Lindor Strawberries & Cream

So today is my birthday, the day when I deserve to do whatever I want to! Want to know what I choose? Well being a now 21 year old student at university I think the answer is pretty much expected. I want to stay in doors eat chocolate and blog about it. Admittedly not the most exciting ways to celebrate but considering the weather today and my boring nature I think it's rather understandable.

Plus there is some excitement to be had indoors, actually quite a lot, in fact most excitement happens in doors. Anyway back on task, yes there is excitement to be had. As I have found the elusive Lindor Strawberries and Cream limited edition I mentioned in my last post. Admittedly it didn't take me long, although I bought them from somewhere selling them at practically double the price of Sainsbury's. I hope that they are worth it, if not I'll be doubly depressed in money and taste buds.

What a beautiful day!

To be on the safe side at the same time I also purchased a box of the coconut Lindor's too, again at a slightly inflated price. Then again I am a sucker for an impulse buy and still have access to a student loan, lets face it who needs good food when baked beans are 25 pence? So first up the coconut Lindor's in their baby blue foil. which after unwrapping allows me to take in a very sweet coconut aroma that signals good times ahead.

For once the coloring isn't dictating gender

Biting through the usual thick and creamy milk chocolate shell, easily melting like fudge on the tongue I gain access to the coconut core. A smooth and also creamy ganache which whilst appearing solid has a thick liquid like texture to it. The taste of coconut is intense and very sweet without becoming sickly. Together the flavours become very rich and suffer from Lindor's usual problem of feeling a bit heavy. I often can't and won't have more than a couple at a time because they can become sickly and filling.

This won't, however, stop me from popping the next one in my mouth. Contrasting the baby blue theme with a pale pink I unwrap the foil. The smell isn't quite as powerful with only a hint of strawberry. Throwing one in my mouth whole in excitement I'm met with an amazing taste of subtly sweet strawberry and milky white chocolate. Whilst not tasting exactly as it title suggests, more of strawberry milkshake than the summer dessert, it still tastes amazing. I hope this one isn't too much of a limited edition and carries on long after valentines day.

Though I didn't feel very manly nomming these, damn you society!

Overall both were nice if a little expensive. It's my own fault I could probably have got these on offer in in a week, but it is my special day so I pampered myself.
poundland

Score
coconut 7 out of 11
strawberries 8 out of 11

Found
Superdrugs

Final Thoughts
Celebrating birthdays always seem odd to me, yay I survived another day... Again!

Frantic Festivities!

Well I hope that like me by now you have Christmas pretty much wrapped up! Sorry about that pun but I have just literally finished my wrapping and quite proud of the parcels beneath the tree. I know it seems like I've left it to the last minute but have no fear I spread my workload over the last week. Meaning no rushing and panicking at the last minute, in theory.

In reality I was having to frantically finish a few of them due to running out of paper and doing a mad dash down town before they shut. Seems I wasn't the only one too as I had a hard time finding any suitable paper. Luckily I found a few Disney themed rolls that were just about gender neutral enough to do for everyone. But at least now it's done and I can relax indoors and take shelter until the boxing day sales are well underway. Much safer especially when you factor in the town shaking weather we had last night.

Festive feces... I mean faces, festive faces

Now I am safely inside I can curl up eat some treats and tell you about them. I have a fair few too. We have biscuits, chocolates, bread and pies. I know a hectic post for you today, but it is the festive season and I thought I'd make the effort. So without further ado the first item is a McVitie's festive face. The reason for this is that on returning I was in desperate need for Tea and therefore a biscuit too. I wasn't expecting much from these if I'm honest, really I only bought them because they scared/amused me. They are pretty much BN's (if you remember those!) I think but with the shape of a jammy dodger. Basically a double copycat and fiend then. They taste like the old BN biscuits too, the biscuit base and lid is a vanilla tasting rich tea type affair and the jam and cream taste sweet and chewy. They aren't bad just a bit boring, to me at least. Let's face it the only reason people liked the BN biscuits was because of the advert and the chocolate version. These have neither and their expressions are terrifying!

This will forever haunt my dreams!

Next American chocolate with a Reeces snowman and Christmas tree and a Butter fingers coin. The tree and snowman are the same as the Pumpkin version I reviewed for Halloween. Delicious Reeces milk chocolate covering a beautiful peanut butter paste. A perfect mix of sweet and salty as always. The Snowman is a beast too, I had expected him to be like a hollow Easter egg but no it is all chocolate and paste no air at all. By the time I finish this I'll be so full I won't have room for turkey. Seriously though this thing weighs 141 grams and is nice to see dedication from a company. The Butterfinger coin achieves a similar balance but the milk chocolate isn't quite so sweet. The peanut in this is also small crispy flakes of peanut paste that creates the effect similar to a chocolate bar with cereal pieces like crunch. But with a great nutty taste to it.

All looking rather... cool

Now we visit Italy in the form of a traditional festive treat called Pannetone. Which is a fruity bread similar to Brioche or a hot cross bun. As I bit into it I found it a bit hard and dry but this soon changed as I began to detect the fruit that was mixed in. The taste as I say is very similar to other fruit breads with orange seeming to be the dominant flavour. The combination of fruit peel and raisins gives it a nice texture mix. It goes really nicely with some tea and coated in butter.

Lastly as you can see this has been a long post, it has been a bit of work for me and I now need something to fortify my nerves. Which calls for alcohol and in particular a festive liquor, Brandy. Thankfully MrKipling was kind enough to oblige in these deep fill Brandy mince pies. Now as I have mentioned I'm not a fan of mince pies, especially when they arn't homemade. But these are different enough to peak my interest. They arn't too bad but still suffer from the soft waxy pastry problem that mass produced pies have. Aside from that though they taste pretty good. The Brandy isn't too sharp and the filling isn't too sweet. The flvours mix to some extent not amazingly however.

