Review of Sara Lee Tropical Coconut Cream Pie

One of my favorite desserts to this day is a coconut cream pie. Coconut cream is a variety of pie that has mysteriously grown on my taste preferences the past few years as my longstanding pie preference has generally been a fruit option such as triple berry or apple. I have tried quite a few brands of this pie and none seem to come close to matching the quality of the Baker's Square offering. Unfortunately this pie and restaurant chain has long since closed their doors in my location and the only way to obtain a coconut cream pie is by purchasing one from the frozen dessert case at the supermarket. I decided to give the Tropical Coconut Cream Pie by Sara Lee a try

Convenience

I do like the convenience of the frozen cream pies as the preparation phase is no more than thaw, slice and serve. The same cannot be said for fruit pies and some pumpkin pies that require actual baking and cooling times which may prolong instant dessert gratification. This pie can be served up immediately after waiting out a fifteen minute room temperature thaw. The dessert is contained in a plastic tray with snap on dome that allows for air tight seal when placing back in the refrigerator or freezer. The ability to have a good seal was an important attribute to this dessert as it was only my daughter and I eating this as the rest of the family opted for ice cream instead.

Taste

The first bite of this pie met my expectation as the coconut custard layer, whipped cream, and toasted coconut all tasted pretty decent. The crust was average and could not compare to those I have had at mom and pop owned restaurants or even the Baker's Square coconut pie. In fairness to Sara Lee, I don't think there is any thaw and serve pie crust being sold that is going to wow me as the texture and bite seem sort of lifeless due to condensation. I am not sure why Sara Lee calls this tropical as I was maybe expecting some other flavor such as pineapple or mango to make this pie live up to that image.

Price

The cost of this pie set me back about six and a half bucks though I have seen this price lower during occasional store sales at the local Meijer and Jewel. I think the price is average and have seen similar pies sold by Marie Calendars go lower and higher depending upon store sales. I would gladly pay a dollar or so more for this pie if Sara Lee could figure out how to package this product in a way that would keep the crust more firm and perhaps add some flavor to this shell.

Overall Opinion

The coconut cream pie will yield between eight to ten slices depending upon how big of a group one has. Each slice contains 450 calories and 27 grams of fat. This is definitely not the wise choice for those trying to shave off a few pounds. If one plans on doing some fat burning exercise, consider this after dinner treat worth the effort. I would rate this dessert slightly above average given the convenience and tastiness of the custard and toasted coconut.