Nestle Kitkat Chunky New York Cheesecake Review

October 11, 2017, 1:15 am

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Today's review isn't something I would usually feature, since it contains gluten. However on this occasion I decided to test this new Kitkat Chunky variety on friends and see what they thought of it. I was offered some of these to review and I can't turn down free samples!

New York Cheesecake is an unusual flavour indeed for Kitkat, so how have they recreated the classic biscuit and cream cheese dessert? By putting the cream cheese as a layer over the wafer of course! Described as a "crispy wafer finger with a New York cheesecake flavour topping covered with milk chocolate", these are available in all supermarkets now in 42g bars for 60p or so.

The bar is the classic Chunky design split into three sections.

The cream sits nicely above the wafer, and breaking the bar apart it certainly has that familiar malty Kitkat chocolate aroma, with a faint smell of cream cheese.

My friends commented that this tastes like the classic Kitkat Chunky with a creamy sweet edge that could get sickly if you eat too much. It doesn't taste strongly like cheesecake but it does have a slight tang to it. It's very rich and indulgent and tastes like a real treat.

Well - there you have it! There's not much I can personally say about this bar without risking death so I'll trust my friends opinions on this. Everyone enjoyed it and felt it was worth a try.

Now, while I'm at it does anyone remember the epic Tiramisu Kitkat Editions from years back? They were seriously, seriously good!

Nutrition Information (per bar): 224 Calories, 12.6g Fat, 23.4g carbohydrates, 20.5g sugars, 4.1g protein.

8 out of 10

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Maynards Bassetts Tropical vs Original Jelly Babies

October 12, 2017, 8:01 am

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Todays review is a face off...well...a jelly baby off between the new Tropical flavour Jelly Babies from Maynards Bassetts vs the Original Jelly Babies. It seems incomprehensible that a new variety could beat the originals, so this will be interesting!

Firstly, I must mention the new name: Jelly Babies were originally labelled as Bassetts, but Mondelez have put both the Maynards brand (which is on things like Wine Gums and Sports Mixture) and Bassetts (which includes the likes of Liquorice Allsorts - who can forget the character Bertie Bassett?) I'm not sure it's a good idea to lump two brands together like this, but I guess it fits with Mondelez' marketing strategy of making everything the same.

First up, the Tropical Jelly Babies. These come in mango, pineapple and BANANA (ooh!) flavours so straight off they are at a disadvantrage of containing less variety than the Originals, despite the fancy flavours. But are they good flavours? Yes, they are as it turns out! They are all fruity, tropical and lovely, and make for a nice change from regular Jelly Babies. The banana is interesting and if you like banana sweets you're bound to love them...it's a bit less artificial tasting than foam bananas. The mango and pineapple are both lovely, fitting the tropical theme perfectly. I really enjoyed these! 8 out of 10.

The originals are...well, the originals and the best! They have a wider variety of flavours, with citrus as well as berry, giving a nice contrast. The berry flavours distract a bit from the overly sweet citrus ones, and strawberry is always a winner. Overall, a fantastic and classic selection that has stood the test of time. 8.5 out of 10.

Overall then there's a clear winner - original Jelly Babies! The Tropical ones certainly make for a nice change and I've always loved tropical sweets in general - I used to love the tropical Fruit Pastilles available when I was a kid, more so than the originals. These Tropical Jelly Babies don't quite beat the originals, but they are certainly very tasty. And they get extra points just for including a banana flavour...because we need more banana flavour sweets on shelves!

Which ones did you prefer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Kettle Discoveries Salted Caramel & Double Cream

October 13, 2017, 8:14 am

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When I first saw these new Salted Caramel flavour Kettle Chips I laughed. It seems a bit ridiculous to put the Flavour Du Jour (which is fast becoming the Flavour Du Yesterday!) on crisps, I mean who wants sweet crisps? Is it a new trend? (Tesco seem to think so - their latest weird Christmas flavour is Tesco Finest Candy Cane Crisps - review due soon!)

I'm glad I put my reservations aside and gave these a shot though. They're only £1 in Tesco at the moment, and I thought they would at least make for an interesting review. They're described as "Hand cooked potato chips with salted caramel and double cream seasoning", and are Gluten Free as well as suitable for vegetarians.

I tipped the bag right into a bowl and dug straight in - no messing about! They had a vague toffee-like aroma that seemed more savoury than sweet. Intriguing!

And they tasted...rather amazing! Now I don't really know how to describe these other than moreish - they're sort of cheesy, possibly owing to the double cream, with a strong savoury edge and saltiness. There's a very slight buttery sweetness there under the surface from the salted caramel - which is apparently Tiptree Salted Caramel Spread. I couldn't stop myself from eating one after the other...they're soooo good!