Overall it's been a hectic day and a hectic challenge. With one final post before completion I'll be glad when I ca stop eating tinsel!

Score
Festive Faces - 4 out of 11
Reeces - 9 out of 11 plus 1 for effort
Butterfingerz - 8 out of 11
Brandy Mince pie - 6 out of 11

Found 
Festive faces in Poundland
Reeces and Butterfingerz in American import stor (although the snowman was Tesco)
Brandy mince pies in Sainsburys

Final Thoughts
I'm so full of merriment it hurts, damn yuletide!

Peep's tree mallows and Cadbury Praline Fingers

I hate humanity, there I said it!  I know that sounds rather depressing but if you knew what I have just been through you would understand. For prior to writing these very words I was knee deep in Christmas carnage. Worse still I did nothing to warrant the treatment I experienced.

Picture the scene, me innocently realizing that I needed milk and deciding I'd just pop to the shops for a pint. Then at said shop I became involved in the hell and madness that is pre-Christmas food shoppers. How could I have been so foolish to not realize the world and his wife would be out today getting their trimmings before Christmas Eve. I really don't know what was worse the fight I had to reach the milk aisle or the time i took to que for the till. By the time I was ready to pay I went straight for the self service to avoid the personal touch of humanity.

As much as I love times like these when we all come together as society to celebrate, I do wish we hadn't come together in my local Sainsbury's. The holidays have a nasty habit of bringing out a nasty side to us in the last few weeks when we panic and descend upon food stores like locusts. Sadly this makes us tired and fed up with each other around an event with the purpose of doing the exact opposite. I believe they call it irony.

So these look plain but taste nice...

Anyway whilst there I took the opportunity to grab some last minute deals in the confectionery aisle and thought I may as well blog them whilst I attempt to relax. Now I know these are Christmassy themselves but the idea that you buy a box to share is, so in my eyes they count. They are Cadbury Fabulous Praline Fingers, part of their fabulous range which are meant to be up-market chocolate digits. I've had the honey comb versionand enjoyed them. They were really crunchy and had a great burnt honey taste to them. These are somewhat disappointing. The praline taste is just too subtle and barely comes through over the chocolate. They taste just like a slightly nutty plain finger and to be fair I love them so it's not really that disappointing. Except these tend to cost double the regulars so I do feel a little short changed.

Next I bring two appropriately themed and linked marshmallow items. One I picked up whilst visiting Macarons and more and another from an American import shop. I'll give you three guesses as to which one I prefer. The first one is a beautifully light and fluffy marshmallow with some mince pie filling mixed in. It tastes literally like eating a mince pie cloud. It melts practically before it enters your mouth a bit like candy floss.

and these look nice but taste plain. What is life?

The second mallow is a Christmas tree shaped Peep's marshmallow. Now I had heard of peeps before and have been eager to track down a box. So upon finding a few and some that fit my current challenge at that was a godsend. However this doesn't extent to the product itself as they are horrible. With an unpleasant chewy, cheap texture and literally no taste. I was really disappointed as you can imagine never has there been such build up for such dis bare since a tried a Twinky bar. I've had pound town mallows that are leagues ahead of these.

Overall it was a rather somber post today lets hope it gets better. For tomorrow is Christmas Eve itself, if I don't perk up I run the risk of being visited by three ghosts as is tradition.

Score
Fingers - 6 out of 11
Mince pie mallow  8 out of 11
Peep's mallow - 2 out of 11

Found
Sainsbury's
Tim's macarons and more
American import shop

Final Thoughts
How have Americans allowed Peep's and Twinkies to continue existing? 

Bored Blogging?

I’m starting to regret this challenge a bit if I’m honest. Posting everyday isn’t as easy as you would think believe me. Not only do I have to find time to write each post but there’s also the editing and uploading. Now I’m not really complaining, after all I get to try chocolate as I do them. The problem is that there is a growing sense of resentment.

By imposing a deadline upon myself I’ve begun to feel like the blogs become a job rather than a hobby. I think once the twenty fifth has passed I’ll need a bit of a break. For this reason and because of how similar each of today’s products are this post is going to be a bit short.

He hath no eyes!

First up we have Cadbury’s snowy delight bar, a vanilla crème filled milk chocolate slab especially for Christmas. It tastes as you would expect of the usual milk chocolate but the crème adds another level of sweetness. The crème filling is very similar to the strawberries and crème bar in texture a bit waxy but not too off putting. It gets close to becoming sickly but isn’t unpleasant. Both melt well and combine nicely so it is a good mixture. It’s very similar to product number two.

A Cadburys snowman is at number two, and pretty much the same product but in a different shape… Is what I thought. Yes whilst this is the same milk chocolate outside shell the inside crème isn’t the same. For a start it’s a vanilla mousse and not a crème. This may not seem much change there is as the filling is not only very waxy but also very tasteless. This product just doesn’t work, and is rather disappointing. Even the moulding is lazy and the snowman has no facial features or detail at all. It seems they went for a cheerful and cheap approach with this one, the sort of product you leave by the till for impulse buyers like me to find.

Little disappointed the white chocolate was only a topping

MARS also had this in their sights I’m sure with these Malteasers reindeers, but in this example I wouldn’t regret my buy. I really like these, the chocolate on the outside has a smooth milky taste. The inside is a beautifully crunchy malt middle that counters the sweetness of the outside well. The mixture has little burnt bits in it too that add even more texture. I find these teaser bars and the single Malteasers you get in Celebrations are much nicer than the actual Malteasers. I can’t see why this is so.

