Madecasse Honey Crystal Dark Chocolate

November 13, 2017, 12:20 pm

≫ Next: Doisy & Dam Coconut & Lucuma Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Creighton's Spiced Tangerine Dark Chocolate

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I do enjoy Madecasse chocolates, ever since I was introduced to them a few years back I've been a fan. Their range is made with Heirloom cocoa - "Earth's original and most flavourful variety of cocoa", which is quite the claim but may just be accurate. Madecasse work directly with farmers in Madagascar, making them "Direct Trade". To learn more about their story visit www.madecasse.com.

Madecasse have changed their packaging recently, and I have to say I do prefer it over the previous look. There's now a monkey holding a cocoa pod on the front which is very fitting. This Honey Crystal variety caught my eye in a large Waitrose store - but it's also available from waitrose.com. I found it on special offer of £1.99, and if you hurry it might still be on offer!

As well as a new packaging design they are also using gold foil to wrap the chocolate, which I love - it makes the bar feel super special! The chocolate contains 63% cocoa solids, with honey granules mixed in.

I ate it whilst on my travels and it was the perfect energy boost for a stroll in the park. The chocolate is rich and flavoursome - especially for a 63% cocoa bar, often at this percentage dark chocolates can lack a good flavour. The Heirloom cocoa sure does have a lot going for it! The honey crystals give the chocolate a nice sweet crunchiness which balances the flavour perfectly - you've got the rich cocoa flavour of the chocolate and the natural sweetness of the honey working in perfect harmony together. Sorry to sound corny, but it really does work well!

Overall, I have to say this is a lovely bar and one I enjoyed a lot more than most dark chocolates. The honey crystals make a nice and natural substitute for crunchy caramel, and combine perfectly with the chocolate. This is one I would buy again as a special treat, or maybe even for Christmas.

Ingredients: Cocoa liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, honey granules (6%), emulsifier sunflower lecithin. 

9 out of 10. 

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Doisy & Dam Coconut & Lucuma Dark Chocolate

November 14, 2017, 1:21 pm

≫ Next: Biona Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss

≪ Previous: Madecasse Honey Crystal Dark Chocolate

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I always love a new chocolate bar variety, so when I spotted this mini bar of Doisy and Dam Dark Chocolate in a local Sainsbury's Express recently, straight into my basket it went. Costing £1 for 25g it certainly ain't cheap, but that's because it contains organic cocoa and has won a Great Taste Award. I had high expectations, especially since I've reviewed Doisy & Dam before - do check out my Doisy & Dam Maple, Toasted Rice & Pink Salt Review.

This bar contains coconut flakes and vanilla as well as lucuma, which is a type of fruit with caramel undertones. There's 4 segments per mini bar.

Considering the price I was expecting something special from this, and luckily it didn't disappoint. The coconut chips add some nice toasty crunchiness, whilst the lucuma and vanilla both give it a smooth, sweet caramel-like flavour. This is balanced by the rich dark chocolate, which is good quality and has a finer taste than the likes of other dark chocolates such as Green & Blacks or Lindt.

Overall, I have to say I really enjoyed this bar! It may be small but it's super tasty. Suitable for vegans, dairy free and gluten free too. For more info and ingredients check out the Doisy and Dam website: https://doisyanddam.com/products/coconut-lucuma

8.5 out of 10. 

Biona Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss

November 16, 2017, 11:50 am

≫ Next: Green & Blacks Velvet Edition 70% Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Doisy & Dam Coconut & Lucuma Dark Chocolate

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When I'm on a health kick I do enjoy eating a lot of coconut butter. It's a healthy paleo fat that tastes sweet and is very filling to boot. I usually eat it right from the spoon, but sometimes I'll mix it with cocoa powder and make chocolatey snacks from it too.

I've never know of any flavoured varieties so I was super dooper excited when I spotted this Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss made by Biona, in my local vegan store recently. It costs £4.93 which is a standard price for coconut butter, and is described as "our Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss is made from high quality coconut flesh blended with coconut milk, coconut nectar and pink Himalayan salt".

A natural salted caramel coconut product, sounds like heaven!

Since it's now Winter it was of course rock solid in the jar, and some of the fat had separated from the coconut nectar leaving unpleasant looking lumpy bits. I took a spoonful whilst on the bus as I couldn't wait to try it and....it didn't taste good. I was so disappointed. I could only describe the favour as somewhat meaty, sickly and unpleasant. I suspected the problem was the separation of the coconut nectar from the fat, so when I got home I melted it down in a pan into more of a liquid, fudgey paste.

And it tasted a lot better! In fact it tasted lovely, like a caramel coconut fudge of sorts, and was super easy to eat from the spoon. Yum! I will admit, I ate a bit too much, although compared to real fudge with tons of sugar and dairy, this was a lot more filling and satisfying. I was able to actually put it down and stop eating, haha!

Overall, I'm glad I put aside my initial reaction to this and saved the day by melting it down - in liquid form it's lovely and makes for a nice natural fudge substitute. I can see a lot of potential for using this to make various vegan and dairy free sweets, if you add nuts, dried fruit or seeds to it. Definitely worth a try if you're vegan, paleo or into healthier eating!

8 out of 10. 

Green & Blacks Velvet Edition 70% Dark Chocolate

November 20, 2017, 12:40 am

≫ Next: Dean's Gluten Free Choc Chip & Stem Ginger Shortbread

≪ Previous: Biona Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss

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Another day, another review of Green & Blacks Velvet Edition. Why do I do this to myself? I should have learnt my lesson from trying the Velvet Edition Orange & Almond and Mint Dark Chocolate varieties, but as a dark chocolate lover I'm often tempted by special offers in supermarkets. When Green & Blacks 85% bar is on offer I'l buy it, but on this occasion the Velvet Edition range was on offer at £1.50 a bar in Tesco, so I thought I would see how the 70% tastes...naked so to speak, free from other flavours or nuts.

One thing I do like about these bars is that they contain no soy lecithin, which is always a plus. They're also dairy free and suitable for vegans (except for the Salted Caramel variety). I like the designs of the bars, too - they have nice clean squares that are easier to break than the likes of Lindt or regular Green & Blacks bars. This variety contains vanilla bean powder in the ingredients, so I was curious if this would enhance the taste at all.