Overall, should you try these? Yes, yes you should! Like the Chocolate Coated Cinnamon Tortilla Rolls from M&S they're a snack sure to get people talking this Christmas, and one that will no doubt be a big surprise to all. You may even want to buy an extra bag so you can have one all to yourself...

Nutrition per 100g: 26.1g Fat, 59.3g Carbohydrates, 3.2g Sugars, 4.5g Fibre, 5g Protein.

Ingredients: Select potatoes, sunflower oil, salted caramel and double cream seasoning (dried salted caramel spread extract, golden syrup, condensed skimmed milk, butter, double cream, sea salt, dried cream, demerera sugar, sugar, dried buttermilk, sea salt, dried caramel syrup, dried dorset cream, salt, natural flavouring).

8.5 out of 10.

Have you tried these Salted Caramel Kettle Chips? Did you love them as much as me? Let me know in the comments!

Tesco Finest Candy Cane Crisps Limited Edition

October 15, 2017, 12:08 pm

≫ Next: Nestle Quality Street Matchmakers Salted Caramel Review

≪ Previous: Kettle Discoveries Salted Caramel & Double Cream

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This Christmas it seems to be the year of sweet crisp flavours for some reason. There's the new Kettle Discoveries Salted Caramel & Double Cream - which is actually pretty awesome - as well as these Candy Cane flavour Tesco Finest crisps. Last year we got a Rum & Cocoa Limited Edition from Tesco, which was really nice so I don't know why they haven't kept it this year. Even more so after trying these which were pretty horrible...

Described as "candy cane flavour potato crisps" and costing £1 these are available from most large Tesco stores, along with more savoury flavours like Pigs in Blankets and Pulled Pork. They're suitable for vegans, and 100% of the sales will be donated to Fareshare and The Trussell Trust.

Opening the bag, they smelled as you would expect: vaguely of toothpaste and not very inviting!

They tasted pretty horrible. The flavouring is just a sweet, sticky minty powder, not the sort of thing anyone wants on a crisp. It's just wrong! They tasted very sickly and unlike the Kettle Chips Salted Caramel, weren't very moreish at all. A waste of £1, but nice to know that it's at least going to charity.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend trying these at all, even for the novelty factor - no one will like them! Go for one of the savoury varieties instead or better yet the Kettle Discoveries Salted Caramel. For the same price they'e a lot more enjoyable! Oh Tesco, what a shame you went and replaced the Rum and Cocoa Crisps with these... *sad face*

Nutrition Information (per 25g): 130 Calories, 7.2g Fat, 14.7g Carbohydrates, 1.1g Sugars, 1.4g Protein. 

Ingredients: Potatoes, sunflower oil, candy cane flavour seasoning (sugar, dried glucose syrup, salt, colour beetroot red & paprika extract, flavouring). 

3 out of 10.

Nestle Quality Street Matchmakers Salted Caramel Review

October 17, 2017, 3:41 am

≫ Next: Aldi Specially Selected Belgian Chocolate Brownies Gluten Free

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The Salted Caramel trend has been going for at least a few years now, and it seems that companies are determined to put it in everything. Galaxy Salted Caramel is a few years old, and more recently we got Salted Caramel Kettle Chips. Nestle have got in on the act too and added a Salted Caramel variety to their Matchmakers range (which now bizarrely has been lumped under the Quality Street brand, even though Matchmakers never had anything to do with Quality Street). This is no doubt a replacement for the Matchmakers Yummy Honeycomb which is still available in Home Bargains, although it could be old stock.

You can pick these up for around £1 in most shops currently - Tesco have them at half price and they're also in Poundland and other discount stores for £1.

They're described as "salted caramel flavoured chocolates with skimmed milk chocolate, dark chocolate and boiled sugar pieces". Yum - boiled sugar, sounds so enticing!

Opening the box they had a super strong butterscotch-like aroma, so strong there was no way it can be natural. It's so overpowering.

The sticks are the classic Matchmakers, perfect for nibbling on or stuffing as many in your mouth as you can fit! You get a good amount to munch on, which has always been one of the best things about Matchmakers in my opinion - they're great value for money.

They taste strongly of salted caramel, too strongly in fact. This isn't the sort of salted caramel that sits there on the fence - it's full on SALTY, strong and butterscotch like, and quite frankly after a few sticks these were too much. I did enjoy them but they become too overpowering and I think the fault lies in the strong artificial flavour (although the ingredients list "natural flavouring", hmmmm I wonder what it is?).

