Birthday Cake Oreos (American Fizz)

It's my Birthday!

I lie. It's not, and it won't be for a good few months yet. But why not cheer oneself up with Birthday cake anyway? Or even birthday cake biscuits for that matter? I'd heard good reports from fellow foodie Sarah (of Waffley Versatile) about the chocolatey Birthday Cake Oreos, so when I spotted the golden version on American Fizz in the treasure trove -AKA the clearance section- I just had to buy them.

Stateside Oreos, for those who don't know, come in large sharing style, resealable packs (which UK Oreos are now producing too as Kev's Instagram informed me). They're packed with a good number of cookies (approx 30), which are much more generously filled than their British counterparts. I hadn't got the foggiest idea how Oreo could emulate the flavours of Birthday Cake into their biscuits -or cookies- but I was more than happy to find out.

The golden Birthday Cake Oreos had a creamy coloured filling, flecked with hundreds & thousands style brightly coloured sprinkles. The sugary scent was overwhelming but enticed me in. Come on kettle, boil already!

Armed with a big mug of coffee in which to dunk my Oreos, I cwtched up on the sofa and got ready to feel like the Birthday Girl. I separated the first half of my Oreo: first you twist it, then you lick it, then you dunk it - remember the ad?

The golden biscuit tasted, well, plain. But then I always find the golden versions far less spectacular than their dark & rich chocolatey siblings. The filling was creamy, super sweet (much more so than in the British Golden Oreos) and reminded me of buttercream. That's where the cakey-ness halted though. Yes they were yummy. Yes the filling was pretty, and yes they were moreish -but that was it. No Birthday feeling for me unfortunately.

To be honest, as I mentioned before, I don't know what I expected from the Birthday Cake Oreos in the first place -as I didn't with the Birthday. I do know however, that they're much more decadent (so enjoyable by default) than U.K Oreos, so are well worth a try -especially if you get a bargain!

7/10

Reeses Pieces Peanut Butter Cups (American Fizz)

Reese's should really start paying me soon for being their 24/7 walking, talking advert. Not only do I ensure that my fridge is full of Reese's peanut butter cups and/or hearts at all times but I also wear their branded pjs, use their branded pen and even have a Reese's phone case. I'm unashamedly addicted... But I don't think I want help -not yet anyway- as I'm more than happy to enjoy my regular dose of salty-sweet peanut butter heaven. It is therefore understandable that I turned green with envy earlier this year when our Stateside cousins were treated to a new variety: Reese's pieces peanut butter cups. Yes. That's right. Reese's packed full of more Reese's. I eagerly awaited their arrival onto British shores, and squealed with delight when my favourite American Food Stockists (American Fizz) started stocking them, especially at only 99p per pack too!

"REESE'S PIECES Peanut Butter Cups
You’re not dreaming. The mashup you’ve been waiting for is finally here, and it lives up to the hype. Enjoy the crunch of REESE’S PIECES Candy stuffed inside the smooth perfection of REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups. Try not to swoon."

From the outside my beloved peanut butter cups looked no different to their original compadres. My hopes crashed slightly when I sliced the first one in two though -where was all this candy stuffed peanut butter at? All I could see was a few brightly coloured sugar shells smooshed in between the orange filling. 

Taste wise, the Reeses Pieces peanut butter cups tasted almost exactly the same as the normal variety and I indulged in the super-sweet milk chocolate flavoured coating and salty filling. The only nod to the 'pieces' was an extra sweetness coming from the sugary shells -which didn't improve the flavour and only served to tip the balance into the slightly too sweet camp. 

The shells imparted a slight crunchy edge to the peanut butter, perhaps more so than the lacklustre crunchy cups. If only there were more whole pieces to be found -there was only one little Reese's button between both of the cups. 

Lovely idea, you just could have executed it better Reese's!

8/10

Reese's Fast Break (American Fizz)

It was about time that I got myself up to date with all of the Reese's products I could get hold of, before the new Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter cups make their way over here (American Fizz, I hope you're on the case). I hadn't spotted the Fast Break in any of the import stores though -surprising really considering that it sounded so damn good! 

"REESE'S peanut butter and soft nougat covered in deliciously rich milk chocolate for a candy bar that is perfect to get your REESE'S on-the-go."

I loved the satisfyingly distinct layers; with the nougat at its bottom, Reese's peanut butter at its core, all covered by a decent coating of milk chocolate. 

There's not much I could say about the chocolate and peanut butter that I haven't said a gazillion times before. It's utterly delightful, I just can't get enough of Reese's perfect balance of salty nuttiness and waxy milk chocolate (you lie Reese's when you say it's deliciously rich though). The nougat was squidgy and sweet, and pretty good in its own right. The problem was that it knocked Reese's perfect salty-sweet equilibrium out of kilter however and into the realms of sickliness. Perhaps the lack of crunch or otherwise interesting texture didn't help matters, but either way I wasn't fussed on the Fast Break. In fact, to me it tasted like a poor man's version of M&S's moreish 'The Nutty One'.

