NEW! Soft Centre Chocolate Macaroons (M&S)

M&S updated their 'Dessert Menu' collection this week. Well there's got to be an upside to the darker mornings and chillier days hasn't there? You might've noticed that most of the supermarkets have also launched Christmas sections too - but don't worry, I've not been struck by mince pie mania like last year. Yet. Giant chocolate macaroons though? Count me in!

"French almond chocolate macaroons - just warm for a soft chocolate ganache centre."

The new desserts in the range are all part of a 20% introductory offer. This double pack was still a pricey £3.20 though. Macaroons are always expensive but can they be spectacular enough to warrant the £3.80 (non-offer) price tag? Let's find out...

Each macaroon was about 10cm ish in diameter, and could be eaten warm or cold. To be honest, it was the idea of the molten middle that persuaded me to prise apart my usually tight purse strings. Call me simple but I really don't understand the fascination with macaroons. 25 seconds in the microwave and it was ready to go.

Microwaves have a habit of making crispy food soggy but the shell remained crispy on the outside and soft on the insider. There was a fair amount of cocoa flavour to it too, with the almond aftertaste following through. As for the ganache, it was, of course, undeniably decadent due to the dark chocolate (11%) and whipping cream (19%) and once warmed became more like a sauce. In fact, the whole experience was like eating a lighter warm chocolate fudge cake. 

The new giant Macaroons are great for the novelty factor, however  I can't help but feel they pale in comparison to the Gold Bullion bars in terms of creativity and innovation. That said, I'd happily pick them up as part of the Dine In for £10 meal deal (if and when they're ever included) but would never pay the full price for them. 

8/10. 

Ritter Sport Honey Salt Almonds Milk Chocolate

I fully acknowledge that I am exceedingly late to the Ritter Sport party. In fact I'm more than a little bit embarrassed to admit that this Honey Salted Almonds bar was the first I've tried from their range. I wasn't actually out to buy chocolate, but was in the local corner shop buying vegetables when it called to me. That's what I like to refer to as balanced shopping. I have seen this bar in Waitrose however, and Ritter Sport is widely available now, so should you read this review and decide to buy it (if you haven't already) then I'm sure you won't have any problems finding it.

"Milk chocolate with roasted, salted almonds with a honey flavoured coating (25%)."

It's strange. Ever since I reviewed that Muller Goes Nuts corner I've been craving caramelised almonds. I've also moaned about the lack of almondy chocolate bars in the U.K so I hoped Ritter Sport would hit the spot!

The chocolate was rich, more so than the standard U.K bars, but I had predicted as much considering the cocoa content -30% cocoa solids. It melted fairly slowly too, with a creaminess that I've come to expect from Belgian chocolates (I guess Ritter Sport is closer to the country than us Brits). 

As for those almonds, they were sizeable and crunchy. Although the size of the nuts may feel overbearing for some, I liked the fact that they hadn't been chopped up beyond recognition. There was a slight honey note that came through, and I was left wondering whether Maple syrup would have worked even better. Aren't I a pernickety sod? 

The other aspect that slightly bothered me was the lack of salinity. I adored the larger rock salt crystals that adorn the Grown Up Chocolate Company's salted caramel cups, and found that this bar could've done with a similarly obvious salty boost. The salinity was there, but it was just on the weaker side. 

I'd happily buy this bar again, however I'm now keen to try the Cornflake and Rum & Raisin Ritter Sport bars. Which flavour is your favourite?

8/10

NEW! Magnum White Almond (Iceland)

I popped into Iceland the other day to pick up my other half’s favourite ready meal for his night shift (sausage, cheese and beans is where it’s at apparently!) when I spotted a deal on Magnum ice creams. Now the deal itself wasn’t amazing, but it did include the new white almond Magnums and therefore piqued my interest.

I’ve kind of fallen out of love with Magnums in the past year or so, much preferring the Oreo sticks, Daim sticks, or better yet: Ben and Jerry’s in a waffle cone. I mean, Magnums are ok, they’re just not particularly inspiring.

Anyhoo, at 2 4 packs for £4, I decided to pick up a box of the new white almond Magnums as well as the classic white Magnums (which happen to be one of Bert’s favourite ice creams). After all, it seemed only fair to see how they compare to the white almond Haagen-Dazs.

