Thorton's Strawberry Heart Lolly

It’s an odd time for chocolate at the moment, a time when the confectionary aisle has developed the worrying traits of split personality disorder. There seems to be a battle going on between the forces of Valentine’s Day and Easter. Retailers aren’t quite sure which to focus on. Add to that the problem of left over Christmas stock (and god-forbid Halloween) you have a three way war on my attention and my wallet.

                It’s Valentine’s Day that’s the problem, you see it is only one day so understandably they don’t want to prepare too much, except unlike Halloween it’s a single day that is very heavily gift orientated. It’s odd how us humans can take a concept of love and easily interweave that with money. Essentially the day is proving you love someone with items, which ironically is against its very idea. However this is a rather negative way of looking at it and hay ho it also means lots of lovely chocolate!

They won't evade capture for long!

                I’ve seen the usual influx of new and limited products sweeping the shelves in anticipation of the big day, the one I most want to try is Lindor’s strawberry and cream. It seems however everyone else has the same wish and I find that the shelf is bare when I go to grab a box. As you can imagine this leaves me slightly disappointed and with a hole inside, a hole only chocolate can fill. For instance the other day on finding a lack of product I consoled myself with a Thornton’s strawberry and white chocolate love heart. These are pretty big too so it definitely cheered me up after the devastating lack of Lindor.

                They look nice and obviously fittingly themed and shaped, although the fact that it’s on a stick worries me. It’s a rather horrific idea if you think about this in another way. I get the obvious symbolism of, here (insert loved ones name) take my love (represented by heart shape).  Lovely on the face of it, except in this instance they will then devour your love leaving you with a stick and a wrapper ready for the bin. Perhaps I’m thinking too much or maybe I’m just a terrible cynic.

Mine didn't last long enough for photos

                As a chocolate it’s nice though so I’d quite happily devour it. Really this is just a re-sized and re-shaped Thornton’s strawberry smile, but those taste great anyway so I’m not complaining. It has a great sweet fruity aroma which carries through to the taste. As soon as you bite down you get a beautifully sweet strawberry taste that’s neither over powering nor artificial. It melts perfectly too with the texture of cream, fitting rather considering the age old British summer tradition. The mix with the white chocolate is what provides the delicious texture and creamy aftertaste that thankfully doesn’t distract from the fruit taste.

                Overall these Valentine’s Day treats are great and it will be a shame once they have left us alone and seeking comfort in a weeks’ time. Then I will need consoling again, this time I’m thinking mini-eggs!

Score
7 out of 11

Found
Superdrug

Final Thoughts
By Easter is Christmas chocolate retro?

Hark how the bell gets ready to toll!

Really isn't long left folks until Halloween. I am fully prepared I believe now, I have a pumpkin for carving. I have a costume for treating and some friends for surviving. I hope you guys have this much planning or plotting in place. Of course the most important aspect is candy.

Today we have a few products themed towards Halloween as part of my spooktacular challenge. We have a spooky Cadbury's cinder toffee cake bar. I like the sound of this flavor and haven't seen it offered before. We have a skeleton chocolate lolly from Thornton's, Something for the luxuriously spoilt kids. For the cheap kids like moi we have a milky bar ghost whom was on offer when I snatched it up.

Don't know what qualifies cake to be spooky if I'm honest

First up the cake bar, according to the packet each is wrapped by mummies. Now I'm not certain but judging by the packaging it's the hammer horror kind not the maternal. Not sure this is that reassuring because I don't particularly think Egyptian mummies were big on hygiene. This aside I venture inside the tomb to try one of these "frightfully good" (slightly better than mediocre then eh Cadbury's?) cake bars.
Now I'm not normally a fan of cake bars but I'll try regardless.

As soon as I did I was pleased the chocolate coating was up to the usual milk chocolate standards but that's not what hit me. I was really hit by the toffee it was fangtastic, a beautifully rich taste and a nice fluffy sponge. However I found as I ventured further I found the toffee became rather sickly. Thankfully the sponge is light and unflavoured so there is slight balance. But not enough and I came out feeling a bit over indulged. the chocolate coating was good, melted well with a subtly sweetness.

At least he has that look of someone who's long time dead and not like...

Next the chocolate lolly, I like the design they have done a cool idea in using white chocolate as a picture on milk chocolate. Not a new idea but welcome never the less, unfortunately this often means the white chocolate passes unnoticed by the tongue. As I bit into it I recognized that same reoccurring them along with the Gothic themes. Cheaper blends of chocolate, I noticed the usual quality of Thorton's chocolate but with added sweetener and less cocoa. The was a nice subtle nutty aftertaste but I don't now if I was just seeking for excitement. I had noticed half the bar had bloomed, now I'd stored this with everything else and only bought it the other day so this was a concerning sign.

This guy who looks too happy and hyper and being deceased!

