but the smoked, hot sardine trick sounds perfect for hikers who need a pick me up and gorp isn't doing it and they're still a couple of hours away from where they want to make camp. The other stuff didn't sound great

EmmyMade did the rice paper croissants and didn't much like them, either. I think the shape does have something to do with it, and I'd probably do them in a strip and roll it up around chocolate in the pain au chocolat shape. Sprinkle a little demarara sugar crystals on top so people would expect something sweet, and I think it could be quite successful, especially for people who can't eat wheat. It could be a great Sunday bruch surprise for them.

I also might bake it on a rack, the custardy stuff does tend to burn on the pan and maybe a little air curculation would help it set rather than run out.

The one TikTok hack I do like is the "pell and chop fresh tomato" hack: halve the tomatoes crosswise, squeeze out the seeds and pulp, then put cut side down on a grater and grate the flesh down to the skin. You might end up with a little skin in the final product, but it will be so small you won't notice it. That one works. I wish I'd figgered it out years ago.