“Vanilla ice cream with white chocolate (28%) and almonds (3%).”

There’s one quality you can depend upon from Magnum, and that’s a thick chocolate coating. These sticks were no different, meaning that the white chocolate cracked satisfyingly as my teeth pressed against it. Perhaps I’ve had better quality white chocolate of late, because the coating didn’t taste quite as silky as I remember. Instead it tasted much more like a composite, and although it was thicker than H-D’s covering, it didn’t taste any better. Yes, the almonds added a little texture to it, but as with the original almond Magnums, they didn’t offer much in the way of flavour.

As for the ice cream centre, it was as creamy as ever, with a real vanilla flavour and visible seeds. But that’s about as far as the enjoyment went and I found myself yearning for the caramelised nuts that studded H-D’s ice cream sticks. 

I thought these would be on par with H-D. I knew the ice cream wouldn’t be as tasty but thought the chocolate would level the playing field. In reality, I’d choose the H-D sticks over the Magnum, but probably won’t go out of my way to buy either anytime soon.

7/10

NEW! Spirit of Summer: Summer Macaroon Selection (M&S)

I was truly on the bargain hunt yesterday. I started the day at the Malvern Giant Flea Fair (a must for antique lovers nationwide) and found myself in Marks & Sparks just before close. The trouble is, those yellow stickers are just too appealing, and despite not being initially tempted by the summer macaroons, the 65p sticker was irresistible. My last experience with M&S macaroons wasn't that great, and so I felt annoyed with my lack of self-restraint. 65p wasn't too much money to waste I suppose...

"A selection of French almond macaroons in 3 flavours -1 peach and apricot, 1 lemon and 1 cherry."

At least I could tell which macaroon was which this time around thanks to their bright colourings. I couldn't see much in the way of fillings peeping out, so split them in half for a better look. The centres seemed to be saucy as opposed to cream based like the Festive ganache filled macaroons. 

Wow, I was impressed. I didn't think I was a massive macaroon fan, but I indulged in the delicate texture but bold flavours of these miniature French-style treats. The macaroons were light, with a crunchy exterior and fluffy centre. I loved the prominence of the almond, which came through in all of the three flavours. 

The centres were like a solid jam, and were wonderfully well-flavoured. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite because apricot conserve is usually my favourite, but I also adore cherry Bakewell and am going through a lemon-loving phase at the moment. 

I can't believe that I thought I might be wasting my 65p! M&S have created a sensational summer treat here that simply screams of sunshine.  I'll be certainly sure to buy another pack  if I'm lucky enough to find them reduced again, and may even treat myself to them at their full price.

9/10

NEW! Limited Edition Muller Corner Goes Nuts (ASDA)

Why do I do this? Please tell me you do it too. You're in the supermarket, you're hungry, you spot something new and vaguely interesting, and before you know it it's in your trolley. Then every time you open the fridge/freezer/cupboard you think 'why the badger did I buy that?'. Cue this Müller corner and the 10 for £3 deal at ASDA. Oops.

"Pistachio flavour yogurt with caramelised crushed almonds."

I mean hats off to Müller for creating something utterly different, but:
1. I'd never choose pistachio ice cream so why buy the yogurt? And...
2. I swore off buying Müller yogurts.

Yet there I was, begrudgingly retrieving it from the fridge last night 'to eat it up out of the way'. Even as a Müller fan there was NO way I was persuading Bert to try this flavour!

The colour of pistachio isn't exactly enticing is it? It reminds me of the walls in my primary school. As always, the smaller compartment was only half full, things weren't looking up.

Well. I take it back. The yogurt was refreshing. The pistachio was mild, but just about noticeable if you really paid attention. I'm still not keen on the wobbly consistency though- it's definitely runnier than it once was.

The crushed almonds however, were absofreakinglutely delicious. They were crispy and perfectly sweet. The roasting brought out the flavour and they were punchy little nibs that were jam packed full of flavour. In fact I'd have been more than happy to eat a bag of them on their own, but they made a super topping for the yogurt.

I really enjoyed this new limited edition corner, it's the best flavour that Müller have brought out in a long time. Now they just need to make a peanut and banana flavour one, or a cherry yogurt with the caramelised crushed almonds for a Bakewell themed corner. Meanwhile, I'll attempt to not dread the new Apple & Elderflower Müller Light that's sat in my fridge quite so much!

