the platter.
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| Mini Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch |
I really enjoyed it yet again. The dark chocolate base had a great snap and seriously great dark chocolate flavor. Above that was the only layer I didn't care for, the chocolate cake, but it was thin, and not that bad, just, kinda dry, and meh to cake in general.
Above the thin cake layer is another thin layer of glory: hazelnut mousse studded with crunchy little bits. The crunch just adds a fun component to nearly every bite.
And then, the majority of the product, deep, rich, thick, chocolate mousse. It is rich, it is decadent, and it would be too much on its own, but the crunchy bits help balance it, and I always add a generous amount of whipped cream.
My favorite of the 5 items.
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| Mini Tiramisu |
Next, the other caffeinated option: tiramisu. A cute little treat, but not really a tiramisu.
It was a semi-sweet chocolate cup, filled mostly with mousse, and a thin layer of vanilla cake that was soaked in a touch of coffee extract, all topped with whipped topping, a chocolate coffee bean, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
The chocolate shell was ok, had a nice snap, unique packaging and great for a catered even. The mousse inside didn't really taste like anything, just, pastry cream, really, although it had mascarpone in it. The very thin layer of cake was dry but also moist from being soaked, and had barely a hint of coffee flavor to it. Definitely not the level you expect from tiramisu.
It was a semi-sweet chocolate cup, filled mostly with mousse, and a thin layer of vanilla cake that was soaked in a touch of coffee extract, all topped with whipped topping, a chocolate coffee bean, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
The chocolate shell was ok, had a nice snap, unique packaging and great for a catered even. The mousse inside didn't really taste like anything, just, pastry cream, really, although it had mascarpone in it. The very thin layer of cake was dry but also moist from being soaked, and had barely a hint of coffee flavor to it. Definitely not the level you expect from tiramisu.
Whipped topping on top was fascinating, it was really sweet, and really fluffy. I liked it, but it didn't go with the very flavorless mousse very well. Yay for the chocolate covered espresso bean, it gave a nice crunch and bitter component.
Overall, this just didn't really eat as a tiramisu ... the lack of ladyfingers/negligible amount of cake, the lack of espresso flavor, and the pastry cream mostly dominating just made it something else. It wasn't bad exactly, my third pick, but it wasn't something I'd want another of.
Le Chef also makes a tiramisu sheet cake, that has Kahlua in it, but also ... chocolate cream? I think they take a generous inspiration from tiramisu ... They also make a retail large size tiramisu cup.
I love panna cotta. This was certainly the one I was most excited for.
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| Mini White Chocolate Panna Cotta | . |
This ... was not quite a panna cotta. There was a white chocolate panna cotta "cheese mousse" on top, but there was also a layer of vanilla cake. It was garnished with strawberry curls (also white chocolate based), and had a lovely transfer sheet applied design on the side.
I'll be positive to start. I liked the white chocolate and strawberry curls. I even liked the white chocolate transfer sheet thing around it.
But this was really, really not a panna cotta. The layer that was trying to be panna cotta was a fairly firm mousse, and it was fine, but ... there was so much cake here. I really did not like the cake and panna cotta combo at all. The cake ruined this for me. Forth pick.
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| Mini White Chocolate Lemon Cone | . |
The lemon cream was more interesting than expected, with buttermilk and sour cream in the mix, and luckily for me, the lemon component was just in the very center, and there was not much of it.
The lemon cream was surrounded by a thicker, fluffy, white chocolate mousse layer, and, unexpected, it was all perched on a thin slice of almond cake. I liked the white chocolate mousse, and even the white chocolate coating. The cake was thin enough not to notice much, but it was pretty dry and boring.
Overall, a decent item, although not my favorite, it did come in number 2 for me.
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| Mini Pistachio |
This turned out to be a little layer cake, with white chocolate pistachio mousse and almond cake (like the lemon cone), and, a lot of glaze. So shiny on top. In a way that wasn't necessarily appealing ...
This was my least favorite, as it was mostly cake. The shiny sweet top was fine, but the mousse really didn't taste like pistachio, and dry cake was the dominant element.
Meh. Least favorite.