To my surprise this bar was a tad nicer than some of the others I've tried in the range. It's definitely "smooth" in the sense that there's no distinct punchy cocoa flavours, instead this is replaced by a "softer" flavour of vanilla. It's pleasant, and a nice sweet bar, but I really don't see the point of it. If you're buying a 70% cocoa dark chocolate, surely you want it to taste rich, dark and punchy?

Overall, again I have to conclude that this is another pointless product from Green and Blacks and I honestly can't see this range sticking around. They've been given a good marketing push that's for sure, but fans of G&B's regular bars won't be buying them and fans of sweeter chocolates certainly won't either. I just don't think there's a gap in the market for them.

If you've tried these bars, do let me know your thoughts in the comments!

6 out of 10. 

Dean's Gluten Free Choc Chip & Stem Ginger Shortbread

November 21, 2017, 3:18 am

≫ Next: Almond Dream Salted Caramel Non Dairy Ice Cream

≪ Previous: Green & Blacks Velvet Edition 70% Dark Chocolate

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You can't beat shortbread. It's one of those classic, timeless biscuits that's easy to make and always tastes good. All thanks to the wonders of butter. But when you're gluten free, sadly it's a lot harder to find a good quality shortbread, even if you make it yourself. Luckily, Dean's Original Family Recipes have come to the rescue! They are currently selling a few varieties of their Gluten Free shortbreads in the Free From section of Morrisons, including this: Choc Chip & Stem Ginger. By chance I found this for a mere 50p in a local discount store, so snapped up a couple of packs before they had all gone (the regular price in Morrisons is over £2 so these were a real bargain!)

Made with rice, potato and maize flour and butter, these also include dark chocolate chips and stem ginger pieces, for a nice warming spiciness. I don't usually go for ginger biscuits but on this occasion I couldn't say no since they were gluten free and so cheap.

They tasted absolutely delicious. I wasn't expecting a lot since many gluten free cookies don't taste of much, but these were just as good as regular shortbread. They were light, crumbly and buttery and very very moreish! The ginger and dark chocolate chips go perfectly together, a nice spicy and rich combination that tones down the sweetness of the biscuits a little. It didn't take me long to munch through most of the box - thank goodness I had bought another!

Overall, these are a definite win and biscuits that I would highly recommend if you're gluten free. A shame they're not dairy free, but if they were I suspect they wouldn't be half as good. Would I pay full price for them? As a one off treat, yes, I probably would! Find them in Morrisons, and if you're lucky enough possibly discount stores too.

Ingredients: Rice flour, butter (28%), sugar, potato starch, dark chocolate chips (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring), stem ginger (7%) (ginger, sugar), maize flour, ground ginger, xanthan gum, salt.

9 out of 10. 

Almond Dream Salted Caramel Non Dairy Ice Cream

November 21, 2017, 11:45 pm

≫ Next: Tiana CocoTop Coconut Snacks Sweet & Savoury

≪ Previous: Dean's Gluten Free Choc Chip & Stem Ginger Shortbread

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Since Ben & Jerry's launched their Non Dairy Ice Creams in the UK (check out my review of the Non Dairy Chunky Monkey here), it seems that Vegan and Dairy Free products are finally making it into the mainstream. The options are variable, with the Ben & Jerry's Non Dairy range being pretty good, whilst the Alpro Non Dairy Ice Creams are rather poor in my opinion. So how does this Non Dairy Ice Cream from Almond Dream compare? The range comprises of a few varieties, such as Mint Chocolate Chip and Velvety Vanilla, and is available from supermarkets such as Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Asda and Ocado.com.

I saw the Salted Caramel variety reduced to £3 in Sainsbury's recently (it's usually between £4- £5) so thought I would give it a try. It's made with almonds, cane sugar, maltodextrin (from tapioca) and a few other fillers. I'm not a big fan of fillers in ice cream but I suppose being non-dairy it needs to be bulked up with something.

When I opened the tub, I was surprised to find a layer of hard caramel at the top. Is that the salted caramel? I wasn''t sure so I dug in with a spoon...it's a strange, semi-brittle texture that tastes vaguely of caramel but not quite. It tasted ok but the texture was just odd.

The ice cream below was fairly uniform, it all tasted the same with a sweet and vaguely salty butterscotch flavour. It was pretty good; it melts in the mouth nicely and is very creamy, but it was lacking something. I think this tub would be much better with ripples of salted caramel sauce running through it, rather than the hard layer of brittle on the top. But maybe it's hard to make dairy free salted caramel? Who knows!

Overall, this isn't one of my favourite Dairy Free ice creams but it's not one of the worst either. I would buy it again if there were no other dairy-free options, but I think the Mint Choc Chip might be better. This one was let down by the weird layer of caramel "brittle" on top...they need to have a re-think of that in my opinion.

Ingredients: Water, cane sugar, almonds 5%, tapioca maltodextrin, vegetable oil: safflower, brown rice syrup, stabilisers: guar gum, locust bean gum, carageenan, emulsifiers: sunflower lecithin, soya lecithin, natural flavouring, salt 0.3%, colour: plain caramel, cocoa butter, soya protein, thickener: pectin. 

Nutrition Information (per quarter of pack): 119 Calories, 5.2g Fat, 16.8g Carbohydrates, 12.4g Sugars, 0.9g Protein.

7 out of 10. 

Tiana CocoTop Coconut Snacks Sweet & Savoury

November 24, 2017, 9:38 am

≫ Next: Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts Review

≪ Previous: Almond Dream Salted Caramel Non Dairy Ice Cream

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A big thankyou to Tiana Fairtrade Organics for today's post, who kindly offered me some of their new CocoTop "Organic Coconut Snacks" to review, an offer I couldn't refuse! There's two varieties in the range, which is available from Amazon in 50g pots. You can buy both varities together or the Savoury and Sweet versions by themselves. Both contain only natural ingredients, are suitable for vegans, organic and gluten-free. They're lightly toasted to reduce fat content.

Tiana CocoTop Savoury:

I tried the Savoury variety first, which are coconut chips "lightly salted with unrefined sea salt". I do like the little tubs these come in, they're super handy, and unlike other coconut chips on the market you can re-seal them and save some for later. No messy bits falling out into your bag!