Overall, these aren't bad and I'm sure they'll go down a storm over the festive season if you like salty caramel flavours. They certainly make a nice alternative to the usual Mint and Orange Matchmakers. But they're a bit too much for me personally.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, vegetable fat, lactose and proteins from whey, whey powder, natural flavouring, emulsifier sunflower lecithin, salt.

Suitable for vegetarians. 

Nutrition (per 4 sticks): 71 Calories, 3.1g Fat, 10.2g Carbohydrates, 9.2g Sugars, 0.5g Protein. 

7 out of 10. 

Aldi Specially Selected Belgian Chocolate Brownies Gluten Free

October 20, 2017, 2:01 am

≫ Next: Ben & Jerry's Non Dairy Chunky Monkey Review

≪ Previous: Nestle Quality Street Matchmakers Salted Caramel Review

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It's hard to find a good Gluten Free brownie, many of them are either too dry or conversely too fudge like. I've tried quite a few now and so far I like the Costa Gluten Free Brownie the best, but when I found these "Wonderfully Indulgent" Baked In Scotland, Specially Selected Gluten Free Brownies in Aldi (in Glasgow of all places!) recently I was super excited to try them. They're "hand crafted on the banks of Loch Ness with real Belgian chocolate" - how fancy!

They cost £1.79 for 4 which is very reasonable compared to some gluten free brownies in shops. Opening the pack, they looked super squidgy and moist.

I took a bite. The brownie was indeed very moist and squidgy, and very rich and chocolatey. These are super easy to eat, before I knew it I was onto my second piece! It's nice that they're squidgy rather than dry, but I did miss the more substantial texture of other brownies - I like a bit of bite to my brownies (Costa's has the perfect balance of moisture and firmness). Still, these were very tasty and certainly better than a lot of Gluten Free brownies I've tried. I would buy them again and I love how great value for money they are.

Overall, should you try these if you're gluten free? Absolutely yes! They're very indulgent and better than most gluten free brownies out there, they weren't quite the texture I wanted but that's just personal preference.

8 out of 10. 

Ben & Jerry's Non Dairy Chunky Monkey Review

October 21, 2017, 6:27 am

≫ Next: Creighton's Chocolaterie Pumpkin Spice Latte Bar

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When I heard Ben & Jerry's were launching their Non Dairy ice creams in the UK I was super excited indeed. There's a lack of variety in the Dairy Free market and so it's nice to see a big brand like Ben & Jerry's coming out with some quality flavours. They now do Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Fudge Brownies and Chunky Monkey, all available from Tesco and Ocado.com. I couldn't try the first two since they contain gluten, but this Chunky Monkey variety doesn't - hurrah!

Described as "banana flavour dairy free ice cream with chocolatey chunks and walnuts", this is made with almond paste and coconut oil, and costs a whopping £5.50 in Tesco. Not cheap!

By the time I had got it home the ice cream was very runny, moreso than a regular half defrosted tub of Ben & Jerry's. This didn't bother me though since I don't like ice cream that's rock solid!

Taking a spoonful, it was instantly melt in the mouth and had a strong banana flavour. It wasn't at all artificial and tasted very fresh, and the lack of dairy seemed to make it taste even more refreshing than regular Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

The choclolatey chunks and walnuts give it a nice texture; the chunks aren't true dark chocolate but they still replicate the flavour well enough, whilst the walnuts give a nice savoury nuttiness that goes well with the banana flavour.

This is a nice ice cream, and definitely a lot tastier than the likes of of the Alpro Dairy Free Ice Creams launched last year, but is still a bit thin in texture and doesn't feel quite as luxurious as it could have. Still, it's great to see Ben and Jerry's bringing more variety to the Dairy Free/Vegan market. A shame they didn't do more varieties for those of us who are gluten free but let's hope they bring out more in future. The Non Dairy Cherry Garcia ones in the US sound great!

Ingredients: Water, sugar, coconut oil, walnuts, banana puree (5%), glucose syrup, almond paste (2%), fat reduced cocoa powder, pea protein, emuslifiers sunflower lecithin & soy lecithin, lemon juice concentrate, stabilisers guar gum & locust bean gum, vanilla extract, banana flavouring, natural flavouring. 

Nutrition Information per 100ml: 218 Calories, 12g Fat, 25g Carbohydrates, 23g Sugars, 2g Protein. 

8 out of 10. 