6/10

Mrs Freshley's Cinnamon Twirls

Thank goodness the proposed cinnamon ban never came into place. Well as far as I'm aware it hasn't! Nothing has stopped me enjoying my favourite spice anyway, whether it be in cereal, ice cream, biscuits, desserts, popcorn, waffles, yogurt, pretzels , protein bars or flapjack. Sod the potential risks involved, there are also many proven health benefits associated with consuming cinnamon, and -lets be honest- it tastes just so damn good! 

Is there any better way to use the spice then rolling it in dough? Seeing as I'm *still* longing after the IKEA Kanelbullar I couldn't resist recently ordering these Mrs Freshley's Cinnamon Twirls. 

Despite their lengthy journey and lack of best before date printed on the packet, they were super soft. So doughy were they that presented with the Twirls out of their wrappers I'm sure most people would be hard pressed to determine them as long-life. A lovely warming familiar scent immediately welcomed my nostrils thanks to the Twirls' generous coating in 'Cinnabon' cinnamon. 

Taste wise, they were somehow better than expected. The combination of fluffy dough and ample spice was spot on, leaving me feeling rather impressed. The only trouble came when you compared them to the fresh bakery buns (or indeed the bake at home IKEA ones). Without that external crust, cream cheese frosting, or warm from the oven comfort to give them the edge they became the poor man's version. Seeing as there's a Tesco express less than 500m from my house, I think I'll stick to their bigger buns in future.

8/10 

Mrs Freshley's Peanut Butter Brownie (American Fizz)

Yesterday called for celebrations (and not to mention a day off!) on the other side of the Atlantic. I might not be American but I thought I'd contribute towards Independence Day by enjoying a treat that had travelled all the way from the USA. 

This wasn't my first Mrs Freshley's goody, as I tried the banana pudding cupcakes way back in March. At the time I was relatively impressed by the cakes and mentioned that I fancied the look of their peanut butter brownies and cinnamon twirls (a review for another day). In fact the Mrs Freshley's peanut butter brownie is a relatively new addition to their extensive range of baked products as it only came out in February. 

What I stupidly hadn't realised when I bought the bar was that the brownie itself wasn't peanut butter flavoured -only the icing was. Still, at 85g it was a substantial snack and at £1.31 American Fizz offered pretty good value for money.

The brownie was moister than expected, and had a good fudgy flavour. The chocolate was rich, and although  sweet, it was far less sickly than the Oreo brownie . As far as mass manufactured brownies go, it was tasty... BUT... I didn't want a chocolate brownie, I wanted a peanut butter brownie. Unfortunately the generous layer of icing didn't inject much nuttiness into the bar and the flavour was totally overpowered by the (admittedly yummy) chocolate. My pb cravings weren't fulfilled and I was sorely tempted to whack out my jar of Skippy and slather a spoonful or two on top. 

As a chocolate brownie: 8/10

As a peanut butter brownie 4/10 

Kellogg's Jif PB & J Cereal (American Fizz)

As you may or may not recall, I have been trying to track down this cereal for ages whilst growing increasingly envious of the ample array of peanut buttery products available across the pond. Why can't any of the cereal manufacturers produce a pb flavoured cereal in England? I'm certainly not the only British nut butter addict. I bought the box from American Fizz for £4.99.

I had high hopes for Kellogg's; after all they're arguably one of the best know cereal brands in the world. The 'naturally and artificially flavoured' label on the front didn't phase me either as it's seemingly proudly displayed on all of their pop tart boxes, and they're pretty darn tasty.

The box contained a good mixture of two different cereal types: golden squares with holes in, and little pink balls. As soon as it was opened I noticed an overwhelmingly artificial, chemically smell... Oh dear. 

I  poured myself a bowl anyway and attempted to ignore the odour. I decided to try the peanut buttery cereal first, but all I could taste was fake strawberry. The flavour from the pink balls had leeched its way into every mouthful, and unfortunately it wasn't pleasant. In fact it reminded me of the fake flavour of the protein+ peanut butter flapjack I was unimpressed by back in March.

What a disappointment! I'll have to stick to the co-op's fantastic ice cream to satisfy my pb&j cravings and Reese's Puffs for my cereal needs from now on. 

3/10 

Grandma's Peanut Butter Cookies (American Fizz)

Did you know that iconic American crisp manufacturers Frito Lay also make cookies? I didn't until I ordered these Grandma's Cookies and spotted the logo on the back of the packet. The Grandma's range includes a whole host of classic flavours such as Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chip, but of course I opted for my favourite: peanut butter. What else!