Lastly we have a Cadburys winter wonderland bar, these look rather cool. Made of tiny chocolate trees, of both milk and white chocolate. I was a bit disappointed by the fact that the white chocolate is only the top layer but still the taste is there. The chocolate tastes nice not too sweet, though this could be because it’s overpowered slightly by the plain milk chocolate.

Overall there’s not much to say really except that possibly there is too many products released just for one holiday. Or rather too many of the same ideas especially from Cadbury corner.

Score

Snowy Delight - 5 out of 11

Snowman - 2 out of 11

Winter Wonderland - 7 out of 11

Malteaser - 8 out of 11

Found 

Any supermarket

Final Thoughts

Hopefully part of my New Years announcement will cure this dwell in my blog enthusiasm. 

Lebkuchen

Right before you call me dull, boring or worse still a liar, let me have a chance to defend myself. Yes these are basically ginger biscuits and I did indeed suggest I'd at least take a break from such things; however I have reasons (or excuses). Firstly these are technically Lebkuchen and very traditional. Secondly they are more cakey and iced in chocolate. Lastly they are German and as I mentioned before makes them even more festive.

But before we get to them let us go nuts for well... Nuts! Caramelized almonds to be exact. In the last few months I've discovered a lifelong hatred of nuts was rather unfounded and have since been obsessed with making up for lost time. These things are one of those times that make me weep for such missed opportunities, what’s better than a roasted almond? One coated in sugar and then cooked that’s what.

 

More cake than biscuit

These really are great the outside is crispy and tastes of caramelized sugar, hardly a surprise really considering their name. The nut inside has been cooked and roasted well too. The combination created between sweet and savory is great with an epic crunch too for good measure. Now I have had these freshly roasted at a market and that was an experience I can tell you. These are the supermarket equivalent and despite being slightly smaller and not warm are still a delicious and probably dangerous for your health treat.

Next we have the main event, Lebkuchen. Whilst I started by saying these are more gingerbread cookies I think they are much more like a cake, true even more when you consider they usually come coated in icing. These that I have don't, instead these are covered in dark chocolate and have a rice paper base. All the layers have something in common, the fact that they all melt in the mouth nicely. The dark chocolate isn't the usual plain and bitter taste; instead it tastes nicely sweet and works well. This probably means it isn't a good quality example but that doesn't matter all the time.

Like little pebbles of joy

The cake itself isn't very gingery at all, and at this point I would start complaining. I would that is if it mattered which it doesn't. These are meant to taste fruitier than fiery I think which with the fruit peel mixed in definitely delivers. The peel itself mixes well with the chocolate topping and at times creates a Chocolate orange type of taste. These are great all round and such a shame they will soon be much missed from the shelves. They go well with a cup of tea too, multi-talented guys these.

Lastly is an odd concept, hot chocolate kit for two. Yes, on the face of it that seems a good idea right? It is a season for couples to conspire beneath the fire ECT. I would agree too, except this range comes from Toys'R'Us. Yeah things just got weird.

Overall Lebkuchen is amazing and the nuts too and make me realize I'm going to miss some of these fleeting festive treats. But then if we had them all year round they wouldn't be special.

Score

Lebkuchen - 8 out of 11

Caramelized Almonds - 7.5 out 11

Found

Both were found in Lidl

Final Thoughts

Germany really have this Christmas thing down to a T.

Curious Christmas combination

I know what you’re wondering, what could possibly have STOLLEN my attention today? Well I have a plethora of pleasantries for pursuing. I know that alliteration there was so good right, it really took the CAKE. Okay I’m going to stop with the terrible hint puns before you think me a right PUDDING. I must be driving you NUTS.

                

Definitely stopping after that one as in all honesty the one the nuts pun refers to isn’t too nut centric. Moving swiftly on for we have a few to get through today I’ll begin with the Stollen. Probably the most traditional of the four as not only is it festive but it is also German. As I have talked about before Germany is where most of our holiday hang ups originate from. Surely that makes this cake about as festive as you can get.

Thankfully it was only a small slice

 It’s an odd one too the cakes themselves are an amalgamation of soft pastry, fruit and marzipan. An odd combination that actually tastes rather nice, and like this one if made well creates an interesting cooling sensation in the mouth befitting of the season. The pastry is soft and moist and melts nicely on the tongue. The marzipan tastes of sweetened almonds and gives the pastry a nice sugary kick. Then the fruit and spice mixture brings the usual festive tastes that are ever present on our tongues right now. Altogether it creates a great Christmas treat that in my opinion I nicer than what we have adopted.

               

 Over here in England we have Christmas cake, not as fun to say and nowhere near as nice to eat. A combination of fruit, suit and breadcrumbs creating an often dry fruit cake base topped with marzipan and the royal icing. I’m really not a fan, usually when presented with these cakes I tend to eat the icing and marzipan and little else. I find it too dry and dull for my likings. To me, cake has to be sweet, moist and mostly chocolate. The version I tried is from Costa and whilst quite nice and more importantly very small still had the dryness and lack of interesting flavours for me.

                

Puddings in disguise

Next we have a deceiver in our midst for this may look like the traditional festive pud topped with sauce and holly, but take a closer look and that holly looks a bit too perfect. Another give away is that it is clearly made from Rice Krispys and chocolate. It’s a cool little thing I saw in local bakery and had to try, after all it is festively themed. However when I got home I was a little worried. The Krispys were falling off a rapid rate and they seemed a bit dull in colour. I realized that the chocolate in the mixture may have been lacking in aid of a batch bake. Undeterred however I tried a chunk and was pleasantly surprised. The cereal at first tasted a bit stale, but that was to be expected. The surprise was how the chocolate mixture tasted rather chocolaty and quite buttery. The combination worked well and tasted of sweet chocolate butter. I can tell you it didn’t last much longer and crumbled away to nothing.