Have you tried the new Non Dairy Ben and Jerry's Ice Creams? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Creighton's Chocolaterie Pumpkin Spice Latte Bar

October 23, 2017, 7:36 am

≫ Next: Daim Limited Edition Orange (Poundland)

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Pumpkin Spice Latte season is upon us and Halloween is but a week away, so it's only fitting that I review the only chocolate bar I know of (at least in the UK) to combine chocolate with the popular spicy flavouring this week. It took me a while to decide on whether or not to get this bar; after glancing at the ingredients I saw that it doesn't contain real pumpkin, but this is because it's not possible to add actual pumpkin to chocolate, Creighton's informed me on Instagram recently. So how do the other pumpkin spice latte elements work with white chocolate?

By chance I spotted the last few bars of this limited edition in Fenwicks at the weekend and decided it was now or never: I had to snap one up! For £3.99 you get 100g of "spiced pumpkin flavour white chocolate with coffee". I couldnt be bothered waiting to get home to try this bar, so I did what I often do - ate it whilst shopping!

Opening the paper wrapper it had a nice creamy and spicy aroma, I couldn't wait to get stuck in!

I took a bite. Initially I was hit by the flavour of the spices; the cardamom was particularly strong with the others creeping into the aftertaste. So far so good, it definitely had a strong spicy kick! This is balanced out with the sweet and creamy white chocolate which is great quality and does a good job of replicating a latte. It was maybe a bit too sweet for my liking (I've become used to darker chocolates lately so perhaps this is why!) I couldn't really taste the ground coffee beans; I could feel their crunchy texture though as I ate the chocolate.

All in all, this is a very nice bar of chocolate, and is pretty much what it's supposed to be: creamy and spicy, replicating the classic pumpkin spice flavour in bar form. It could have done with a stronger coffee boost for my tastes, but hey it's a chocolate bar not an actual latte.

I do hope they bring this out again next year, maybe in a dark chocolate version for the dark chocolate lovers amongst us? :D

Ingredients: White chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, dried whole milk, soya lecithin emulsifier, natural vanilla flavour), ground coffee beans, flavouring, spices (cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardomom).

Nutritional Information (per 100g): 552 Calories, 35g Fat, 54g Carbohydrates, 53g Sugars, 5.9g Protein. 

8 out of 10.

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Daim Limited Edition Orange (Poundland)

October 24, 2017, 8:58 am

≫ Next: Nestle Delicious Caramel Whips

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It was only a year ago now that I reviewed the Limited Edition Orange Daim Minis, and those were only in Poundstretcher for a limited time. Now Daim Orange is available again as a limited edition in regular sized bars in three packs, from Poundland. Hurrah! I don't know if these are an official UK launch or imports, but they do list the UK Cadbury website on the pack so I'm guessing they must be official.

Described as "Orange flavoured milk chocolate with a crunchy almond caramel centre", there's 3 x 28g bars per pack.

They had the same chocolate orange aroma as the Daim Minis did, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in!

They tasted glorious! Lovely creamy orangey milk chocolate, with the crunchy almond caramel centre making them super duper moreish. As much as I enjoyed the Daim Minis last year, I think this bar form is much better - it's more satisfying and feels like just the right amount in one go. Not that it didn't stop me from reaching for another bar...of course I did!

Overall, these are some excellent chocolate bars and definitely ones for the chocolate orange fans out there. Do keep an eye out for them in Poundland, they're perfect for the festive season!

Ingredients: sugar, palm oil, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, blanched almonds 3%, whey powder, skimmed milk powder, milk fat, whey permeate powder, sweetened condensed skimmed milk, salt, emulsifier soya lecithin, orange oil, flavourings.

Nutrition (per bar): 148 calories, 8.6g fat, 17g carbohydrates, 16g sugars, 0.8g protein.

9 out of 10.

Nestle Delicious Caramel Whips

October 26, 2017, 1:27 am

≫ Next: Nakd Apple Danish & Banana Bread New Recipes

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Recently, Nestle launched a new range of Walnut-Free Whips, in Vanilla, Mint and Delicious Caramel varieties. The reasoning for this is that some people don't like the walnuts in the original Walnut Whips, and also to save on costs. I don't have strong feelings on this personally, since I never liked the walnuts on Walnut Whips anyway. I used to pick them off whenever I ate one and give it to my Grandad! So it's good news to me that Nestle have added some variety to the gooey mallows. I chose Delicious Caramel to review because who doesn't love caramel?! I found this three pack in Poundland with the other varieties, and they're available from other stores too.

The Whips are individually wrapped and weigh 27.8g. They're described as "soft caramel flavour mallow in a milk chocolate shell".

Cutting one open, the mallow had a slight yellowish caramel colour. Biting into it, I  could first taste the chocolate; it's super sweet and milky, standard Nestle stuff but it works really well. The caramel mallow is lovely, very sweet and sticky and with a decent caramel flavour. These are very tasty indeed and felt like a real indulgent treat. For the price I think they're a good bargain, and they're definitely something I'd buy again.