The coconut chips are nicely toasted and taste very fresh and good quality. They would certainly make for a nice salty cinema snack in place of popcorn, with a lot more nutrition in. I could imagine these being even better with some pepper or spices added.

7.5 out of 10.

Tiana CocoTop Sweet:

Now these were the ones I was most excited about. Because, sugar! Coconut nectar to be exact, which is a lot healthier and lower glycemic than white sugar, meaning you don't get the sugar crash later on. They had a lovely golden appearance and tasted seriously, seriously gorgeous; the coconut nectar gives a moreish caramel edge which is perfect blended with the toasted coconut chips. The perfect combination! As tasty as they were, I didn't feel the need to eat the whole tub because they felt very satisfying (also, no sugar crash, yay!).

8.5 out of 10.

Overall, I have to say Tiana are winning with these new CocoTop snacks! Not only are they super tasty they're perfectly portable and make for satisfying, nutritious and tasty eats. If these appear in any local shops I would definitely buy them regularly, they're actually much better than other brands of Coconut Chips I've tried thus far!

Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts Review

November 26, 2017, 2:59 am

≫ Next: No & More Sugar Free Spring Waters Review

≪ Previous: Tiana CocoTop Coconut Snacks Sweet & Savoury

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This is one I've had in the archives for a good long while now - I don't know how on earth I missed it! I'm usually quick to review anything new and Ritter related if I see it in a UK store, and this was one I snapped up at the bargain price of 69p in Heron Foods when they were on clearance. Containing whole hazelnuts and dark chocolate, this promised to be very special considering Ritter's track record with nutty chocolates.

As expected, the nuts were nicely roasted and whole, sticking out of the side of bar when broken into:

And combined with the dark chocolate they were perfect! Ok, maybe it's not as tasty as the milk or white chocolate versions, but for something a little less sweet and richer, this is a pretty tasty bar. You just can't beat Ritter's nutty bars...no other mainstream brand is quite on par. A shame they're not more widely available in the UK.

Overall, whilst not the best Ritter Sport bar out there, for a dark chocolate and nut combination this is pretty fine. If you love such combinations it's definitely worth a try - and I believe it's now stocked in some WH Smiths stores (I've seen it in my local train station store anyway).

8 out of 10.

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No & More Sugar Free Spring Waters Review

November 27, 2017, 8:55 am

≫ Next: Lindt Excellence 90% Cocoa Dark Supreme Chocolate Review

≪ Previous: Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts Review

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A big thank you to No & More for sending me some of their new drinks range to review recently. I've previously reviewed their NuVa Watermelon Water and enjoyed it, so was thankful indeed when they sent me this newly revamped range. They've changed their name from NuVa to No & More to better communicate what their range is all about, which is a good move in my opinion. Their waters are all sugar-free and only contain natural flavourings, making them suitable for any diet.

The Cucumber and Mint variety shown above was...interesting. I'm not really a fan of cucumber and mint so I can't say I liked it that much, although I'm sure some people might find it refreshing. I'm afraid this gets a low 5 out of 10 as it's just not my kinda flavour.

The Raspberry & Blueberry was more up my street - who doesn't like Berry flavoured drinks! There's only a hint of it but it's enough to make the water taste refreshing and interesting without giving you any added sugars or calories. If you're on a health kick be sure to give this a try. 8 out of 10.

Last but not least the Tangerine and Mango flavour, a more zesty variety, this is another I enjoyed and the hints of mango and tangerine gave it a refreshing edge. It's nice to see tangerine being more widely used in drinks; i prefer the flavour over Orange. Worth picking up if you're in a dash and need a low calorie drink. 8 out of 10.

Overall, despite my not liking the mint variety I do think these drinks are  a great idea. They'd be particularly good for the January season when everyone is on a weight loss kick I imagine. They give you a nice taste of interesting flavours to make water just a little bit less boring.

Lindt Excellence 90% Cocoa Dark Supreme Chocolate Review

November 28, 2017, 1:11 am

≫ Next: Tesco Finest Free From Belgian Chocolate Brownies

≪ Previous: No & More Sugar Free Spring Waters Review

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Today's review is for a bar not many may have tried due to its very high cocoa content. It can be somewhat bitter to those who aren't used to it, even lovers of 70% chocolate may find it overpowering, but it's one I often end up eating when trying to reduce my sugar intake but still need a little choccy fix. It's currently on offer for £1.50 in Tesco stores so I've been buying it quite a lot recently.

It comes in the same style blocks as all Lindt Excellence bars, with the Lindt logo printed on and with a nice glossy finish. There's vanilla in the ingredients which gives it a subtle, smooth aftertaste. I have to say I do enjoy these bars for a richer chocolate fix, they're not quite as flavoursome as Green & Blacks but they're still pretty rich and smooth. The vanilla is the key ingredient that prevents these from tasting too bitter. A few squares is definitely all you need though, any more than that and it becomes a bit too much!

Overall, this is the perfect bar for those trying to reduce their sugar intake or anyone on a low carb, paleo, ketogenic style diet. Failing that it also comes in handy for making rich chocolate brownies!

8.5 out of 10. 

Tesco Finest Free From Belgian Chocolate Brownies

November 29, 2017, 1:16 am

≫ Next: Chocolate and Love Filthy Rich 71% Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Lindt Excellence 90% Cocoa Dark Supreme Chocolate Review

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It's hard to find a good brownie when you're gluten free, but over time there's been an increase in the quality of gluten free products. Costa's Gluten Free Brownie is probably the best, and Aldi's Gluten Free Brownies are also pretty great too. When I spotted these Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Free From Brownies I wondered if they'd be just as excellent - Tesco do have a reputation for some tasty products in their Finest range after all.

Containing pieces of Belgian white chocolate, these come in hefty thick chunks and are perfectly stodgy when bitten into - the perfect texture in fact, not too gooey and not too firm. I loved them. Taste wise they were delicious, very rich with a lot of cocoa flavour, and the white chocolate breaking up the taste with hints of creaminess. I really enjoyed these; they felt like a luxurious treat especially for gluten free brownies!