                

With these Raffaellos I am really being spoiled

Lastly we have some snowball like Ferrero Roche’s, or rather their white chocolate coconut brother Raffaello. I never really eat Ferrero Roche’s that much; they aren’t the sort of thing you buy when you want a quick chocolate fix. I also don’t get invited to many Ambassador Balls and so don’t see many of the pyramid offerings of them either. Yet the fact that these versions only appear this time of year made me eager to buy a box just to try. Am I glad I did? Yes, Yes I am. These taste great with a crispy coconut outside a creamy nutty inside and a whole Almond all offered in one hit. They taste very luxurious without being too rich and filling as the regular ones have in the past. These have a great coconut and milky chocolate taste that ends with a great nutty crunch.

                

Overall I love most of today’s products except ironically the one we hold dearest to our hearts in this country. I say we adopt more German traditions and take on the Stollen.

Score

Christmas Stollen -  8 out of 11

Christmas cake - 4 out of 11

Rice Krispy pudding - 6 out of 11

Raffaelo - 9 out of 11

Final Thoughts

Only eight more days left, I can't believe it!

Serge Premium Eggnog

Thinking back to this time last year I realize I was a very different person. Quite literally if you know a certain secret about this blog (which will be revealed to all on the New Year’s Eve). But yes, thinking back I remember as usual my mind was rather taken up by an obsession. One that didn't last that long mainly as it was rather seasonal. That obsession was hunting down and trying some eggnog.

This drink I had heard so much about was all I could think of. I knew that in America during this season there is an abundance of the drink, yet over here we had no such thing. Days were spent entering shops and asking rather perplexed staff if they sold the festive beverage. Often they had never even heard of it let alone stock it. The closest I ever found was Avoca which many may see as essentially the same. The difference is that Avoca is alcoholic eggnog and tastes more of liquor than anything else.

 

Weirdly I think it comes from a European company.

My obsession got to a point where I started looking into making my own. This was rather dangerous and daring considering it involves raw egg and me. The result was, ok. It tasted like crème Brule but that may have been because I had used too much sugar and nutmeg. The main thing was that it wasn't deadly and I'm still here to tell this tale. Although I didn't allow anyone else to try it for fear of killing them.

The festive season soon faded into but a memory and with it the obsession too. Then one day weirdly in the summer I found eggnog... In Tesco, in the foreign food section, where I've been able to find it ever since. Turns out too that they had it when I was searching yet no one seemed to know it existed. So I waited until now, the next festive season to finally try some.

The result of which is here, on a side note I now find an American version in Tesco that’s five pounds. That seems a bit expensive considering these cartons are less than a quid about four aisles down. Anyway I broke the straw off and plunged it into the silver hole all cartons have.

The leading American Rip off, I mean product

Taking a sip I find it to be really nice, definitely worth the wait. It is thick and creamy but in a way that's still refreshing. It's like milk rather than milkshakes. Like I said in my Frijj review if it's too thick it doesn't taste like a drink and is too thin to be yoghurt. Taste wise it's nice too being both milky, vanillary and slightly spiced all at once. It definitely tastes like the holiday season in a carton. Obviously very similar to Avoca but without the warming sensation of the alcohol.

Overall I wish these things would be more popular over here. I think in the US have it right with their tradition on this one, I definitely recommend.

Score

8 out of 11

Found

Finally found in Tesco

Final Thoughts

I may not have killed myself with my concoction but I haven't been the same since!

I rant about something small

So I’ve pretty much been able to avoid this problem until now, but it's day seven so I’m going to tackle a subject that I’ve ranted about before. No, not cheap tasting chocolate or how I believe all chocolate from my childhood is somehow smaller. Not even wondering why it’s always the toffee left in the Roses tin never the creams (though that one does annoy me and keep me up at night). No, these are common complaints and by now surely you readers know there is nothing common about me.

On reflection that last line seems a bit pretentious, makes it sound like I believe I have blue blood running through my veins (the royal kind, not the cold kind. Though pretty much the same I guess #burn). No what I meant was that the things that annoy me usually don’t appear on a sane person's radar, probably goes to show how small my problems actually are. What annoys me is the repackaging of old products as new or different for holiday periods. We saw it for Halloween and once again we get it for Christmas.

At least the woollen design will keep them warm in these chilly times.

I’ve noticed the worst for this is probably Cadbury who have released a few cardboard tube share boxes. Now I know you’ve adopted that lovely woollen look for your packaging but it doesn’t make it new. The worst so far has been the tubes of Buttons and Fredo Faces I show you today. Neither is very good as share boxes go either. They contain individual bags of the sweets which isn’t exactly very share friendly. You’re more likely to have a bag to yourself than if they were loose in the tube. The Buttons are even just their usual mini bags; it just comes off as rather lazy.

Surely a better idea would be a big bag of them inside the tube that you could tip out into a bowl or something. Instead I would have to open each individual bag and pathetically fill the bowl in small quantities. Then you have the added disappointment that they are all the same flavour. One product does understand however, that’s the Terry chocolate Orange segsational boxes. These are great as there are all six different flavours of the orange without having to buy their bigger brother versions. Great, if like me you want to try all the different varieties but don’t want the guilt of six whole oranges to yourself.

Sample sizes are always welcome, all the taste non of the guilt!