Overall, I would highly recommend giving these a try if you like caramel flavoured things! I'd love to try the minty ones next as I imagine those will be very nice too. These will certainly make for good festive nibbles or stocking fillers over the Christmas season.

8.5 out of 10. 

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, dried whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, lactose and proteins from whey, whey powder, vegetable fat, sunflower lecithin), sugar, glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, dried egg white, colour plain caramel, humectant glycerol, flavouring, tartartic acid. 

Nutrition Information (per whip): 136 Calories, 6.6g Fat, 17.5g Carbohydrates, 16.4g Sugars, 1.5g Protein.

Nakd Apple Danish & Banana Bread New Recipes

October 27, 2017, 11:03 am

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Recently, I was sent a batch of snacks to review including some of the new Nakd bars with a "New Recipe", so I thought I'd start with some of the more interesting flavours from the selection: Apple Danish and Banana Bread! The Apple Danish replaces the previous Apple Pie Nakd bar and I wasn't sure what the difference was so I looked it up...seems that this Apple Danish contains cashews rather than peanuts and almonds, and it also contains "fruit extract and concentrate" which consists of apple and carob.

Nakd Apple Danish:

This one tasted lovely with a subtle apple flavour and nice chewy texture. The natural spices are gentle and comforting and give it that authentic Apple Danish flavour. Although you could still pretend it's Apple Pie too! I really enjoyed this. 8 out of 10.

Nakd Banana Bread:

The Banana Bread one was perhaps even more exciting, replicating the classic banana cakey treat in bar form. It contains real bananas as well as walnuts and the same "fruit extract" of apple and carob. It tastes delicious, with a realistic and yummy banana flavour that is very comforting.The oats make it feel very satisfying and substantial. If you love banana flavoured treats this is definitely one for you! 8 out of 10.

Overall, these are two excellent bars from Nakd that feel like real treats indeed despite being healthy. The fact they're made with all natural ingredients is great, plus they're suitable for vegans and gluten-free! Highly recommended.

Nutrition per 30g bar:
Apple Danish: 98 Calories, 1.4g Fat, 18.8g Carbohydrates, 14.9g Sugars, 1.8g Protein, 1.5g Fibre.

Banana Bread: 94 Calories, 2g Fat, 16.6g Carbohydrates, 13.2g Sugars, 1.8g Protein, 1.2g Fibre. 

Ingredients:
Apple Danish: Dates, Gluten Free Oats, Raisins, Fruit extract & concentrate (apple, carob), cashews, apples, a hint of natural flavouring cinnamon & nutmeg.

Banana Bread: Dates, Bananas, Gluten Free Oats, Raisins, Walnuts, Fruit extract (apple, carob), A hint of natural flavouring cinnamon & nutmeg.

Marks & Spencer Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter & Caramel Chunkies

October 30, 2017, 6:50 am

≫ Next: Ben & Jerry's Honey Sweet Honeycomb Review

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You can't beat M&S for peanutty treats. Yes they do get some of their confectionery range wrong but when they get it right, they get it oh so right...the Nutty Surprise Easter Egg was glorious, for example. Now they've only gone and created some delicious peanutty caramel chocolate treats in their bagged range, which judging by the amount of times are out of stock must be selling like hot cakes! I had put off trying these for ages, firstly due to my low sugar diet over Summer and secondly as I prefer to avoid dairy. But recently I thought what the heck, why not try them!

Described as "milk and dark chocolate bars with a layer of soft caramel (19%) and a peanut butter (11%) and roasted peanut pieces (9%) centre", these are certainly not for anyone with nut allergies! They cost £2 for a 130g bag and are suitable for vegetarians.

I ate these whilst on the go, as I often do. The bars are quite chunky, which certainly makes for a more satisfying eat.

Biting into one, they're very substantial indeed. First you get the creamy milk chocolate followed by a layer of dark chocolate, which gives the shell a cracking texture. Then there's the caramel, it's sweet and buttery and very lovely, although the flavour does get a bit lost combined with the peanut centre. The peanut centre is where all the action is - it's creamy, savoury, sweet and nutty all at once, and feels rather indulgent indeed. The flavour isn't quite on par with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup but it's pretty close! I think if they'd added even more roasted peanut pieces they'd be onto a winner with these...and why not throw some chopped peanuts into the coating while they're at it?! (like a Peanut Ferrero Rocher - yum!)

Overall, these are some seriously tasty treats from M&S, far surpassing anything else in their bagged range. If you buy only one thing from there (and aren't allergic to nuts, of course) it should be these!