9/10

Festive Mini Macaroons (M&S)

We should all probably be sick of the sight of Christmas food, but I just can't help myself from buying more -especially when I spot a bargain or two, or three, or four..! Anyway, I had reached breaking point with my marketing report late yesterday afternoon when I decided to give my brain a breather and pop into town. I couldn't resist heading into M&S before coming home, and there I spotted these festive mini macaroons in the food-to-go section. If M&S offered a meal deal like Boots do, I'd be far more inclined to pick up my lunch there more often. Instead I usually bypass the sandwich aisle unless it's reducing time. I'd seen these glittery little macaroons a few times though, but was disinclined to spend £1.50 on them. Reduced to a mere 55p yesterday afternoon however, I decided to give them a whirl.

Now I have an embarrassing confession to make: I'd never tried a macaroon before. Shocking, right? I'm not sure why either as I like meringues and love almonds. I think I'd just got them down as expensive little dainty morsels, and as such will always opt for something more substantial (and usually more chocolatey) when choosing dessert. These macaroons were special though, because not only where they shimmery, but they were a triple whammy of chocolate flavours.

"Chocolate ganache and hazelnut, chocolate ganache and salted caramel, chocolate ganache and orange flavoured French Almond macaroons." 

Mmm, in my head I imagined nutella, chocolatey dulce de leche, and Terry's filled almond flavoured meringues. The trouble began though when I realised that there was no way of working out which was which! I tried smelling them, but I couldn't distinguish any difference. There was only one way to find out....

Biting into the first, bronze coloured, one left me puzzled because I couldn't really tell what flavour it was meant to be .The macaroon wasn't even particularly chocolatey, and all I could taste was the almondy meringue. The texture was enjoyable with its soft chewy interior and crispy outer shell, but I was very underwhelmed by the lack of hazelnut, salted caramel, orange or cocoa. Humf. 

The purple-escent macaroon was next up, and when I munched into the edge I started to think that M&S were pulling my leg. Are macaroons the Emperors new clothes of delicacies? Again, the flavour was completely lacking and I felt rather put out. 

Fortunately, somehow I'd saved the best until last. The golden macaroon contained a hidden gem of chocolate orange ganache that shone from within. The flavour was impeccable, and worked wonders with the sugar almond exteriors.This was a real treat -I just wish the box contained 3 chocolate orange macaroons. After all, chocolate orange is arguably the only festive flavour combination in the combination, and was the tastiest by a couple of clear country miles. 

If you spot these festive macaroons reduced then I suggest you pick them up, but otherwise they're not worth your pennies. 

6/10

Luxury Chocolate Stollen with Jamaican Rum (LIDL)

Despite my insistence yesterday that I wasn't upset about the lack of chocolate & hazelnut (or indeed any) stollen in Tesco, I was admittedly miffed that I hadn't managed to enjoy any of my favourite German festive bread this season. I had, of course, tried the disappointing chocolate covered stollen bites from ALDI, but like I said at the time -it didn't really hit the spot. I was on a mission yesterday afternoon to pick up a bottle of Ouzo from Lidl however, when I got sidetracked by the Christmas aisle. Why oh why can't I just walk straight past it like a normal person? I didn't need any more festive food -the big shop had been done, and I've been reviewing all sorts of Christmassy treats since Bonfire Night.

Firstly, LIDL's Favorina milk chocolate lekuchen hearts called to me, which I justified by telling myself that I would buy and keep them for a 25th of June half-Christmas celebration -but we'll see if they last that long. Then I discovered that their 'Snowy Lodge' range was discounted by 20%, and instantly remembered their luxury chocolate Stollen. Now, I wasn't really up for taking another risk with my stollen, especially after my disappointment with their loaf last year, but thought I'd regret not taking the opportunity. At £3.19 for 500g, it was a damn site cheaper than Tesco's £7 similar sized loaf too, and damn it looked chocolatey. 

"Our snowy lodge chocolate stollen is a modern and luxurious take on a classic festive favourite. The dark, rich chocolate and smooth Jamaican rum beautifully complement the traditional stollen flavours. Our chocolate stollen is then finished with a dusting of sugar, for an extraordinary and indulgent treat, perfect for any festive occasion."

