Caramel Ice Cream Trees With Popping Candy (Iceland)

I recently mentioned that I'm on a quest to find and try the Christmas goods that I didn't get around to trying last year, so I figured that I wouldn't end up buying many of the same products -save for Reese's Trees which I'm currently devouring at a rather embarrassing rate (B&M are selling six packs for just £1.99 FYI). Anyway, the feature of today's review isn't exactly the same, but a twist on Iceland's Caramel Ice Cream Trees which I thought pretty highly of last Christmas. Iceland seem to have given their Trees a more childish approach in 2016; the White Chocolate & Strawberry Trees are also back - this time covered in sprinkles- and the caramel version has been updated with popping candy. Popping candy and chocolate is by no means a new idea (hundreds and thousands is hardly ground breaking either) but I was intrigued to discover how the combination worked against the caramel ice cream, and indeed how it compared to its predecessor.

"Caramel flavour ice cream trees with a Belgium milk chocolate coating with popping candy."

The trees aren't exactly the largest lollies on the market at 90ml, but they look sweet, and are still a damn site bigger than the silly mini size sticks that are doing the rounds.  All three trees had cracked slightly in the box, but we're still intact enough to hold their shape for the all important photo!

I remember being highly impressed by the quality and flavour of the ice cream last year, but the trouble is, I've tried a huge amount of ice cream in the mean time -including a fair few different caramel ice creams. What I mean is that I'm not sure whether the ice cream has got worse, or my tastebuds have merely become accustomed to the better products out there. It's not bad by any means, in fact it's rather good, but it's simply über soft and less creamy than the likes of Ben & Jerry's, M&S and even Daim.

The chocolate coating is still better quality than one might expect, with a good milky flavour. Every single nibble was full of popping candy, thus making for quite a strange -but ultimately fun- eating experience. It's not something I'd opt for every time, but it is quite novel.

I imagine that children would love to be given these at Christmas time, and at £1 for 3 they won't break the bank either. They're also a bit kitsch if you're an ice cream obsessed adult lover like me and fancy something a bit different.

7/10

NEW! Strawberry & White Chocolate Ice Cream Trees from Iceland

After the success of the caramel ice cream trees I went back and bought the other variety: 'Strawberry flavour ice cream with a Belgian white chocolate flavoured coating.'

Once again, they were slightly smaller than a magnum, and the lollies had a nice thick, even coating of white chocolate flavoured coating. The casing snapped nicely but half of my tree fell away (which I didn't mind because it meant I could save some white chocolate until last!).

The coating was wonderfully sweet, silky, and remarkably similar to milkybar buttons. The strawberry ice cream was a mild flavour which tasted like milkshake- McDonalds strawberry milkshake to be precise. For the more discerning pallete these references might not be a good thing, but to me it meant that the dessert was wonderful! 

Another 9/10 Iceland! 

NEW! Caramel Ice Cream Trees from Iceland

OK so Iceland hasn't got the best reputation when it comes to quality food, but I've got to admit that I regularly shop there when buying ready meals for my other half; he works odd shift patterns and its the only way he can have a hot evening meal. We've tried all of the other leading supermarkets, but in his opinion Iceland make the best- and their price is unbeatable!

So, I dashed into store on the way home from uni to pick up his favourites (the cheese, sausage and bean meal is apparently the tastiest) and couldn't help notice the huge new range of Christmas products. In amongst the festive desserts were these cute caramel ice cream trees, which were a bargain at £1 for 3.

I think that Iceland's ice cream range is generally superb (especially their peanut & banana cones they stocked throughout the summer!) and so I didn't hesitate to pick up a pack. Each tree is 90ml, so comparably slightly smaller than a Magnum at 110ml, and is 'Caramel flavour ice cream with a milk chocolate flavoured coating'. It's that phrase chocolate flavour that concerns me, but given how inexpensive they were I wasn't too worried that they mightn't be of the highest quality.

The milk chocolate coating was in fact delicious. It was milky and creamy, similar to Galaxy. It cracked pleasingly to reveal the ice cream encased within. The centre was soft and velvety, with a rich caramel flavour which I thought might become too sickly but didn't. If I'd have been blind taste-tested, I'm sure I would've easily mistook them for an upmarket brand instead of the discount retailer with a slightly dodgy reputation. 

Iceland, I applaud you for your low prices and good quality. I'm coming back to hunt for the white chocolate & strawberry ice creams, and I might even pop some of the deliciously tempting ice cream chocolates and/or 'Enrobed Profiteroles' in my basket whilst I'm there!

9/10 

Reese's Christmas Tree

What's better than a Christmas Tree? A peanut butter Christmas Tree of course! I'm so glad to see that the UK is finally getting more of the Reese's seasonal goodies, because I do find that the Americans tend to make better peanut butter treats than us Brits. I found the Reese's tree in Tesco priced at 50p. 

Each little treat is in a rustic tree shape -there's no fancy moulding here. They follow the same format of Reese's peanut butter cups- peanut butter wrapped in chocolate... Well, chocolate flavoured coating more specifically. Put it this way, you wouldn't want to eat a bar of the coating by itself. The peanut butter centre is thicker and grainier than what you would spread on your toast, but it means that it holds its shape well and can be nibbled without oozing out everywhere. 

The salty, nutty filling combined with the super sweet chocolate coating is an absolute winner for me, but I do love Reese's. I know what I'll be putting on my Christmas list...

9/10