Lastly we have Kinder bar minis, got to be a bit of a hypocrite on this one and say I actually like these. Firstly they are loose in the tube so you can just tip them out in an impressive sharing display. Plus they are rather new as you can’t get the Kinder bars in this size. Each piece is like a mini snack and you don’t get the problem with the larger bar that often feels sickly sweet and provide the unnecessary guilt trip. No, two blocks of gorgeous kinder white and milk chocolate is the right amount as far as I’m concerned.

Not quite sure where this post has gone really. The main idea is that often around this time of year we get the usual share boxes panic buy. A concept that should have been left to variety chocolates like Roses or Heroes, yet companies decided we needed the creation of tubes filled with the same product. This is just rather dull after you’ve had a few of the same tasting Dairy Milk button. Perhaps I’m the problem; I do get bored very quickly after all. I guess it does get rid of the problem I alluded to earlier when you go hunting for the Purple One only to find some bugger has nicked them all!

I'm guessing a Reindeer, but honestly could be a goat

Overall, whilst the idea of share boxes is great and all can we please ensure we respect the tradition of variety in these boxes. Cadburys shame on you!

Score (of effort put in)

Cadburys - 4 out of 11

Segsationals - 8 out of 11

Kinder - 6 out of 11

Found

Variety boxes are everywhere at the moment as are share boxes.

Final Thought

Wasn't really a review at all, more like a full on rant... sorry!

Joy's Ginger buns and Frangipan Mince Pies

Wow, is it already the sixth of December? We are over a fifth of the way there to festive family fun. Goes so quickly, it won’t be long until the second of January when we emerge bleary eyed and amazed we have to wait another year. It is odd after months and months of build-up often Christmas is gone after just a week.

Months of panic buying, panic preparing and panic baking. If you do it right though, it is definitely worth the hassle. Christmas creates some magical moments if you let it, especially when baking’s involved. There’s nothing quite like settling round the TV with “the folks” and enjoying a warmed mince pie. Roaring fire in the corner, bellies so full already that you can’t actually move. Yet somehow there’s definitely room for that warm pie and indeed I will have some brandy butter.

Look a candle!

That’s a lovely image to have in your head to power you through the last few weeks. In reality by the evening everyone’s fed up of each other, the kids want to play with prezzies, adults want to just sleep and Grandmas just done or said something unpleasant. But you know what keeps its special nature that homemade mince pie, you know unless it’s Mr Kiplings.

Why do I present these pictures for you? Well todays review is a little different and a little special too. I have two items for you that were homemade with love. Made by my wonderful Girlfriends mum, who is eagerly getting into the festive mood and baking up a storm. Except that last week we had a ground almond stock emergency and had to do some extra scouting to track the blighters down. In celebration of our success she baked thank you ginger buns (which I love) and Frangipane Mince Pies, which I have never tried but was more than a little intrigued.

His happiness was not to last...

Now I know, in context can I be completely impartial in this review you ask. Well not really I guess for one both my Girlfriend and her mum could possibly read this. However I will attempt to review them as I do with any item given to me and try to remain impartial. Not that I think it will be a problem the ginger buns especially are always good (don’t get me started on the crumbles!)

So first up ginger buns, that’s what they are called and essentially what they are. You may know them as fairy cakes or mini cupcakes depending on your vocabulary. Either way these are slightly more special than usual by featuring an icing topping with a miniature gingerbread man for added love. The cakes themselves taste as great as ever, with a light fluffy texture and a subtly sweet butter taste. Then you come across a small piece of stem ginger and get an intense fiery kick that adds even more excitement.

He met an unfortunate "accident"

I will admit I took more pleasure in slowly consuming the gingerbread man limb for limb than I’d like to admit. Then again that’s where the fun is, poor guy by the end he was barely a bow tie! Then I moved on to a pie, a new concept for me this one. I’m use to my mince pies being topped by more pastry, which if I have to admit I’m not found of due to the fact that I get a bit board by pie crust. So these seem like an awesome idea, instead of the usual pastry on top, is a layer of marzipan and then flaked almonds.

Tasted amazing, totally unbiased... honest

The result tastes great with the combination of buttery pastry, mince pie filling and almond topped marzipan is great! They somehow all hit you at once in a lovely blend and yet also are unique enough that you can pick out each layer. I’m not sure what parts my favourite but I’m going to hedge my bets and say the top layer, it tastes sweetly of almond and has the flaked nuts on top for added crunch and texture. I don’t know why shops don’t sell these; Mr Kipling does about five types of mince pie but all pretty much the same.

Overall these were amazing, but then again they were bound to be. No, not because I’m biased, but because they were homemade and that made them special.

Score

Ginger Bun - 8 out of 11

Frangipan Mince Pie - 9 out of 11

Found

A tupperware box presented to me.

Final Thoughts

What should I bake in return?

Dairy Milk Chocolate Coins and Others

So yesterday I talked about one aspect of Christmas tradition. OK so I didn’t really but I did reference them, baubles. Essentially balls that for some reason become festive the moment December arrives. It is odd how everyday items take on a whole new meaning for the holidays.

Take today's items for example, coins, we use them every day to buy our hearts desires. They are rather essential, unless you’re like me and find yourself shoving them in your pocket and forgetting them. Honestly sometimes my coat is so weighed down by the things I feel like I’m wearing a divers suit. Anyway slightly off topic, so yes, once a year these little blighters take on a whole new form.

I'm a sucker for the knitted look of Cadbury products.

Suddenly they become chocolate and usually much bigger than usual (not that I’m complaining). I don’t know why they do this I assume it has something to do with stockings. In my house at least my parents would fill our stockings with loose change; I guess the idea is to do the same but with chocolate.  Whatever the reason for their miraculous transformation, I have three to bring before you today.