Well the loaf looked like the Christmassy offspring of a yule log and stollen. It had an almost magical appearance, and whilst I meant to keep it for Christmas Eve, I just couldn't wait that long to tuck in. 

As my knife sliced into the bread, it started to crumble and I feared that this stollen would be another dry number requiring a large mug of coffee to aid in its consumption. I then spotted the large marzipan rope that was nestled in the centre, and my apprehensions waned slightly. 

Heaven graced my taste buds. The dough's texture was soft, squidgy, and held a little resistance as per every good stollen. The chocolate flavour was rich, but not overpowering, enabling the spicy undertones to come through. An abundance of raisins (26% of the ingredients) broke up the dough, injecting additional moisture into the loaf, but it was the dark chocolate and rum flavoured marzipan that I was really looking forward to... 

Boy, oh boy, it was delectable! On Saturday I reviewed Lidl's Favorina Rum Raisin Marzipan Bread, and thought that it was yummy, but this treasure knocked the Favorina bar out of the park. Fudgy, almondy and very chocolatey with a slight rum-kick (no throat burn here) the marzipan core was easily the best marzipan I've ever had. Lidl have cleverly used a dark chocolate, which counteracts the usual sweetness in the almond paste, providing a harmony of flavours that is inexplicably good. 

Chocoholic stollen fan? Go and buy Lidl's chocolate stollen NOW. Go on, what are you waiting for?

10/10

Choceur Salted Caramel & White Chocolate Almonds (ALDI)

Last year dear Daddio included my first experience of ALDI's chocolate as part of my Christmas stocking and I was impressed! Since then I've only tried one more bar, their Madagascan vanilla white chocolate, which was even more delicious. I probably should buy their chocolate more often, but most of their bars come in larger formats, and I have non Reese's chocolate commitment issues. 

These salted caramel and white chocolate almonds probably wouldn't have even entered my radar had it not been for Kev's review back in October. I mean the white chocolate, salted caramel and almonds all sounded good but I imagined that I'd prefer to keep the three separate. Nevertheless I picked some up a few weeks ago to try on Christmas Day with my nut loving in-laws. Last night though I wasn't sure what I fancied after dinner, so raided the cupboards and the almonds called to me. Sorry Mr & Mrs Letby. 

"Almonds covered in white chocolate blended caramel powder and salt."

The 100g bag contained 20 almonds, each looking like large (albeit golden) Milkybar mini eggs -mmm, so good. Cutting one in half pleased me as it revealed just how generous the coating was. To give you a better idea, I checked the packet when writing this and realised that almonds only account for 18% of the ingredients! I'm certainly not complaining. 

N.B Yes, I realised there was a hair in the bowl after I took the photo, and no I didn't eat it ;).

The salted caramel flavoured white chocolate was silky smooth an utterly delicious; indeed it was just as incredible as the highly addictive KarmelLove bars I discovered a couple of months ago. Some nuts had a more saline coating than others, but this made the eating experience all the more interesting. The almonds had retained their crunchiness too -always a bonus as no-one wants soggy nuts. 

The biggest problem with these Choceur salted caramel and white chocolate almonds is the self control required to stop munching. If you're watching your weight you might want to be careful as the 20 almonds amount to 564kcal! For everyone else, tuck in and don't share, they're scumdiddlyumtious. 

9/10

Favorina Finest Rum Raisin Marzipan Bread (LIDL)

I've never been a huge Christmas cake fan. In fact I really thought I didn't like it at all until recently when I tried Tesco's Free From Christmas Iced Fruit Cake Slices thanks to a tasting table in my local store. For any vegans, coeliacs or lactose intolerant readers please be assured that Tesco have done a rather good job there. To be honest I always considered Christmas Cake's only saving grace to be the slab of marzipan that traditionally lies amid the layers. I even used to make a yearly Christmas Cake, but would only eat my homemade marzipan (which is surprisingly simple to make if you haven't attempted it before). The sweet almond paste is a personal favourite, and I could quite happily munch through a large bar of the stuff. Cue Lidl.

