It's the last weekend to indulge in Halloween-themed sweets from Japan's convenience stores. Fortunately, all of the nation's main konbini players have their limited edition desserts on shelves now. And, given the country's newfound love of Oct. 31, there are plenty of black and orange delights to choose from.
One to definitely try in the time remaining is FamilyMart's visually unique offering. The chain's new Ghost Pumpkin Cream Puff features a hearty dollop of pumpkin-flavored cream sandwiched between two sweet pastries, with a little chocolate face — including one looking slightly, er, dispirited — added on for good measure.
This creation (¥258 after tax) is a nice variation on the usual cream puff experience. The pumpkin taste is good without being too overpowering, while the chocolate pieces add a nice subtle sweetness that you end up wishing was more prominent.
The puffs themselves are fine — more functional than flavorful — but they help highlight the cream, which ends up being the real treat here.
It's definitely worth trying before the Christmas offerings are launched.
