Most Expensive Japanese Treat Ever

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While shopping for Japanese groceries with my mom and dad this past weekend, we couldn't help but be enticed by an intoxicating aroma. Two men decked in full-on 'chef gear' were making these cute little treats in chestnut-shaped molds.

Here are the sides being cooked


The dude flipped half of them onto the rest


And this is the finished product: a cute chestnut-shaped dessert

©2005 Yuzu Eats

My mom really wanted to get some of these so we could eat 'em at home with some hot tea, so I told one of the dudes making them, "One six-pack, please." He packaged them up nicely (they were still warm) and motioned toward two Japanese women sitting at a table with little cash registers. I handed my treats to one of the ladies, and she said, "Fifteen dollar." What?! Did I hear her correctly? Did she just say $15 for six little cookie things? That costs more than Girl Scout Cookies! Ahh well. It was too late to back out, so I shelled out the fifteen bucks and told my mom, "These better be good."

When we got home, I whipped up some raspberry tea that I got at last month's tea party. We suddenly had some surprise guests, and my mom offered them the treats I had just bought. I managed to salvage one, and I split it with my dad. The outer part tasted like a pancake, and the inside was filled with sweet potato and azuki. Dad thought it was pretty tasty, but I thought it was okay. Not sweet enough for me. Oh well. At least they look cute.

Mama mia, that's one expensive 'cookie!'