Amongst the selection of 'Favorina' branded Christmas goodies (along with the Spiced Biscuit Spread) LIDL are currently stocking a range of 100g chocolate coated flavoured marzipan logs priced at just 99p. The minute my eyes caught sight of the rum-raisin flavour I was sold. Rum is my favourite spirit and I love a good Rum N' Raisin ice cream -something that seems to be far and few between, don't even get me started on Carte D'Ors version. As a bonus it was milk chocolate coating the marzipan too. I find that so often companies opt for dark to counteract the sweetness.

Slicing into the log revealed the raisin studded almond paste, which smelt boozy and almondy, i.e. perfection. Whilst the milk chocolate wasn't thick enough to really taste by itself, the creaminess came through which I took as a sign that it was decent quality. As for the centre, it was a sightly grainy kind of marzipan -but delicious none the less. The rum soaked raisins worked well to keep the paste moist, and the hit of sugary festivity pleased my taste buds immensely. The sweetness means that it's better enjoyed with a big mug of coffee, as opposed to an amaretto and coke, but that's more than fine by me.

8/10

NEW! Holly Lane Chocolate Stollen Bites (ALDI)

I hope that stollen is one of your Christmas staples too. The German delicacy of buttery, cake-like bread filled with almondy marzipan and dried fruits is sheer genius. I'm quite glad it's only sold seasonally because otherwise I'm sure I'd eat too much and grow sick of it (or maybe not, I've never reached that point with chocolate, peanut butter or ice cream after all).

There's a huge discrepancy between great and goddamn awful stollen though. Some manufacturers master the lightness of the dough, whilst others create something that's best use would be best utilised as a window smashing implement. Last year I reviewed the epitome of the second type (which came from LIDL) and a beautifully fluffy version from Bahlsen. Both LIDL and Bahlsen are German companies who I imagined would work equal wizardry with stollen!

Following the brick-like experience with LIDL, I thought my German discount supermarket stollen buying days were over. But then I saw these new chocolate covered stollen bites. ALDI soon suckered me in with the exciting idea of one of my favourite Christmas treats covered in one of my favourite everyday treats. I didn't resist. The 350g box cost £1.99 and contained roughly 12 bites.

"Stollen bites with raisins, mixed citrus peel and a marzipan centre, covered with chocolate."

They certainly looked very chocolatey, and were haphazardly drizzled with milk chocolate. They felt a little on the sturdy, heavy side, and I couldn't smell the sweet spices that normally makes an appearance when opening a pack of stollen. I hoped all of this could be pinned on a super thick layer of chocolate.

Slicing my first "bite" in two (anyone able eat them in one bite has a much larger mouth than me) revealed a thick marzipan centre, sandwiched between two stollen layers, surrounded by the chocolate. The stollen appeared dry, but I tried not to judge it completely on appearances.

Biting into it I could really taste the (plain) chocolate, which wasn't the best quality but was perfectly edible and a far cry from Kinnerton's nasty calendar stuff. My tastebuds then acknowledged the marzipan: soft, chewy and almondy -just as it should be.

The trouble came with the stollen, which should always be the star of the show, but was sadly completely lost against the more dominant almond and chocolate components. Perhaps this is could be explained by the delicacy of the yeasted dough, maybe it's because less than 50% of the bites are made up of it, or possibly it's just because ALDI and LIDL can't seem to make stollen to save their life.


As far as fruity, marzipan, chocolatey squares go, they're rather good. I've made plenty of complaints in this post when in actual fact I'm rather enjoying them. They're just not going to tick the stollen box if that's what you're after this Christmas.

6/10.

P.S
If you're a fellow stollen lover you might also be interested in my review of Morrisons' Bakery stollen cookies. Otherwise, if you fancy reading another opinion on these chocolatey stollen bites please pop on over to One Treat's review. 

NEW! Frangipane Mince Pies (M&S)

Are you sick of the mince pies yet? No of course not, I'm sure you've been much more sensible and waited much longer before giving into to the festive treats.

I'm obviously not either, given that this is the fifth review so far this season -and that's excluding yesterday's mince pie ice cream! I'm not sure I'll be up for the Twelfth night mince pie tradition promising of a full year's happiness come Christmas itself though (please let me know if you have the stamina after all the festive feasting and brave it)!

Of course so far we've seen the disappointing individual pie, award winning pies, chocolate orange pies and the salted caramel pies. Today marks the turn of M&S' frangipane mince pies -yes it's yet another twist on the classic! What will they think of next year? I do love a good frangipane tart, but don't buy them often as I find them too moreish and  could easily devour 2 or 3 in one sitting. I knew I'd regret not trying these mince pie versions though, so I stumped up the comparatively pricey sum of £2.50 for 6 (although they are on a 2 for £4 offer). 