Overall, whilst these may not be quite as excellent as the Costa Gluten Free Brownie or the Aldi Gluten Free Brownies, they're still some of the best around in supermarkets. The addition of the white chocolate chunks makes them a little bit more naughty - perfect if you really want to spoil yourself.

8 out of 10. 

Chocolate and Love Filthy Rich 71% Dark Chocolate

November 30, 2017, 1:35 am

≫ Next: Christmas In Shops 2017 (ft Oreo Tins, Giant Toblerone, Mint Lindor & More!)

≪ Previous: Tesco Finest Free From Belgian Chocolate Brownies

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Today's review is for a bar I've had in the archives for a while, the Great Taste Award winning Chocolate and Love Organic Filthy Rich, which is fairtrade, suitable for vegans, contains 71% cocoa solids and is available from Sainsbury's. I chose the bar purely based on the name - I do love some rich dark chocolate! (I've previously reviewed their Coffee Dark Chocolate here).

I've tried a few brands of dark chocolate over the years and I have to say this is definitely one of the better ones. The chocolate is great quality, tasting...rich (thank goodness!) and flavoursome as well as sweet and smooth. It has a nice balance of all elements, so it's neither too bitter nor too sweet, and certainly doesnt lack flavour. I can see why it's won awards! As much as I like Green & Blacks for their 85% dark chocolate this is a step above.

Overall, if you are a darker chocolate lover and want something a bit more interesting than Green & Blacks then this is a good bet. Also do check out some of the other flavours in their range, there's the lovely Orange and Mint varieties which are also also dairy free and vegan.

8 out of 10.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole cane sugar and vanilla pods. Cocoa: 71% minimum. No preservatives, colouring agents or emulsifiers like soy lecithin.

Suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs. Certified Kosher. GMO free as all organic certified products. May contain milk, hazelnuts, almonds and peanuts.

Christmas In Shops 2017 (ft Oreo Tins, Giant Toblerone, Mint Lindor & More!)

December 1, 2017, 12:44 am

≫ Next: Tesco Gingerbread Flavour Milk Limited Edition

≪ Previous: Chocolate and Love Filthy Rich 71% Dark Chocolate

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It's beginning to feel a lot like...actually, this year it felt like Christmas way back in September since most Christmas products started appearing on shelves then, but nevertheless I felt the need to do my yearly round up of some of the coolest/bestest/newest Christmassy products on shelves. You know you love it! So without further ado let's crack on and take a look at what's in the supermarkets this festive season...hopefully you might get a bit of gift inspiration! 

Firstly I have to mention the Oreo Cookie Tins (pictured above), which contain Original and Golden Oreos. They're £3 in Morrisons currently and supposed to be shared...yeah right!

Lindt Lindor Mint Limited Edition:

There's a new Lindor Limited Edition every year and this year it's the turn of Mint. Not groundbreaking perhaps, but it certainly sounds tasty. Spotted in Tesco.

Giant Toblerone 4.5kg:

Last year this Giant Toblerone was available from Iceland but Tesco are stocking it too this year. It costs a whopping £60...nice if you have the money!

Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo Balls:

Mondelez brought these bite-sized Dairy Milk Oreo balls out last year and they're back again... Spotted in Sainsbury's.

Kellogg's Variety Cereal Advent Calendar:

There's a lot of unique advent calendars this year, with everything from cheese to beer to makeup to Pringles...but Kellogg's may have won the battle with this calendar containing Kellogg's cereals, a small box for every day until Christmas. Available at Tesco.

Tesco Festive Filled Cookies:

The mincemeat filled cookies return to Tesco, hurrah!

Whitworths Christmas Turkish Delight Fudge, Raisin & Chocolate Bags:

A festive snack mix of turkish delight fudge, raisins and chocolate chunks, available at Poundland.

Maynards Bassetts Jelly Babies Snowmen:

Jelly Babies have become snowmen! Available in festive colours, so basically red and green. How original. Available in Tesco, Asda, Wilko etc.

Haagen-Dazs Rum & Raisin:

A new variety of Haagen-Dazs just in time for the festive season. As a lover of the classic Rum & Raisin combo I really want to try this...I hope it'll be on special offer at some point! Spotted in Tesco.

Cadbury Layers of Joy Christmas Trifle:

A Christmas trifle with layers of white chocolate mousse, cinnamon sponge, Cadbury milk chocolate dessert topped with fresh cream...this sounds delicious! Spotted in Tesco.

San Pellegrino Clementine Winter Edition:

A Winter Edition of San Pellegrino sparkling juice, with clementine instead of orange. Spotted in Waitrose.

Ilchester Cheese Advent Calendar:

Another one of this years unique advent calendars, dedicated to cheese lovers. Because a cheese a day keeps the doctor away...or not?! Spotted in Asda.

Craft Beer Advent Calendar (Iceland):

Another unique advent calendar, this is one for those who like to start their days with a bit of booze! (No judgements here) Available in Iceland.

Bailey's Alcoholic Advent Calendar (Iceland):

For those who like some booze and cream, there's this Bailey's variety available in Iceland. You only get a bottle of mini Bailey's for Christmas Day; the other days you get chocolate.

Smirnoff Alcoholic Advent Calendar (Iceland):

Containing chocolates and a bottle of Vodka for Christmas day...because who doesn't love vodka for breakfast on Christmas day? Available in Iceland.

Merry Pringles Advent Calendar:

Confusingly, Pringles have opted for this 12 Days of Chrsitmas calendar, supposedly to save on costs. Spotted in B&M Bargains.

M&M's and Friends Advent Calendar:

For the chocolate lovers, this one contains mini bags of M&M's, as well as Snickers, Mars, Milky Way etc. Spotted in Tesco.

Cadbury Heroes Christmas Advent-ure:

Cadbury chocolates are pretty crap nowadays, but if you fancy a mini bar of Heroes every day then this is the calendar for you! Available in Tesco, Wilko etc.

Nestle Aero Festive Orange Sharing Bar:

Not a new bar at all, but it's made a comeback in the form of this Festive Orange Sharing Bar. Nice if you like orangey chocolates! Available in Tesco, Wilko etc.

Nestle Orange Smarties Tubes:

Another orangey chocolate making a welcome return are Orange Smarties in big tubes. Hurrah! They're also due to be given their own Orange Smarties Mini Eggs Easter Eggs next year, Double hurrah! Spotted in Asda.

