Sante Cinnamon Star Cereal (Polski Sklep)

I don't know about you, but I certainly think that cinnamon cereal is distinctly lacking in the U.K. Sure we have curiously cinnamon and more recently the (distinctly under-spiced) Cinnamon Oat Crisp Cheerios, but that's about the extent of the matter. The only way I've known to get hold of other cinnamon cereals until now is to place an order from American import companies as the States have a vast array of the stuff including Cinnabon cereal, Apple Jacks and Cinnamon Toast Crunch -to name just a few.

It wasn't until my last chocolate mission in the Polish Delis that I decided to delve further into stores, and soon uncovered a plethora of interesting looking cereals that I've not seen before, one of which was this bag of 'Cynamonowe Gwiazdki' -which I (correctly!) guessed translates to 'cinnamon Stars'. At £1.09 for a 250g bag it wasn't bad value and I decided to discover what Sante's Smart Teens cereal is all about.

The little stars are made from a mixture of wheat, barley, oat and corn flours, whilst the remaining ingredients are sugar, honey, inulin (a watre soluble fibre), sunflower oil, cinnamon, molasses from cane sugar, sea salt and natural flavours -that's it. It was a welcome surprise to see a list devoid of strange chemicals and e-numbers that you can find on so many cereals, although there is 8.1g of sugar per 30g.

The combination of sweet, warming scent and golden coloured stars resulted in a bowl of rather festive cereal. My friend and fellow blogger Laura (of A Daisy Chain Dream) rightly pointed out last week that there's no christmassy cereals here in the U.K either, so perhaps this is the closest we'll get.

Texturally, the stars were crunchy, and passed the milk soaking test with flying colours. I could definitely taste the oat within the cereal mixture, but of course the main flavours were sugar and cinnamon -both of which were delicious.

I'm so pleased that I've found these cinnamon stars. Comparitively they're cheaper than Nestle's Curiously Cinnamon, yet equally delicious with less fat and salt (although as mentioned, they do have a slightly higher sugar content).

If you're a cinnamon cereal fiend then it's well worth a trio to your local Polski Sklep to pick up a bag or two!

8/10

*Comparative Nutritionals per 100g:
Sante Cinnamon Stars: 375kcal, fat 3.4g, sat fat 0.5g, carbs 75g, sugars 27g, fibre 7g, protein 8.1g, salt 0.23g
Nestle Curiously Cinnamon: 419kcal, fat 10.1g, sat fat 3.8g, carbs 74g, sugars 24.8g, fibre 5.2g, protein 5.4g, salt 1.11g

E.Wedel Bajeczny Peanut & Wafer Chocolate Bar (Polski Sklep)

Finally, I found it in yet another Deli! I think my E.Wedel journey is more or less complete now thanks to my search for the Bajeczny bar, which was originally recommended to me in the comments section of my first review of the Eastern European chocolate brand. As with most of E.Wedel's bars, the Bajeczny is a concoction unlike any of the bars that we currently have on the market. I mean, that's one of the big problems that faces British chocolate I think -the lack of creativity and ingenuity that other foreign brands brave- as well as the decreasing quality and size of mainstream brands' products.

"Peanut bar with wafers."

The closest chocolate bars I could think to draw comparisons with are the Reese's sticks and Peanut Butter Kitkat; both of which of course are primarily wafers with layer(s) of peanut butter and wrapped in chocolate.

The Bajeczny bar presented itself as somewhat of a surprise therefore when I sliced it in two and discovered the truffle-esque filling that lay within the outer milk chocolate coating, and It became instantly obvious that the bar would be completely unlike the Reese's wafers or KitKat. The centre was studded with pieces of chopped peanut too, which was another revelation considering I was expecting either a layer of peanut butter and/or peanut flavoured filling.

The wafer was fused into the internal mixture of the bar, offering a crunchiness in every bite that reminded me of feuilletine. Additional texture came from the peanuts too, which were chopped fairly finely and embedded the entire mixture.The trouble was, when I buy a peanut bar I (rightly or wrongly) want and expect it to taste of peanut butter, and this just wasn't the case with the Bajeczny. The primary flavour was chocolate, and although it was of decent enough quality, it just didn't tick all of my boxes.

I'm glad I've tried the Bajeczny bar, but I personally found it to be nowhere near as special as E.Wedel's KarmelLove range.

7/10

Party Banana Jaffa Cakes (Polski Sklep)

I posted a picture of these Jaffa cakes last night and waited for the inevitable shock at my find. Five minutes is all it took before the comments started rolling in:

"Banana "Jaffa cakes?! Are they nice? Where are they from??""Banana Jaffa cakes!!! Oh my GOD 😱""OH MY GOD BANANA JAFFA CAKES!!!!""Is this real? 🙀 Banana Jaffa Cakes? 😻"

Yes ladies and gents, banana Jaffa cakes certainly do exist, and they're covered in white chocolate no less. This pack cost me just 69p from one of my local Polish delis, what's not to love? Well actually I did have have concerns: Banana jelly could either be wonderful or a downright disaster.

The first things I noticed about the 'jaffas' was the hideously thin white chocolate coating that covered the jelly. I'm used to McVities comparative decadence, or M&S's if I'm really feeling opulent. 

The second point of concern was the dry base. Now we've all had the "is a Jaffa cake a biscuit or a cake?" debate, but the CAKE most definitely turns hard when stale and I'm not buying that it was simply a super fresh biscuit. The banana Jaffa cakes were well in date too (BB April 2017) so I think it's just the way they're made.

On to the most important part: the tasting. I've explained before that normally I pull apart my jaffas and savour each individual element, but I was too curious to discover what they taste like so got stuck straight in.