"All butter shortcrust pastry cases filled with mincemeat and topped with almond frangipane and flaked almonds."

They looked much smaller than the other mince pies I've tried this year, but I knew I wouldn't mind if the taste was up to scratch. They were attractive too with their smattering of flaked almonds. Helping matters further was the combined bakewell-esque aroma mixed with the mixed spices emanating from the mincemeat within -to me the fusion was utterly enticing.

The instructions refrained to mention whether or not it was possible to heat the pies in the microwave, but the box did say "heat to eat" and informed me to bake them in the oven for 8-10 minutes (gas mark 4/180c). The wait was excruciating, especially as the pies started to fill my house with the most heavenly scent. Mmm. 

After 8 treadmill-like minutes, the wait was up and I retrieved my almond topped pie from the oven. Both the pastry and frangipane was soft and crumbly, which made it rather messy to cut into -especially as the mincemeat oozed out simultaneously. I can't mark M&S down for this though, as I can't imagine many people cut into their pies unless they're silly and photographing them.

The pastry was thin but deliciously buttery, and I imagine it would make for a good traditional lidded mince pie. The mincemeat was well spiced, whilst the currants, sultanas and raisins were plump and juicy. We've heard this story before of course with the Iceland mince pies. Could the frangipane edge the M&S offerings into the extraordinary level of Christmas scrumminess?

Yes, it did. The frangipane was sheer perfection, and complimented the mincemeat and pastry wonderfully. I was pleased to find that the almond tasted completely natural, and shone through despite the spiciness of the filling. It was moist too, which can often be the stumbling block of lesser quality and/or long life frangipanes. The trouble is, I've already mentioned how my self-control is lacking with frangipane tarts -and that I can easily eat multiple mince pies in one go- so I think I'm going to have to ask my fiance to lock these away from me!  

Bravo M&S, true ingenuity! It's another well deserved 10/10 from the premium supermarket this Christmas from me.

10/10

The Grown Up Chocolate Company Hunky Dory (WHSmith)

My luck was in for the second time when I spied another one of The Grown Up Chocolate Company's bars in WHSmith's reduced section the other day. It was therefore a given, following the delicious success of the White Chocolate Wonder Bar, that I eagerly snapped up their Fruit and Nut Hunky Dory. I realise that I only moaned about my general disdain towards chopped nuts in chocolate less than a week ago, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to try another one of The Grown Up Chocolate Company's bars.

 "A decadent muddle of nuts and fruit on a bed of milk chocolate Gianduja enrobed in luxury milk chocolate."

Embarrassingly, I must admit that I didn't have the foggiest what 'Gianduja' was, so I summoned the help of Google and discovered that it's an Italian delicacy, originating from Turin, comprising of a sweet paste made from hazelnuts and cocoa -and that was me sold.

As per the White Chocolate Wonder Bar, the Fruit and Nut Hunky Dory came in two individual bars. I'd love to be able to say that I ate one and saved the other for later, but I'm afraid that my chocolate resistance skills simply aren't that advanced.

I sliced one bar in two and quickly discovered just how jam packed the filling was. This wasn't a Cadbury job of whacking a few almonds and raisins in (or sultanas now, ooh the controversy). Oh no, that just wouldn't do now! The Grown Up Chocolate Company instead opted to fill their bar with roasted hazelnuts, almonds, citrus peel and cranberries.

All of these components made for a super crunchy, crispy bar with the occasional moistness coming from the cranberries. Unfortunately I found that all of this texture actually detracted from the most incredible flavour from both the Gianduja and Milk chocolate. I remember thinking how superb The Grown Up Chocolate Company's white chocolate was but the milk chocolate was equally (if not even more) sublime. The melt and creaminess of the coating was unquestionably delicious and I'd have more than happily munched an entire bar of it on its own.

Whilst The Grown Up Chocolate Company might not have turned me into an avid chopped-nuts-in-my-chocolate-lover, they certainly have earned an even bigger fan. I'm desperate to try their incredible sounding Christmas bars now, and will be on a desperate hunt for them when I visit my sister in Cardiff at the weekend. Flavours include: Mince pie, spiced ginger biscuit and festive fig & port. Just look at them, oof, YES please!