Oykos Choc Orange (Asda Exclusive):

There's also this Oykos Greek Yoghurt with a choc orange layer, exclusive to Asda.

Galaxy Chocolate Orange Festive Cake Bars:

Another treat for chocolate orange lovers this year are these Galaxy Orange Festive Cake Bars. Spotted in Tesco.

Cadbury Roses Cake Bars Orange Creme:

If you prefer Cadbury chocolate there's also these Orange Creme Cadbury Roses cake bars. Available in Tesco.

Cadbury Roses Cake Bars Strawberry Dream:

If you're more a fan of strawberry flavours there's also these Strawberry Dream cake bars, with a layer of strawberry fondant. Available in Tesco.

Celebrations Cake Bar Selection Cracker:

This 11 pack contains all the various cake cars made by Mars, perfect for any "Celebration"! With Mars, Galaxy, Galaxy Caramel, Bounty, Snickers and Milky Way. Spotted in Tesco.

McVitie's Digestives White Chocolate Nibbles:

Limited Edition white chocolate coated nibbly biscuits - the perfect snack for the festive season!  Available at Tesco, Asda etc.

Haribo Sweet Medley Selection Box:

A selection pack containing Starmix, Jelly Babies, Goldbears, Tangfastics, and Super Mix. Perfect for any Haribo lover! Spotted in B&M Bargains.

Maltesers Teasers Gift Pack:

It may look like a giant Malteser, but don't be fooled, it's not! This is a gift pack containing mini Maltesers Teasers truffles. Spotted in Sainsbury's.

Maltesers Luxury Chocolates:

Seemingly a cross between Ferrero Rocher and Maltesers, these Luxury chocolates are available in Sainsbury's.

Ferrero Nutella with Festive Design:

A lot of products have been given a festive makeover, but probably the best is this cute snowman wrapper on Nutella jars. Because snowmen like Nutella for breakfast...even if Ferrero have changed the Nutella recipe recently! Available in Tesco.

Cadbury's Dairy Milk Classic Collection:

Cadbury's chocolate used to taste pretty good back in the day and they also had different wrapper designs. Now you can buy their classic bars in these selection boxes with the old designs, but not with the old chocolate recipe. Sadface. Available in Tesco, Wilko etc.

Green & Blacks Velvet Edition Dark Chocolate Pralines:

Mondelez continue their push of the Green & Blacks Velvet Edition range with these new Pralines, containing dark chocolate, praline and whole hazelnuts. Also available in Milk Chocolate. Spotted in Tesco.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Snowy Delight Pots of Joy:

Cadbury have brought back their limited edition Pots of Joy Snowy Delight, containing milk and white chocolate dessert. Available in Tesco.

Reese's Lovers Collection Box:

Peanut Butter lovers rejoice, there's a special selection box just for you this Christmas! Containing all your favourite Reese's products: Reese's Cups, Reese's White Cups, Reese's Dark Cups, Nutrageous, Reese's Sticks and Reese's Nut Bar. Sounds like heaven! Spotted in Bargain Buys/Poundworld Plus.

Thorntons Seasonal Selection:

The classic Thorntons selection includes a spiced fudge chocolate for the festive season, available in Tesco, The Co Op etc.

Haribo Giant Trees:

Some new Christmas gummies from Haribo, these Giant Trees are available from Asda.

Treat Factory Unicorn Lolly:

Unicorns are the biggets trend of 2017, and it's culimanted in these Unicorn Lollies. Facepalm. Spotted in Peacocks and Fenwicks.

Muller Corner Christmas Bakery Limited Edition:

Containing gingerbread biscuits with vanilla yogurts, these limited edition Muller Corners sounds nice. Spotted in Asda.

Muller Corner Winter Limited Edition:

With spiced plum yoghurts there's also this fruity festive limited edition from Muller. Spotted in Asda.

Tesco Finest Candy Cane Limited Edition Crisps:

In case you haven't already seen it, check out my review of these novel and quite weird seasonal crisps from Tesco.

Kellogg's Cornflakes Season's Greetings Edition:

The yearly festive design for Kellogg's Cornflakes boxes is this smiley, jolly Santa. He clearly must love his cornflakes! Spotted in Asda.

Choc on Choc White Chocolate Unicorn Slab:

Another Unicorn product, this one is made by Choc on Choc, available in Fenwicks.

Taylor's of Harrogate Limited Edition Christmas Blend:

A crisp Winter roast from Taylor's of Harrogate. Spotted in Home Bargains.

Food Connections Winter Spice Flapjack:

A vegan flapjack containing spiced mincemeat, available from Holland and Barrett. The perfect snack for doing some Chrimbo shopping!

Phew...that's a lot of festive food! But it doesn't stop there because supermarkets are doing lots of own-brand goodies which I'll be doing a separate blog post for in the coming days...stay tuned for that! And Happy Festive Snacks Hunting!

Tesco Gingerbread Flavour Milk Limited Edition

December 2, 2017, 12:37 am

≫ Next: The Co Op Sparkling Prosecco Bubbles Crisps

≪ Previous: Christmas In Shops 2017 (ft Oreo Tins, Giant Toblerone, Mint Lindor & More!)

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Kev's Christmassy Reviews have returned, hurrah! Although I've already reviewed a few festive treats this year such as the Tesco Candy Cane Crisps and M&S Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Tortillas, it's now December so it's "official" Christmas Review time. Hope you all enjoy reading! Today's review is a new limited edition from Tesco...

I have a love/hate relationship with ginger. It can be nice in puddings and cookies and mixed with other spices but I'm not a big fan of Gingerbread. I don't know why but I never liked it - even as a kid, I found it very boring. However, when paired with other ingredients it seems to work alot better, and creamier flavours balance out the spiciness and add a new dimension to it. So I was very curious indeed when I saw this new Gingerbread Limited Edition in Tesco recently.

Launched just in time for the Winter months, this cost a mere 50p for 330ml, is suitable for vegetarians and contains flavourings. It's made with 1% fat milk, so is good if you're watching your fat intake.