I have a Dairy Milk branded bag and two unbranded cheaper ones I got for the price of one golden disk (£1). First up the Dairy Milk ones, in three different sizes and two colours. Disappointingly the different foil doesn’t denote different flavours. Nope, these are all Dairy Milk and taste well you’ve guesses it like Dairy Milk. Although it is a nice taste and it’s good to see a company not changing the recipe for a gimmicky holiday idea. Then again it is Cadbury so they can usually be trusted. Not much to say except they are nicely presented in the usual net bag and you get quite a few.

No company name on the label. Always a good sign

Next up we have the cheaper version, first I’ll try the milk chocolate as a comparison. Again they come in a multiple of sizes and any colour you want, as long as it’s gold. I begin to worry as I peel back the foil on one of the smaller ones as I get a cheap an oddly nutty aroma. Never a good sign in any situation. Popping one in my mouth I get a taste of stale sweetened chocolate, with a slight cardboard taste which you could say is rather confusing. As I expected really these are nowhere near as nice, but then nowhere near the price either.

Lastly I move on to the white chocolate currency changelings, my hopes weren’t high for these either as it’s the same company. On unwrapping I got little encouragement and very little smell. However, taste wise these are actually really, really… dull. Honestly there was no flavour to begin with and then slight hints of cardboard mixed with a Milky Bar. Still let’s remember these things cost very little and are probably meant for someone much younger and less refined than I (maybe not the second one actually).

Behind the forth door, I think it's a Christmas pudding, bit early right?

One thing they all shared in common regardless of price was the fact that the coin design was carried on inside too. It’s a small detail I know but after two disappointments they keep me going.

Overall I shouldn't complain, I do but I shouldn't. Instead really I should appreciate them after all they will be gone for another year soon… What a shame, Eh?

Score

Dairy Milk - 8 out of 11

Cheapo milk chocolate - 4 out of 11

Cheapo Whit chocolate - 3 out of 11

Found

All three from a petrol station.

Final Thoughts

Why can't we use chocolate money as currency, scratch that don't think it would work some how.

Cherry Cordial m&m's and other balls

            What’s an iconic Christmas shape? One, that’s also very happy dangling from your Christmas tree,. That’s right I'm talking about spheres, or to most of us balls. Today’s review deals with all kinds balls, in three whole varieties.

            Okay so once again that opening is perhaps a bit more innuendo filled than I would have hoped. However I bet all those balls caught your attention. Wait; scratch that, although they do kind of stick out innuendos, that is. What does that say about the human mind, I wonder?

            So moving on the point is todays review concerns three sugar coated spheroids. Also as this is day four of my Christmas advent challenge so they are all festively themed too. We have Cherry Cordial m&m's, Reindeer noses and some white chocolate type sugar candy.

          

Wish I had a fetching pair of tights like those.

  So first up let’s look at Cherry Cordial m&m's. Yet another case of a favorite brand not releasing all available versions in the UK. I know it’s a small point but seriously it does bother me. Over here we only really have three types and even then we only got crispy in the last year or so. I had to order these from Ebay and a guy shipping isn’t cheap.

          

  Although I'm glad I did, as these are very nice. Unlike the Pumpkin spice ones these actually have a bit of a flavor to them. As soon as you reach the center you get an intense taste of cherry. Then again this does overpower the chocolate taste slightly, leaving the cocoa as more of an afterthought. If you give these a chance for this to melt in your mouth you do get the best of both worlds.

          

I think the crispiness is about all they had going for them!

  Next up the White chocolate drops that I found at a local market. They caught my eye quickly as you don't often get sugar coated white chocolate (unless your American and you can buy Candy Corn m&m's, Not bitter at all). The white chocolate itself tastes nice, almost like a Milky bar nicely sweet and milky. The shell itself adds well too, as if you erode the shell away the insides warmed to a point that melts perfectly.

        

    Lastly we have Reindeer noses; I've seen the usual 'hilarious' Reindeer droppings (chocolate covered raisins). But these are new to me, and perhaps that’s not a bad thing. The chocolate tastes very cheap and the sugar shell just adds to this. Not much I can say except these were disappointing.

          

Behind today's door was a melting snowman, how festive.

  Overall I enjoyed most of these, except the noses, although the idea was there. The worst thing here is the reminder of the m&m's I miss because I don't live in candy central.  

Score

White Chocolate drops - 6 out of 11

Reindeer Noses - 3 out of 11

Cherry Cordial m&m's - 8 out of 11

Found

Local market

Co-operative food store

and EBAY

Final Thought

 I really don't want to now have to try Reindeer droppings!

Foxes Cherry Cheesecake and Honeycomb-crunch Fingers

Guess what guys! Today's review is back to biscuits, okay wait before you flip your table in uproar at least hear me out. I do have a reason for going back on my statements from yesterdays review. Basically these two items are either on sale right now or limited edition. (coincidental tumbleweed of uncaring happens)

Fine! I know it is a feeble excuse for going back on my word, but you know what? I don't care, I love biscuits. Hell, I bet you love biscuits and anyway they aren't ginger biscuits again so at least there is some variety here.

 

Vinnie looks mighty proud of his "bisquits" (Advert reference)

The two items in question are completely different in their use too. One is aimed at snacking, pretty much to be shared in a group type function like an ambassador ball (or more likely film night). The other is more along the line of my usual biscuit binge, as an accompaniment to my caffeinated beverage at lunch.