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, chopped roasted peanuts, dried whole milk, roasted peanuts, glucose syrup, sweetened condensed milk (whole milk, sugar), palm oil, ground roasted peanuts, golden syrup (invert sugar syrup), salt, shea oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, emulsifier soya lecithin, E471, caramelised sugar syrup, flavourings (milk).

Nutrition (per 100g): 562 Calories, 36.3g Fat, 48g Carbohydrates, 44.8g Sugars, 9.9g Protein. 

9 out of 10.

Ben & Jerry's Honey Sweet Honeycomb Review

November 1, 2017, 2:19 am

≫ Next: Marks & Spencer Christmas Pudding Smoothie

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Whilst trying out some of the latest new snacks in shops recently, one thing I had to get was this new "Home Sweet Honey Comb" from Ben & Jerry's, which has been launched in support of refugees. I'm not sure the brexiters will approve, but it's nice to see B&J being socially conscious. Or "woke" as the kids are calling it these days.

Combining sweet cream ice cream with a honey caramel swirl, and chocolatey covered honeycomb chunks, this is a fairly simple variety that is very sugar focused! It varies in price but you can get it for around £2.50 when it's on special offer in Tesco, as I did.

It reminded me a little of the Caramel Chew Chew variety in appearance -  I couldn't wait to try it!

It tastes super sweet indeed. The ice cream is somewhat different to standard vanilla Ben and Jerrys, with a smoother creamier flavour, and one that I very much enjoyed. The honey caramel swirls were lovely, but there weren't nearly enough of them and they got a bit lost in the ice cream. The honey flavour makes it super sweet, but I really enjoyed the combinbation and wish there was more of it, and that the texture was chewy rather than runny. The honeycomb pieces are sweet and buttery, adding bursts of crunchiness that added to the overall sweet feel.

Make no mistake this pint is a sugar lovers dream, and might be one you want to eat in smaller portions, but it's still very tasty! I doubt it will stick around forever, so do make the most of it before it's inevitably discontinued.

Ingredients: Cream (27%), Water, Condensed Skimmed Milk, Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Free Range Egg Yolk, Honey (1.5%), Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Cocoa Mass, Butter, Stabilisers (Guar Gum, Carrageenan), Salt, Raising Agent (Sodium Bicarbonate), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Vanilla Extract, Sugar, Cocoa, Vanilla: traded in compliance with Fairtrade Standards, total 18%.

Nutrition per 100ml: 229 Calories, 13g Fat, 26g Carbohydrates, 22g Sugars, 3.2g Protein. 

8.5 out of 10. 

Marks & Spencer Christmas Pudding Smoothie

November 3, 2017, 3:21 am

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There's always one novelty product every Christmas that intrigues you to the point you just have to try it. From the likes of Chocolate Veggies (this year Tesco are doing Carrot Truffles as well as Sprouts - last year it was Chocolate Potatoes), Candy Cane Crisps, Salted Caramel Crisps and Mince Pie Fudge, there's always something fun or just plain weird.

This year it's M&S who may have won the Weirdest Christmas Product award - they're doing a Christmas Pudding Smoothie! And of course this isn't just any smoothie, it's an M&S smoothie so they have gone the extra mile and actually used raisin purée (!) to give it that authentic Christmas Pudding taste and texture. It's all in good spirit too as 5% is donated to Shelter from every pack, something that will be very welcome at this time of year with austerity cuts. 

Described as "a dairy smoothie made from raisin purée, yogurt, apples, cinnamon and flavourings" this costs £1.50 and can be found amongst the M&S festive sandwich range. 

It had a brownish colour with spices and raisin "bits" visible within.

I took a sip. Initially I was hit with the taste of cinnamon - not bad at all. The yogurt and cream make it somewhat tangy and creamy and then the raisin flavour hit me. It's very reminiscent of Christmas Pud indeed, almost as though someone had been blitzed one up and then added it to a smoothie (appetising right?) There were gritty bits of raisin in it, which wasn't the nicest texture, but kudos to M&S for making it authentically like Christmas Pud! 

Overall, this is certainly an unusual product, but it's really not as bad as expected. I can't see it being all that popular beyond the novelty factor but hey, at least it's a healthy way to get a Christmas pudding fix over the festive season! It's also a source of vitamin C - win! 

Ingredients: raisin purée, low fat yoghurt, skimmed milk, apple juice, apple purée, single cream, lemon juice, antioxidant ascorbic acid, flavourings, cinnamon extract.

Nutrition Information per 100ml: 86 calories, 1.3g fat, 15.4g carbohydrates, 10.3g sugars, 2.7g protein.

7.5 out of 10. 