Thanks to the addition of thickeners it had a nice gloopy texture, despite the carton being quite small it felt more filling than it should have done. It tasted pretty good for such a cheap drink. The ginger comes through nice and strong and actually works well with the milk, and is balanced nicely. This made for a rather novel and different drink, something you wouldn't usually find!

Overall, I have to say this gingerbread milk is a definite win for Tesco - it's a nice novel limited edition that anyone who likes festive spices will be sure to enjoy. Pick one up whilst doing the Chrimbo shopping!

Do stay tuned for more Kev's Christmassy Reviews over December...there's a lot more to come! 

8 out of 10. 

The Co Op Sparkling Prosecco Bubbles Crisps

December 3, 2017, 4:11 am

≫ Next: Grown Up Chocolate Company Magnificent Mince Pie Milk Chocolate

≪ Previous: Tesco Gingerbread Flavour Milk Limited Edition

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The Co Op are really going to town with the festive treats this year. Their Christmas range includes impressive snacks such as Gingerbread Tortilla Rolls (want!), Pigs in Blankets Tortilla Rolls and the yummy sounding Cheese Board Crisps. They've also jumped onto the Prosecco bandwagon with these intriguing "Sparkling Prosecco Bubbles".

Described as "Light and tasty potato snacks that pop in your mouth, with a hint of fizz flavour" these cost £1 in The Co Op and contain real Prosecco powder. They're shaped like spheres (or bubbles?) with little gaps in, supposedly like the bubbles in a glass of Prosecco? Nice to see that some thought has gone into making them, well done Co Op!

Now alcohol flavour crisps can sometimes taste vinegary (like the M&S Bucks Fizz Crisps I reviewed last year) but these luckily didn't suffer the same problem. They actually have a nice, light hint of Prosecco in the seasoning, just enough to give you that "bag of crisps after a glass of wine" kinda taste (if you know what I mean!) without tasting sickly. They were very, very moreish. Moreso thanks to the light texture of the "bubbles"; they're crunchy and not too dense or oily like thick cut crisps can be. I reckon these would make a great snack for festive parties or for a buffet on Boxing Day...they're unusual enough to be a talking point and actually taste lovely.

Overall, if you like festive snacks these are definitely a safe bet. Now, I still can't decide whether to try the Marks & Spencer Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon & Champagne or Bloody Mary Red Crisps...anyone dare me?!

8 out of 10.

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Grown Up Chocolate Company Magnificent Mince Pie Milk Chocolate

December 4, 2017, 11:46 am

≫ Next: Poundland Twin Peaks Milk Chocolate Bar (like Toblerone!)

≪ Previous: The Co Op Sparkling Prosecco Bubbles Crisps

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A big thankyou to The Grown Up Chocolate Company for today's post, who kindly offered me some of their Christmas chocolate bars to review. I was originally going to be sent a "Make Your Own Bar" voucher but these had run out so festive choccies it was! Not that I'm complaining - I've been wanting to try this Mince Pie Bar since I first heard about it, but have never been able to find it in shops. You can however get it from The Grown Up Chocolate Companies website:

www.thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk

Described as "Luxury pieces of magnificent mince pie filling packed into the dreamiest milk chocolate bar", this costs £2.95 for 100g. It is paper and gold foil wrapped, making it feel uber-special. I was pleased to see there was no wheat flour in the recipe as the mince pie filling is purely mincemeat and not pastry. Woohoo! That said, it "may" contain cereals containing gluten according to the warning on the wrapper, presumably as it's made in a factory that processes gluten. So don't eat this if you're super sensitive!

Opening the foil, the chocolate felt quite thick and chunky, presumably to protect the mincemeat filling.

I broke a few pieces off. The mincemeat oozed out and was just like the innards of a mince pie.

Taking a bite, the chocolate is very creamy and melt in the mouth, good quality and the perfect casing for the mincemeat filling. It pretty much takes the place of pastry and does a great job of it. The filling is spicy, fruity and gooey...pretty much a good quality mincemeat! It blends surprisingly well with the milk chocolate, making for a nice chewy filling.

Overall, as Mince Pie meets Milk Chocolate goes this could have been a bit gimmicky and a fail, but in practice it actually worked out very well. The flavours blend well together, making for a luxury tasting novelty bar that is perfectly fitting for the festive season. If you're a fan of novelty chocolates or you know someone who is, this would make a lovely Christmas gift!

Suitable for vegetarians, contains milk & almonds. May contain cereals containing gluten, peanuts and other nuts.

8.5 out of 10. 

Poundland Twin Peaks Milk Chocolate Bar (like Toblerone!)

December 5, 2017, 11:27 am

≫ Next: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Festive Fig & Port Milk Chocolate

≪ Previous: Grown Up Chocolate Company Magnificent Mince Pie Milk Chocolate

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A while back, Poundland announced they would be launching their own honey and nougat chocolate bar similar to Toblerone called Twin Peaks, "inspired by the Wrekin and Ercall hills". Yeah right Poundland! It's obviously "inspired" by Toblerone and apparently Poundland ended up in trouble with Mondelez over the bar, hence why it's taken so long to appear on shelves. But they've settled their differences and the bar is now in Poundland for a limited period - featuring a turquoise wrapper to make sure no one confuses it with Toblerone, looking similar to Poundland's store logo.

The bar weighs 180g - 20% more than a small Toblerone which is 150g, and more than Toblerone used to weigh before they bizarrely changed the block design last year. It's described as "Milk chocolate with almond and honey nougat (10%)" and is suitable for vegetarians.

The main difference of course is the shape - "inspired by the Wrekin and Ercall hills" - it has a little dip in the centre of each piece. Thankfully there is no huge gap in between the chunks like in Toblerone bars.

But how does it taste? Does it recreate the classic honey and almond nougat bars flavour?

Sadly it doesn't. Its not a bad bar of chocolate at all, and is very satisfying to bite into, with some nice honey nougat crunchiness to chew on. But the chocolate doesn't have that distinctive rich "Swiss" flavour Toblerone does, it is clearly a cheaper version. However as far as knockoff chocolate bars go it's really not too bad and is good enough to justify buying instead of Toblerone, considering you're getting more for your £1 and the blocks aren't annoyingly spaced!

