On the few days I can manage it, I like to occasionally visit some of the Italian bakeries near where I work off of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Those occasions are few and far between, but are a highlight when I can get there. There are few desserts (in my mind at least) that are as enjoyable as a cannoli. At my own wedding I made it a point to have cannoli filling in my wedding cake. I got so excited when I saw these.
Trader Joe's is now full of new, seasonal, and soon to disappear items. It's the scarcity of items that I think helps to lead to all the impulse buys that occur this time of year. In fact, I've seen items disappear from one week to the next (and then never to be seen again). This however, should be a keeper all year long (it was marked HOL on my receipt which usually indicates it is going away).
Now, these aren't perfect, but they are a solid choice. I think it would be unfair to compare this to a bakery quality. It's still a frozen item. Some precautions were taken to prevent the shell from becoming soggy, like lining the shell with chocolate, they were still a bit softer than what you would get otherwise. Now, don't confuse soft with soggy. They were not soggy in any way. The shells were tasty regardless.
The filling was the highlight for me. The buffalo milk ricotta was smooth and had a nice flavor that was highlighted by vanilla and orange peel. There did not seem to be chocolate chips in the uniform shape of chocolate chips, but rather nice little shards of chocolate greeting you as you bite in these. These aren't the full sized cannolis so people who might just want a bite or two of dessert should find these just right.
For $3.99 for six, these are reasonably priced and overall well done. My only complaint is that these are seasonal and will be gone sooner than I would like. That and this time of year makes we wish for a bigger freezer to store these goodies.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy a few more boxes of Trader Joe's Mini Cannoli before they are gone for the season. They were good as an individual dessert or can be defrosted quickly in the event of company.
The Bottom Line
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Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The box of Trader Joe's Mini Cannoli:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
Out of the package you get:
A closer look:
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Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Trader Joe's Mini Cannoli
Summary
6 Mini Cannolis that are frozen and are sold at fraction of the price of a bakery
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Considering these are a frozen dessert, they are well done and the filling is a stand out
- Chocolate lined to make sure they aren't soggy
- Price. These are a fraction of what you would pay for freshly filled
Cons
- While the chocolate lining helps, these aren't as crisp as a freshly filling cannoli
- This is a seasonal item so if you love it, stock up. They will disappear off of shelves
- The chocolate shavings are just on the ends and there aren't any chocolate chips to speak of otherwise.
Very attractive!
I love these! Our store just got them for the season a week ago. I will need to get a bunch, take them out of their packaging and put them into a plastic bag before the season is over!