The suggested serving size is one cookie, but the pack contains two. Don't you hate it when they do that? As soon as I ripped the pack a potent peanut buttery aroma escaped and I realised that there was little hope of me being able to eat just one. They were smaller than your average supermarket bakery cookie, but quite a bit thicker. They were crumbly and soft, squidgy enough to bend slightly before snapping.

Wow! There was no hiding from the punchy peanut butter flavour. The Americans are so much better at utilising my favourite spread to its full potential than us Brits. The nutty, sweet cookies were slightly cakey thanks to their thickness, whilst being chewy and oh-so comforting to munch on -I savoured every last bite. How anyone could eat just one at a time I'll never know. The only way I could think of improving Grandma's peanut butter cookies would be by adding chunky nut pieces, but that's really just me being pernickety.

They tasted even better than the Lenny and Larry's complete peanut butter cookie, and at 59p per pack from American Fizz they are a damn site cheaper too. I know I'll be buying more with my next order! Pass me my debit card won't you?

10/10

*or potato chip, depending on which side of the Atlantic you're sitting!

Snyder's of Hanover S'mores Pretzel Pieces (American Fizz)

Pretzels are totally underrated here in the U.K. Even ASDA have recently discontinued their six-pack of individual pretzel bags. What gives England? Don't you understand just how deliciously satisfying the salty crunch of a pretzel is? I'm hoping that one day we'll catch up with the Stateside fascination with them, but meanwhile I will have to get my fix through American Fizz. I haven't tasted any of Snyder's range before, but they come highly recommended by fellow blogger Nibbles 'N' Scribbles (please do check out her reviews of their salted caramel pretzels pieces and peanut butter pretzel sandwiches).

"The sweet flavors of marshmallows & chocolate sprinkled onto perfectly salty sourdough Pretzel Pieces."

I think it's the combination of salty-sweet that endeavours me to peanut butter, and probably why I love it even more combined with chocolate, banana and/or jam (seriously if you've never tried a pb & nutella or pb, jam & banana toastie, you need to get on it at your next opportunity!). It was the promise of salty-sweet that really drew me to this Snyder's flavour... well that and the inclusion of chocolate of course! 

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the bag and poured out its contents. There was a complete assortment of different sized pretzel pieces, including some positively ginormous chunks! All of the bits were evenly coated in a sweet scented chocolate powder, which I was pleased with as it's so frustrating when you eat underseasoned snacks! 

The pretzel pieces were perfectly crispy with a decent crunch. Whilst I found this satisfying, it did start to irk my fiance who was watching a film with me at the time -Snyders are most certainly not cinema friendly snacks. 

The chocolate flavouring was pleasant enough, but it tasted just like hot chocolate powder. Obviously it wasn't the most authentic chocolatey experience, but the sweetness of the flavouring allowed for the perfect juxtaposition against the salty pretzel. I'm not sure where the marshmallow or Graham cracker elements went to, that the traditional 'S'mores' consists of, because I couldn't detect them anywhere.

Complaints aside, the Snyders S'mores Pretzel Pieces make a welcome change to what's currently available in the UK. I haven't tried anything like it before, and whilst I may not be in a mad rush to buy this flavour again, I'll certainly buy more from their range in future.

6/10

Hershey's Zagnut (American Fizz)

A while ago, in my review of Nestle's Butterfinger, I mentioned a comment that I'd received on Twitter about how I couldn't be a true peanut butter addict without trying a Zagnut. The bar has been surprisingly difficult to track down, but American Fizz have recently undertaken a huge restock and so the Zagnut was available to purchase at long last. 

"When you've got a hankering for crunchy peanut butter and delicious toasted coconut, you need a ZAGNUT Bar. The satisfying crunch of peanuts, along with the sweet, toasty goodness of coconut, will bring a smile on even the most challenging of days."

Uh oh. Crunchy peanut butter. That sounds remarkably similar to the Butterfinger. Once it arrived, I manhandled the packet and realised that it felt exactly the same too. Had I made a mistake?  

The Zagnut was extremely brittle, and so it had already split in two during transit. I could smell the nuttiness as soon as it was out of it's wrapper -but my heart sunk when I saw that it was texturally indistinguishable to the Butterfinger. 

I bit into it, and tasted a powerful peanut butter flavour. There was no mistaking that Hershey's had used proper pb in the centre of the bar, packing a huge amount of flavour into every mouthful. As for the coconut? Well I couldn't taste that whatsoever. There was no hiding from the sheer amount of sugar though. I swear my teeth were screaming at me not to eat it. The sweetness combined with the crunchiness resulted in a bar that felt like I was chewing on peanut butter flavoured sugar cubes, an experience that really wasn't enjoyable. 

Half way through  I realised that it was only my reluctance to waste money that was fuelling my Zagnut endurance... With that I threw the other half away and reached for a Hershey's product that I know I love: a white chocolate Reese's heart, ahhh, much better!

2/10