Overall, this bar is pretty decent and great value if you're on a  budget and want more chocolate for your money. I can imagine it selling well, that's if it sticks around - word has it these are only available in limited batches for a short time. Stock up while you can!

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, almonds 2.8%, glucose syrup, honey 1.4%, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin, egg albumen, potato starch, natural vanilla flavouring, maize starch. Chocolate contains 30% cocoa solids minimum.

Nutrition per 100g: 537 Calories, 29.3g Fat, 61.8g Carbohydrates, 60.7g Sugars, 5.6g Protein.

7.5 out of 10. 

The Grown Up Chocolate Company Festive Fig & Port Milk Chocolate

December 6, 2017, 11:56 am

≫ Next: Christmas in Shops 2017 - Supermarket Own Brand Edition

≪ Previous: Poundland Twin Peaks Milk Chocolate Bar (like Toblerone!)

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As well as the Magnifient Mince Pie Milk Chocolate bar, The Grown Up Chocolate Company also sent me this Festive Fig & Port Milk Chocolate to review recently. I'm not the greatest fan of figs so I wasn't sure what to expect from them mixed with milk chocolate and port. But nevertheless chocolate is chocolate and I'm always game to eat it!

Described as "sweet and juicy festive figs drenched in lashings of port, encased in luxurious milk chocolate", these cost £2.95 per 100g bar and are available from The Grown Up Chocolate Comapnies website and selected stores:

www.thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk.

Like the Magnificent Mince Pie Bar, this comes wrapped in gold foil as well as a paper wrapper, making it look super special. I do love foil wrapped chocolates - they're becoming a thing of the past and it's a real shame! The chocolate block is pretty thick to contain the fruit filling.

Splitting it apart, there were bits of fig sticking out from the chocolate. This made me shudder a bit - I really don't like the gritty texture of figs! However I ignored this and took a bite. The milk chocolate is creamy, melts in the mouth nicely and very good quality. The figs are gritty, as I expected but the port distracts from the texture by giving a nice boozy warming flavour. It blends well with them, and together with the chocolate makes for a nice festive, booze-tinged bar.

Overall, compared to The Magnificent Mince Pie bar I wouldn't say I liked this one as much, but it's not bad at all and is still very good quality. Maybe if I liked figs I'd enjoy it! If you have a port lover in the family, this would surely make a great Christmas gift for them.

7 out of 10. 

Christmas in Shops 2017 - Supermarket Own Brand Edition

December 8, 2017, 1:25 am

≫ Next: Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons & Freddo Faces Chocolate Tubes

≪ Previous: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Festive Fig & Port Milk Chocolate

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The supermarkets have really upped their game in recent years for own-brand festive products, with some impressive and weird new treats out for the Christmas Season. Below are some I've seen whilst out and about...although there's lots more! For updates of the most recent do check out my Instagram Page. 

Tesco Chocolate Truffle Carrots: 

These don't actually contain carrot, do not fear! Instead they are coloured white chocolates with praline fillings.

Tesco White Chocolate Polar Bear:

Another white chocolate treat from Tesco are these cute chocolate polar bears.

Tesco Black Forest Dome Gateau:

Making a return for the festive season are these yummy Black Forest Dome Gateaus.

Tesco Christmas Tree Ice Creams:

Also making a return are these Christmas Tree shaped ice creams.

Tesco Chocolate Orange Muffins:

Chocolate and orange is always a welcome festive flavour and now you can get them in muffin form thanks to Tesco!

Tesco Finest Gingerbread Nuts & Raisins Limited Edition:

A mixture of gingerbread flavour cashews, raisins and chocolate pieces, these sound delicious!

Tesco Finest White Chocolate & Strawberry Nuts:

Sounding more like a Summery nut mix, these contains white chocolate nuts with white chocolate coated strawberries.

Asda Caramelised Biscuit Gateau:

Asda are getting fancy this year with their Caramelised biscuit gateau. Yum! 

Asda Party Chocolate Orange Profiteroles:

An orangey variety of Profiteroles, perfect for the festive season!

Asda Christmas Tree Crumpets:

Asda did Pumpkin shaped crumpets for Halloween now they have moulded them into Christmas Tree shapes. I bet these would be gorgeous with butter and cinnamon melted on!

Asda Extra Special Free From Chocolate & Salted Caramel Naked Layered Gateau:

I'm not sure what makes this gateau "naked" exactly, but it sure does sound delicious. Plus it's Gluten Free, hurrah!

Asda Extra Special Raspberry & White Chocolate Macaron Cake:

Asda are also doing this rather unique sounding Raspberry and White Chocolate Macaron cake.

Asda Extra Special Raspberry & Prosecco Pavlova Stack:

Plus the Flavour of the month, Prosecco in pavlova form.

Asda Extra Special Golden Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake:

And another flavour of the month...or rather last few years...salted caramel baked cheesecake!

Co Op Gingerbread Tortilla Rolls:

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, these Co Op Tortilla Rolls sound pretty unique! If anyone has tried them do leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Co Op Pigs in Blankets Tortilla Rolls:

Also suitable for vegans and vegetarians, I don't know how the Co Op manage to make things taste so meaty without meat! Must be that festive magic...

Co Op Irresistible Cheese Board Crisps:

Containing cheese, these are definitely bot vegan but they are gluten free, hurrah! They're flavoured with brie, wensleydale, stilton and cranberry. Yum!

Co Op Irresistible Posh Prawn Cocktail Crisps:

For those who like something fishy rather than cheesy, there's these Posh Prawn Cocktail Crisps, which are also gluten free. Presumably not vegan though, unless there's such a thing as vegan fish (there probably is).

The Co Op Christmas Mini Caramel & Pecan Tarts:

You can't beat the classic combination of caramel and pecans in tart form!

The Co Op Free From Mini Iced Fruit Cake Bites:

The Co Op are doing a great job if catering for people with gluten allergy this Christmas, and these Mini Iced Fruit Cake bites sound perfect to nibble on!

The Co Op Irresistible Free From Yule Logs:

As do these gluten free Yule logs!

Marks & Spencer Merry Percymas!:

M&S are pulling out all the stops with their treats this year, with even Pecy Pig getting a festive makeover!

M&S Christmas Pudding Ice Cream:

For when you can't decide between ice cream or pudding. Marks & Spencer's Christmas Pudding Ice Cream!