Magnum Signature Chocolate Orange

November 4, 2017, 3:06 pm

≫ Next: Nakd Berry Bliss & Cocoa Twist New Recipe Bars

≪ Previous: Marks & Spencer Christmas Pudding Smoothie

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It's been a while since I first tried Magnums Signature chocolate range now, they first brought out three bars in Milk, Dark and White Chocolate - the latter two of which I've reviewed. Since then they've added more varieties to the range, including Salted Caramel and Orange. I chose the Orange one to try recently because I was curious how it would compare to the classic Terry's Chocolate Orange, which is declining in quality rapidly year on year, it seems.

Like the other bars in the range this weighs in at 100g and costs 99p in the likes of Home Bargains and B&M stores. I believe WH Smiths may also stock it. There's two thick squares per bar, each one the perfect size for an indulgent treat all to yourself. Of course I ate both both!

It has a nice zesty orange aroma with a stronger cocoa kick than Terrys Chocolate Orange.

I took a bite. Yum! This is seriously good quality chocolate, far far better than Terry's, no greasy or waxy texture, just melt in the mouth creamy chocolate. The higher cocoa solids (30%) give it a richer, finer flavour and the orange flavour tastes fresh and compliments it perfectly. Added to all of this is a lovely smooth creaminess from the milk powder. This is one tasty bar indeed!

Overall, if you love orange chocolate this bar is a must try. It's far tastier than Terry's Chocolate Orange is becoming, and offers better quality for the same price. If you have any Home Bargains or B&M stores locally - seek these out and stock up for Christmas, you won't be sorry! And forget about Terrys Chocolate Orange full stop. They're really not worth it these days!

8.5 out of 10.

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Nakd Berry Bliss & Cocoa Twist New Recipe Bars

November 6, 2017, 11:15 am

≫ Next: Tesco Cocoa & Orange Bites

≪ Previous: Magnum Signature Chocolate Orange

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Amongst the Nakd bars I was sent recently were the New Recipe Apple Danish and Banana Bread bars, as well as these Berry Bliss and Cocoa Twist varieties. They're made with a mixture of oats, raisins, cashews, dates and "fruit extract" which consists of apple and carob. All are vegan and gluten free, as well as refined sugar free. Thankfully they're not flavour free!

The Berry Bliss variety is lovely; so fruity thanks to the raspberries and strawberries, it feels like a real summery treat indeed, in fact it'd be perfect for the Wimbledon season! But it would also be good for those times in Winter when you want to remember the Summer months too, haha! 8 out of 10.

The Cocoa Twist bar is a more simple affair, but very satisfying and has a nice rich cocoa flavour. It's the closest to a natural brownie bar you're going to get, and makes for a very filling snack. Highly recommended. 8 out of 10.

Overall, these are another two great snacks from Nakd, perfect for a low sugar, gluten free vegan treat. The addition of oats makes them extra satisfying and filling compared to regular Nakd bars - I'd recommend them for a healthier mid morning snack fix!

Tesco Cocoa & Orange Bites

November 8, 2017, 9:57 am

≫ Next: Black Geo Glasses - Christmas Gift Ideas

≪ Previous: Nakd Berry Bliss & Cocoa Twist New Recipe Bars

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Tesco are taking on Nakd Posh Bits with their own range of healthier snacks made with dried fruit, oats, nuts etc but at a lower price point. How do they compare?

There's a few varieties in the range; Almond Bites, Cranberry, Coconut and Strawberry Bites and these Cocoa & Orange bites. The best thing about these is that they're nut free, so unlike Nakd Posh Bits are suitable for those with nut allergies - hurrah! Unfortunately though they're not suitable for vegans as they contain honey.

Described as "A tasty blend of dates, blossom honey and cocoa nibs" and costing £1.50 for 110g, these come in cube shapes and felt a bit more substantial than Nakd Posh Bits. They have a slightly pale appearance thanks to a dusting of rice flour which isn't such a bad thing; it prevents them sticking together too much.

They tasted nice, very chocolatey and the cocoa nibs certainly give them a lot of crunch. They're a very filling snack indeed, but do become bit one-dimensional after a few pieces.

Are these as good as Nakd Posh Bits? No, to be honest they're not but they're a decent and cheaper take on the healthier snack bites. I would recommend them if you want a healthier snack but are on a budget. That said, you can easily make such snacks yourself from scratch with dates, coconut, nuts and a good blender!

Ingredients: Date Paste, Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Nib (7%), Orange Powder (3%), Honey, Rice Flour, Flavouring.

Nutrition Information (per 6g bite): 21 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 3.7g Carbohydrates, 3.3g Sugars, 0.2g Protein.