But I moved on to the last item a milkybar ghost. Not much to say really it is exactly the same chocolate we all know and love but in a spectral form. Although rather lazy at least they aren't scrimping on quality.

Overall I think the milky bar was the nicest although I could have just bought a regular version and been just as happy. The cake bar started so well I'm rather disappointed that it was a bit too much sweetness. However I may try the other one before it skulks off for another year.

Score
Cinder Toffee cakes- 6 out of 11
Skeleton Lolly- 5 out of 11
Milky bar Ghost- 6 out of 11

Found
Sainsbury's for the cake bars, Thornton's for the skeleton and Superdrug for the ghosty

Final Thoughts
What happens to all the shops Halloween items?

Chocolate, Boring? NEVER!

How can chocolate ever be boring? That’s what I asked myself immediately as I read an article on the internet. (I know you shouldn’t question anything on the web but it provoked a response) The writer at one point described the chocolates by the retailer known as Thornton’s as dull and in need of a facelift if it wants to continue being successful. Is this writer insane? If it contains cocoa how can something be boring?

Then I thought a bit more and realised something. I hadn’t been into a Thornton’s in years, I glimpsed them out the corner of my eyes but never felt even an urge to enter. Maybe the author had a point. In these times when chocolate is becoming rather adventurous either through the gimmicky, like Cadburys marvellous range. Or the extravagant like the ranges of dark Guatemalan miracle bean and giant bird island red chilli (not a real one FYI). Perhaps it will leave the old fashioned and ever reliable brands in the wayside. Surely however Thornton’s must be keeping an eye on the trend and doing there bit so why hadn’t I been paying attention to any of their developments?

Thornton's is actually celebrating 100 years! 

Firstly as I’m sure like most of you when I think of Thornton’s I think of gift boxes. It’s never been a place you go for a bar to get you through the day. They have a special air about their sweets that you don’t buy them for yourself, not a bad thing obviously as it does make them special when you receive them. Secondly as the writer pointed out their stock and image never seems to change. I had to agree, all those times I walked by I never saw any change in shop layout or colour scheme. Worse still is that I never see them promoting any new lines or products extensively. Think of a Thornton’s chocolate you’ve had readers, I bet they still stock it in some form or another.

I thought I should at least give them a chance and step inside next time I passed. The interior was exactly the same as the last time I had entered a Thornton’s (it wasn’t even the same one either). Still rather beige with a hint of brown, the walls lined with selection boxes and gift plaques. However this is because that’s what your eyes are drawn to, taking a closer inspection I found kids chocolate and a few bars I could be tempted to snack on. However even these still had rather expensive looking packaging that made me want to give it away and not be selfish.

Whilst there I spied something that cheered me up as always, free samples. On the counter was a silver plate of their smiles range to try. So I did and gobbled down a strawberry smile which tasted great. Great flavour melted well in my mouth and left behind some seed like pips that gave it an interesting texture. They were nice and simple enough for me to be tempted to buy a bag, I didn’t as the bags were large and I knew I’d get bored of them. That’s not the whole review I’m afraid, no we are still in the preamble.

A modern Thornton's, compare the photos folks. Spot the differences.

As not only had I acquired some free chocolate, I had also picked up a sense of guilt. The member of staff eyed me from behind the counter and asked if there was anything I wanted. I knew in my heart nothing really inspired me to buy but I couldn’t leave. She would think I just came in for the sample, that’s basically theft! I panicked and said small chocolate bars; she gave me a funny look and pointed to the rather obvious section containing smaller bars. I hurriedly looked for anything that took my fancy and found a bar of Lemon white chocolate and popping candy. That spelled excitement surely? I paid and left before the sirens began to wail.

The chocolates packaged in a nice cardboard box again it still feels like I should be presenting this not tearing it open to consume at once. Inside the chocolates wrapped in foil which is always nice as it keeps it fresher somehow, this could be a placebo effect however. I unwrapped a corner and break off a chunk. Disappointingly there is no strong smell to it.

See it looks too fancy to not be gifty.

I found it to be silky and smooth, with a nice white chocolate whisper that’s beaten by the lemon taste that hits you first. It’s not too sweet, strong or bitter however and is rather pleasing. It’s like the lemon fondue contained in the gift boxes just more solid and with chocolate mixed in rather than encasing.  The flavour stays a while and when it fades you notice the popping sensation. I find this rather exciting, it reminds me of childhood. Unfortunately the popping candy doesn’t last long. This just means I have to go back for another bite, this chocolate is rather moreish.

Overall I think I proved Thornton’s does contain excitement. It’s just they are very good at concealing it; they could do with promoting their smaller ranges a bit more. Especially any new releases they have as often their window displays are filled with… gifty-ness?

Score

8 out of 11

Found

Ummmm Thornton's?

Final Thought

I guess sawdust chocolate could be boring.