M&S Chocolate Orange Ice Cream:

And if you're sick of Terry's Chocolate Orange (I know I am!) you can also get your orangey chocolate fix in ice cream form. Hurrah!

M&S Turkey Feast Hand Cooked Crisps:

You can also have your turkey feast in crisp form thanks to M&S!

Marks & Spencer Caramelised Pecans:

Caramelised Pecans, coated with milk chocolate and gianduja and dusted in cocoa powder. Sounds delicious, but they're not cheap! But then, they'r not just any nuts, they're posh nuts...

Marks & Spencer Apple Cinnamon Truffles:

Speaking of not being cheap, these lovely sounding apple cinnamon truffles are even more expensive. £15!!! Let's hope they're not just any truffles, but the best in the world!

Marks and Spencer Cinnamon Biscuit Milk Chocolate Truffles:

These sound nice, you can't beat cinnamon and biscuit!

Marks & Spencer Mince Pie Fudge:

Mince pie fudge...what better combination for Christmas?!

Marks & Spencer Orange, Pomegranate & Cranberry Sunrise:

As well as the Christmas Pudding Smoothie M&S have brought out this festive drink - Orange Pomegranate and Cranberry juice, supporting the charity Shelter.

Marks & Spencer Clementine Orange & Passion Fruit Juice:

Plus there's a clementine, orange and passionfruit variety.

Marks & Spencer Crackling Crisps:

And pork crackling crisps! Comes complete with apple cider and rosemary dip.

Marks & Spencer Chocolate Coated Gingerbread Latte Cookies:

Gingerbread latte in cookie form...yummo!

Marks & Spencer Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese & Champagne Hand Cooked Crisps:

Smoked salmon, cream cheese AND champagne in crisp form?! What kind of Frankenstein abomination is this???

Marks & Spencer Bloody Mary Hand Cooked Red Crisps:

Vodka flavour crisps, really?!

Marks & Spencer Winter Berries & Prosecco Hand Cooked Crisps:

As much as I liked the Co Op Proscco Bubbles, I'm not sure about these...

Marks & Spencer Honey Mustard Poppy Seed Tortilla Rolls:

Now these sound a bit more promosing! Also check out my review of the M&S Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Tortilla Rolls.

Marks & Spencer Pigs in Blankets Crisps:

Pork and pork flavour crisps...yum!

Marks & Spencer Raspberry & White Chocolate Trees:

Now these sound nice, you can't beat the combo of white chocolate and raspberry!

Marks & Spencer Snowy Road Mini Bites:

Paddington Bear themed Snowy Road snacks with fruit and marshmallows, yum!

Marks & Spencer Christmas Tree Chocolate Cupcakes:

You can't beat a festive cupcake!

Marks & Spencer Bacon Wrapped Mac & Cheese Stacks:

And what party would be complete without bacon wrapped Mac and cheese?

Iceland Caramel Ice Cream Trees:

Iceland are doing Christmas Tree shaped ice creams again these year, this time in caramel flavour,

Iceland Luxury Chocolate & Orange Choux Garland:

A choux pastry chocolate orange garland...yummy!

Iceland Irish Cream Profiterole Gateau:

You can't beat Irish cream at this time of year...especially in cheesecake form!

Iceland Luxury Dark Chocolate & Mint Dessert:

Neither can you beat minty chocolate desserts...

Iceland Luxury Salted Caramel Cheesecake:

Or salted caramel!

Iceland Luxury Melting Chocolate Snowflake:

Now this looks fancy!

Iceland Raspberry Eton Mess Cheesecake:

More of a summer flavour, but still very yummy no doubt...

Iceland Passion Fruit Gateau:

A passion fruit gateau with Cointreau Liquer.

Iceland Luxury Raspberry Panna Cotta Desserts:

Interesting!

Iceland Luxury Chocolate Creme Brulee Desserts:

You can't beat creme brûlée desserts!

Iceland Fruity Eclairs:

In a variety of flavours such as lemon meringue and black forest, these eclairs sound perfect for the festive season!

Well, that's about it for today's post, there's lots more festive treats in shops of course, do let me know if you spot any! And keep an eye on my Instagram page for updates of any as I spot them too...Happy Christmas Snacking! 

Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons & Freddo Faces Chocolate Tubes

December 9, 2017, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Tesco Finest Creamy Brie & Cranberry Crisps

≪ Previous: Christmas in Shops 2017 - Supermarket Own Brand Edition

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I do often bemoan the quality of Cadbury's chocolate, and with good reason - the taste and texture has gone way downhill in recent years. However I am still human and love most things sweet so when offered to try the Cadbury Christmas range I didn't say no. Their 2017 products include a few newbies in their stocking fillers, including Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Faces. I was sent those along with Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons so thought I'd do a head to head comparison of the two!

Starting with the Freddo Faces these aren't all in one tube but rather in little packets inside the tubes, which is disappointing. It doesn't feel special but rather that they've just stuffed some regular products into a tube and given it a festive label. Still it makes them handy to give out as snacks and keeps them fresher. Well, in theory it does if you don't intend on eating them all at once!

They tasted nice, sweet and sugary, pretty much what you'd expect from Cadbury Freddo. No doubt they're perfect stocking fillers for kiddies especially with the fun Freddo shapes. Yes, the quality of the Dairy Milk isn't what it used to be, but they're still fun as far as cheap chocolates go - I can't knock that. And anything Freddo related always has a special nostalgic feel to it. 8 out of 10.

The Dairy Milk buttons are the classics we all know and love, they taste milkier and greasier than they used to but still have that comforting familiar taste underneath all the sugar. Again these come in little packets, somewhat cheapening the point of them being in a festive tube.

They tasted good, although I think giant buttons would have been better because these are a bit small and annoying to eat. But then I have a big mouth and they're not aimed at me so...yeah, I'm sure kids will love them! They're not quite as fun as the Freddo Faces, even though they are a classic. 7.5 out of 10.

Overall, what can I say but basically these are both fun and cheap chocolates that do what they say on the tin...er tube...er...packet. The Freddo Faces are a clear choice for the kiddies and the Dairy Milk Buttons would make a good stocking filler for pretty much anyone.