7.5 out of 10.

Black Geo Glasses - Christmas Gift Ideas

November 9, 2017, 11:42 am

≫ Next: Creighton's Mulled Wine Milk Chocolate

≪ Previous: Tesco Cocoa & Orange Bites

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For this festive season, rather than try every sweet product I can find I'm branching out a bit into a hopefully healthier direction. I'm not reviewing as many sweets but products suitable for general Christmas Gifts. Yay! I'm very excited because I do love a challenge, and there's so much cool stuff in shops aside from snacks. If there's anything you'd like to see reviewed, please do leave a comment and let me know what - I'll try my best to see if I can find it!

Today's review is for some super special glasses I was sent to review, sold by Root 7. I've seen some fancy whisky glasses in my time but none quite as special as these!

Called Geo after their geometric design, they come in either black or gold. They look almost like candle holders, not that that's a complaint, because they fit the bill as super special alcohol glasses too. They can actually be used to display your favourite succulent, which means small plant or cactus (who knew?)

Even though I'm all spirit at this time of year, I didn't have any booze on hand to try these with so you'll have to bask in their glory with my Hand Selfie photos. They look beautiful don't they? (The glasses, not my hands!)

Rest assured, once the booze is flowing over the festive season I'll do an update on these, but for now all you need to know is that they're fab and available from Root 7. Definitely one for the whisky lover in your life!

Creighton's Mulled Wine Milk Chocolate

November 10, 2017, 4:33 am

≫ Next: Creighton's Spiced Tangerine Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Black Geo Glasses - Christmas Gift Ideas

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I do like Creighton's Chocolaterie. They produce some excellent chocolate bars, with unique flavours that vary season by season. I enjoyed the Pumpkin Spice Latte Bar for Halloween, so was curious how their festive offerings would compare. Luckily, Creighton's offered to send me two of their Christmas bars for a review.

This Mulled Wine bar is described simply as "mulled wine flavour milk chocolate with cranberries" and is available from the likes of Fenwicks stores as well as Creighton's Website. They have a wide range of delightful festive goodies on there, from the likes of Gingerbread Latte Cups, Rum & Raisin Truffles and the rather special Planet Tree Decorations.

The bar is paper wrapped like all Creighton's bars which gives it a nice special feel compared to plastic wrapping. The chocolate had a lovely mulled wine aroma amongst the creamy milk chocolate notes.

I took a bite...yum! The chocolate is super creamy and melt in the mouth, you can tell it's good quality. There's a delicate mulled spice flavour in there, it's subtle and thankfully not overpowering as I think that would have spoiled the chocolate. The cranberries are tart and chewy, bringing some welcome texture that makes it feel like a posh Fruit & Nut bar...without the nuts of course! The flavours work really well together, which surprised me as I wasn't sure how mulled spice and milk chocolate would taste combined.

Overall, for a treat that's a bit different this Christmas I would highly recommend this bar. It has festive flavour in abundance and would make a lovely gift for any chocolate lover!

Stay tuned for a review of Creighton's Spiced Tangerine bar...

8.5 out of 10. 

Creighton's Spiced Tangerine Dark Chocolate

November 12, 2017, 7:18 am

≫ Next: Madecasse Honey Crystal Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Creighton's Mulled Wine Milk Chocolate

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This is Part 2 of my Creighton's Chocolaterie festive reviews, do check out my review of their Mulled Wine Milk Chocolate from a few days ago. As well as that bar they sent me this Spiced Tangerine, described simply as a "citrus flavoured dark chocolate bar with spices". This is available from Fenwicks stores as well as Creighton's Website. They have a rather lovely range of festive chocolates indeed, such as Bucks Fizz Truffles, Chocolate Sprouts, and more...do check them out!

I do love a good dark chocolate, especially one with an orangey flavouring so I was very excited to try this. Opening the wrapper it certainly had a nice zesty aroma.

I broke off a chunk and took a bite. The dark chocolate is semisweet, somewhere around 50% cocoa solids at a guess (the wrapper doesn't state the percentage). The tangerine flavour is very fresh, moreso than regular orange chocolate and blends well with the spices, which are subtle and creep in in the aftertaste. They're at just the right level - not too strong that they overpower the other flavours, not too weak that you can't taste them. This made for a lovely treat alongside a cup of coffee, which is definitely how I'd recommend eating it!

Overall, another lovely bar from Creighton's, this would also make a lovely Christmas gift for anyone vegan or who can't eat dairy - it offers a unique flavour pairing that you won't find with other dairy free dark chocolates (please note though - if you have a serious dairy allergy, this is made in a factory that handles dairy).

8 out of 10.