I'll start with he biscuit that was on offer, mainly because it's not new just on offer so I get a sweet treat at a discount price. Win, win in my eyes. These are a sharing bag of Cadbury's mini fingers and not just any mini fingers but HONEYCOMB CRUNCH fingers. I know your excited now right. So without further ado or cup in hand I chomp down on these bizarre biscuit. They are definitely crunchy too, a great taste too when bitten into. The milk chocolate is sweet but not too sweet that the subtle honey flavour underneath can't get through. It has a nice toffee taste to it and is similar to the chocolate coated cinder toffee I tried before.

If left to melt you can fully enjoy the great Cabury's milk chocolate but with an added biscuit tinge. It's not quite as sweet as usual but this is as I've said good as it allows the honeycomb to step in. The biscuit beneath doesn't really do much on the tongue and isn't absorbent in any useful way for it to be dunked. Still a really nice biscuit great for sharing, especially with the re-seal able bag aspect. Although I doubt you will need it!

Next up with have one of Foxes new American orientated biscuits. Four limited edition flavours that Vinnie the Panda (Don't ask) hopes will invoke a taste of the Atlantic in our mouths. This is the flavour that most appealed to me and is Cherry cheesecake Jammy Dodgers. Which is odd as Jammy Dodgers are one of my least favorite biscuit around. Too much biscuit not enough filling. However, the idea of cherry cheesecake definitely appeals to me.

 

Amazingly exercised cross section display here... perfect separation

Am I glad it did catch my eye? You be I am! These taste great and I hope that they keep the range gong for a while or even add to them. The cream filling doesn't really taste cheesy, more like a vanilla butter-cream flavour. A bit too sweet on it's own. The jam has a very powerful and nicely tart cherry taste that compliments the creams sweetness. The digestive biscuit doesn't really have flavour of it's own but that's not a bad thing considering the mix already on offer.

Overall both of these biscuits are great. I would definitely recommend the American range whilst it is available. As for the fingers if you have a party coming up then these are bound to be favorites and enough to go around too.

Score 

Finger's 5 out of 11

Cherry Pie 8 out of 11

Found

Sainsbury's

Final Thoughts

Why does a Panda have an American gangster character type? Also why is a Panda the mascot for Foxe's bisquits?

Yo! Sushi coated Edame beans

Okay so I admit yesterdays review may have been a bit lazy. For starters I didn't pay for it, then factor in the fact that it concerned yet another ginger biscuit. If I'm not careful you guys and girls might stop reading. Hell if I keep boring myself I might stop writing. What a travesty for the world that would be right?

Anyway I thought I'd push the boat out a bit and get out there. The boat n question landed somewhere on the oriental shoreline it would seem judging by today's products. Added to this and to really spice things up one of today's items is a savoury snacking item. Wasabi peas to be precise (now go back re-read the spice it up comment and chuckle at my genius.) The other item is a bag of coated Edema beans another snacking bag but these are chocolate and yogurt coated and provide the usual sweetness to my post.

They don't look like much but really pack a punch!

So lets start with the savoury and talk about your P's and Q's. For those out of the know wasabi is a Japanese mustard like sauce, very hot and very spicy. Peas are small round vegetation that some people say is better for you than sugar! I love hot products so was rather excited hen I saw these for sale in my local cafe. Opening the bag I was struck by a very pungent mustard aroma, a sure fire sign for a heatwave ahead.

I popped one on my tongue and allowed the dusting to do its work. Wow are these spicy! With a definite taste of English mustard not too much to be overpowering and cause the familiar problem of mustard blowout leading to pain in the nasal cavities. The pea underneath is nicely roasted its got a great crunch to it and enough flavour on its own to curb boredom. I risked eating three at once and immediately regretted it. Too hot even for me and the result was a rather painful sneezing fit.

To recover and recuperate we shall move on to the sweet. These are roasted Edama beans coated in yogurt, milk chocolate and dark chocolate. This on the base of it seems like a very odd concept. Whenever I've seen Edama beans before they are at most in a salad coated in a soy sauce. They are very nice but not really for the realms of dessertery.

All bases covered here

First up the yoghurt coating, I let it melt on my tongue as per usual. It tastes subtly sweet with a nice plain milky flavour. Not to bad, may have worked better had it been coated in white chocolate. The bean underneath does add to the combination well, it's surprising how nice the combination is. There is a nice crunch and roasted flavour to these very similar to the peas.

Next I try the milk chocolate coated beans, I think these are going to be my favourite of the three. Allowing it to melt I get a pleasant sweet milk chocolate taste that is cheap but quite nice regardless. Not quite advent calender chocolate so no sickly sweetener aftertaste. The bean underneath again gives a nice savoury kick to the occasion that blends well. Lastly the dark chocolate, perhaps we should have the "dark" in quotes as it tastes more sweet than bitter. Clearly not a high cocoa content dark chocolate, rather just a slightly bitter plain chocolate.

Overall these are all nice in their own rights. Definitely the change from biscuits that I was aiming for too.   

Score

Wasabi Peas - 8 out of 11

Edama Beans - 7 out of 11

Found

The Wasabi peas in my local cafe and chocolate Edame from Yo! Sushi

Final Thought

Today has been very different, two whole types of vegetation in one review!

National Nut Day

Happy national nut day everyone! I bring you great and might I add nutty tidings for today. Hope your cashews remain crunchy and your hazelnuts hard. Whats that you have never heard of national nut day! Well actually neither have I, in fact I thought I had made it up as a exciting and engaging hook for todays post.

Howver as it turns out on the 22nd of October this very year (2013), the Uk celebrated not it's first but forth National Nut day. After a little research, (if I'm honest it was literally just reading the side bar on the official website.)  I found out that actually this is an American holiday brought over here recently to encourage healthy eating and environmental responsibility. Not sure how much of that actually applies to todays items, If I'm realistic the nuts here probably haven't even heard of sustainable!