9/10

Snickers: Rockin' Nut Road & Almond 2 To Go (American Fizz)

Today's double review is a bit baffling. Why am I reviewing not one but TWO American Snickers bars when I'm not particularly keen on either of the British flavours? I guess I'm still a bit confused as to why I'm not a huge Snickers fan when peanuts, caramel, milk chocolate and nougat are all absolutely delicious in my books! It might be because I prefer smooth nut flavours (I very rarely buy crunchy peanut butter) but then I love M&S' The Nutty One, so god knows! Anyway, I keep on buying and trying Snickers (including the Crisper) hence the purchase of these two bars from American Fizz.

Rockin' Nut Road

“Almonds, caramel and marshmallow-flavored nougat wrapped in dark chocolate."

A dark chocolate covered snickers is a new one for me. As you'll know, American chocolate is a different entity to our British stuff. This bar was the colour one might expect from plain chocolate, which was fine by me given my dislike of the darker, more bitter flavours.

Slicing it in two revealed the caramel encased almonds atop the nougat, which was hidden inside the chocolate. The layers were satisfyingly distinct.

Unfortunately the flavours just didn't quite work together for me. The marshmallow flavoured nougat tasted a bit odd, more like an overly sweet version and was ultimately quite jarring. The almonds were crispy, and the caramel of standard Snickers quality, but altogether the combination was far too sickly -yes, even for my sugar addicted tastebuds. The dark chocolate wasn't great either, reminding me of the super cheap value range cooking chocolate -not good.

4/10

Almond 2 To Go

Snickers have simply swapped their standard peanuts for almonds here, and given that the nuts were my favourite component of the Rockin' Nut Road, I was hoping for better things from the Almond Snickers. The 2 to go actually comprises of two (almost full size) bars.

The tiers were slightly less pretty and more smoothed in the almond bars, but I didn't mind that as long as the taste was better.

Fortunately it was much tastier. Although the milk chocolate was sweeter (of course) the nougat was less so and this resulted in a better harmony between the flavours. It's a shame that the UK doesn't make more chocolate bars using almonds really, as the combination can work very well.

Almond Snickers isn't a bar that I'd rush out to buy again in a hurry, but I wouldn't turn my nose up if I spotted a good deal either. Meanwhile, my search for the White snickers continues...

7/10

Côte-d'Or FudgeNut

My local Del Boy came up trumps this week. Not only was he selling the cappuccino twix bars, but also Côte-d'Or. Côte-d'Or is my all time favourite chocolate brand, and I was taught from an early age that they make the most exquisite chocolate truffles, saved for very special occasions. I'll happily admit that I squealed with delight when I found their Bouchees in Selfridges recently at an extortionate (but worth it) £1 a pop. It's such a shame that Côte-d'Or is so difficult to get hold of in the UK. What makes it's lack of availability all the more puzzling is that it's made by Mondelēz -who also own Cadbury and seemingly have no qualms with merging the British brand's identity with European chocolate Milka. Still, Côte-d'Or is sheer chocolate perfection, so I'd rather it was left unmeddled with. 

Anyway, lo an behold, the market trader was selling these FudgeNuts extremely cheaply -hopefully because they were close to their sell-by date and not because they fell off the back of a lorry- and they sounded right up my street:

"Caramel fudge, a pinch of salt and almonds, covered with milk chocolate."

The FudgeNut wasn't very large (only 30g) but I could forgive it's size if it tasted as good as I hoped. My knife easily sliced the bar in two, baring it's nougat-like interior studded with chunky almond pieces.

As expected, the chocolate was top notch. There wasn't a lot of it, as it merely provided the casing for the fudge. Yum -serious- yum. The fudge was the best I've tasted in a long time (infinitely tastier than Matt & Ben's Espresso Proper Fudge). It was silky, creamy and sweet, with just enough salt to take the edge off and prevent my teeth from aching. The almonds were in generous supply and came in large enough chunks to not only add texture but a beautiful nutty taste too. 

To put it blunty, I adored the FudgeNut. Côte-d'Or, you're are cocoa genius'. I really hope Del Boy has more again this week as I'll be stocking up! 

10/10