Just how many m&m characters are there now?

Todays two nutty products are both m&m's and both clearly are on the nutty side of the fence. I have a bag of Almond m&m's which you don't find here in England. So when I saw a pack I knew immediately I wanted to compare them to the standard peanut m&m's. Surely I though they can't be that different to warrant two different sub products, please don't point out the fact that there are both a dark chocolate and milk chocolate m&m's. Nor the fact that there is actually a dark chocolate peanut m&m variant, can we just agree that perhaps that MARS are a bit m&m happy in their ideas department.

So bright and attractive and well nutty!

So let's look at these and make a decision, Do we need both? I'm going to throw a wild guess out there and say no. Lets not be too hasty ,however, after all perhaps they taste completely different (doubtful). Ok so firstly in mascot we have two guys here in the peanut corner we have classic Yellow guy (voiced by J.K Simmons, think we have a clear winner already!) and in the Almond alley Blue guy. Yellow wins he's one of the first thing that springs to mind when you think m&m, other than good old red. Next in size, which believe me matters people, well in candy at least it does. Yeah the Almond wins this round rather although remember no more chocolate is on offer it is just because almond is the bigger nut.

The important part now taste!the peanut has a great peanut taste that mixes with the chocolate in the best kind of way to give a nice sweet and nutty taste. Almost like nutella but much more subtly chocolatey, it's very nice and very more-ish. The shell adds slight sweetness and extra crunch. It's not quite as smooth as peanut butter but it's close and thats never a bad thing.

Remember folks size doesn't always matter!

Next the almond, as I've mentioned almonds are the bigger nut. Yet they don't usually have such a good and intense taste as peanuts do, after all who would buy almond butter over peanut butter (nutters thats who HAHAHA... sorry). I was right, barely any discernable nut taste but I was also wrong turns out there is more chocolate here. This just ends up tasting like a blander than average m&m with an odd texture inside. Not unpleasant but definately not enough of a nut hit for any fan.

Overall it's a clear winner in the Yellow corner, but than again what did I expect it's peanut after all!

Score
Peanut - 8 out of 11
Almond - 5 out of 11


Found
Peanut ones can be found pretty much anywhere, literally these are more availeable than the normal ones. The Almond ones I bought from an import store.


Final Thoughts
Hope non of you guys have a nut allergy and suffer as a result of my post

Cadbury's Portsmouth Outlet

I think I’ve found Shangri-La! Or you know El Dorado, something that people only dream of finding. The type of place a person wastes their lives searching for. Yet, I Roy Saxon have found it! In Portsmouth of all places! What is this mythical place, you ask? (You should be) It’s a Cadbury outlet store, yes a shop owned and run by Cadburys and indeed they sell chocolate. 

I feel like Indiana Jones or that guy who discovered that tomb. You know that one, right? I know this place will contain treasures beyond my wildest dreams, however, to get them there will be perilous traps. Traps that could easily take my life, or more likely my money. Without thinking of the risks too much I delve in for adventure.

Bask in the wondrous glory!

I was correct there is indeed chocolate to be had here, and at a discount price too. I enter and turn left (as statistically everyone does, apparently). A range of sealed bags bearing little description beyond misshapen bars are there before me. What a weird and wonderful idea I think. Perhaps all along those bars that are deemed unfit for sale do find a home beyond the rubbish heap I had expected. However it was a shame and on closer inspection these were in fact just jumbles of Cadbury Heroes and Roses. I was bitterly disappointed and sought comfort in the arms of some chocolate. The very chocolate I purchased and have brought to you today.


Before I made my actual purchase I had a further look round not wanting to miss a thing. I noticed how curiously it wasn’t just Cadbury products on sale here as I had expected.  It was their own products that were being sold at a reduced outlet price though and other names were their usual retail offering. The bar I picked of Toffee Popcorn Crunch can attest to this at a discounted price then I had been accustomed to seeing.

Looks sweet and innocent now, right?

So that’s today’s item. Which I soon unwrapped and consumed after escaping Cadbury’s candy cove. I was at once very surprised, well twice technically as I was taken aback two fold. Firstly just how thick this bar is, it is rather beastly, being almost twice as thick as a Dairy Milk bar. Obviously this is to allow it to contain whole pieces of popcorn which looks rather impressive. Secondly the worryingly sparse amount of chocolate, with just enough here to hold together said popcorn and a bit more for the top and sides.

I try a piece soon enough anyway. As always I try and let it melt for the first tasting. The chocolate is the usual beautifully sweet and creamy Dairy Milk but due to little coverage this fades quickly. The popcorn also melts nicely on the tongue but unlike the Dairy Milk the sensation isn’t as pleasant. Instead it just turns mushy and tastes a bit plain. The again popcorn isn’t really meant for melting in the mouth is it?

But look it's a friggin monster!

No, it’s meant for chomping down on in a noisy manner to annoy all other movie goers! So the next piece I chomp down on with glee. The experience is much better with a good bite and great texture its clearly not meant for a sucker like me. But it tastes great like this and the popcorn this time had a hint of toffee to it. This combined well with the chocolate and created a nice combination. The toffee was a bit fleeting, but there was obvious potential here.

Overall this bar is quite cool, but could be made better by having more of a toffee taste. The main thing is still my discovery of the Cadbury store, a modern day miracle!

Score
8 out of 11

Found
Cadbury's outlet store

Final Thoughts
I wonnder how many of these ancient chocolate worshipping sites exist?