Hmm. I'm not convinced. Remember the blue bears in the Haribo Frenzy Carnival that I raved about? Well the centre of the cakes tasted damn similar. In sweet form it worked well, but covered in chocolate and on a base of stale cake? Not so successful. As for the white chocolate, there wasn't enough of it to to be able to distinguish whether it was any good or not...

The combination of flavours was simply peculiar. I mean the banana jaffa cakes were edible -and oddly moreish- but I can't say that I'll be having cravings for the rest of the pack like I do with McVities'. They're worth trying but I won't be in a hurry to buy them again.

6/10

E.Wedel KarmelLove: Caramel White Chocolate, Peanut & Biscuit Bars (Polski Sklep)

My recent exploration into E.Wedel chocolate continues today with not one but TWO reviews of their KarmelLove bars -it's my special Sunday treat for you ;). The products look remarkably similar, and in fact the English descriptions on their packets didn't give much away either (my Polish isn't up to much I'm afraid). 

This bar describes itself as:"Milk bar with salted peanuts and biscuits in caramel white chocolate."

Wheras this one states:"Peanut bar with salted peanuts and biscuits in caramel white chocolate."

So for ease I'll refer to the topone as the milk bar, and the bottom as the peanut bar. Both weigh 40g, and cost 60p from separate local Polish Delis.

Milk Bar

I adore white chocolate and caramel flavoured white chocolate, but the second is far less prominent in the U.K market. The only similar mass produced bar we have is the Caramac -a bar I have previously written about my nostalgic connections with. Would the E.Wedel bar bear resemblance?

Looks wise it's not up to much, but taste wise it's even better. The outer coating is certainly reminiscent of Nestle's Caramac, but of course the British bar is snappable due to it's slim nature -and contains no filling. The milky centre of the E.Wedel bar is super sweet but comfortingly so. The addition of chunky salted peanut pieces contrast against the sweetness wonderfully -reminding me of my favourite Reese's- and bringing the flavours back into non sickly territory. The biscuit pieces were also excellent, bringing a Tiffin-esque quality to the bar. Lets be honest: white chocolate + caramel + peanuts + biscuits = sheer heavenly genius. 

I need more pronto.

10/10

Peanut Bar

I wasn't sure how different this would be to the first, caramac like, KarmelLove bar. The darker interior that could be seen through the opaque caramel white chocolate layer took me a little by surprise, and I was curious to discover what lay within.

The peanut bar was much softer than the milky version, slicing easily in two with only the slightest resistance from the knife -despite being stored in my fridge. The chocolate coloured filling within was also entirely different to the creamy centre. 

The caramac-like chocolate covering tasted as before, however this time it was slightly lost against the stronger milk chocolate filling. The centre wasn't just chocolate though, it was peanut buttery too, kind of like the Reese's chocolate spread. Mmm. It's needless to tell you how well the salted peanuts worked with this filling: much more successful than the lacklustre Reese's Crunchy peanut butter cups. Again the biscuits were a happy addition, providing a plethora of textures in every bite. 

9/10

Out of the two KarmelLove bars the milk bar just pips it for me -but they're both delicious, and well worth a trip to your local Polish Deli for! 

E.Wedel Tiramisu Milk Chocolate Bar (Polski Sklep)

A couple of weeks ago I tried, and reviewed, my first E.Wedel chocolate bar. The Cafe Latte Pawelek didn't impress me, and I was left feeling disappointed by the poor quality chocolate and overwhelming alcoholic after burn. I asked you lovely lot if there was another bar that I might get along better with, and Arkadiusz kindly responded; informing me of the peanut Bajeczny bar.  I've been searching for the Bajeczny in every Eastern European deli that I've passed, but haven't had any luck yet -so the quest continues.

On my hunt however, I did spot a couple of other E.Wedel bars that have already been reviewed by other bloggers, and have received much better feedback than I gave the Caffe Latte bar, so I bit the bullet and bought them. To be fair, the Polish chocolates are never too expensive, I just didn't want to feel left down and hankering after a bar of Galaxy when I've finished it. 

The first one I opened was the Tiramisu flavoured bar, which according to the ingredients (there was no product description) comprised of  milk chocolate (50%), a tiramisu flavoured filling, and amaretto flavoured biscuit granules (1.6%). 

The 5 segment bar had snapped in transit, which allowed me to glance at the creamy coloured filling within. Each section held a little nugget on top, reminding me of the Cadbury Toffee Whole Nut bar.

The first taste to hit me was the chocolate, which at first I thought I didn't like. I then realised that it might be because I'm used to milk chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa solids (Dairy Milk contains a minimum of 23% & Galaxy 25%, whereas E.Wedel promises a minimum of 29%). The more I ate, the more my palate adjusted, and the more I enjoyed it. 

There was an alcoholic flavour to this bar, which was expected this time seeing as Tiramisu typically contains Marsala Wine. It somehow tasted much less overwhelming this time though, and seemed to work in harmony with the chocolate and amaretto biscuits. Talking of the biscuits -and despite them only making up 1.6% of the bar- they were embedded in the top nugget and were delicious, extra points for E.Wedel as they were evident in each and every nibble. The added crunchiness worked wonders for the harmony of the bar, and I really enjoyed them. Without the biscuits, the E.Wedel Tiramisu would be just another alcoholic, creme filled chocolate bar... but with them it became something rather more special. 

At 40p from my local deli, I'll be sure to pick another one soon -and so should you! I've recently discovered the treasures that reside in the Eastern European shops, and so if you don't venture into any, please give them a go every now and then.

8/10

There's also a dark chocolate version of the bar, which One Treat At A Time reviewed here. 

NEW! E.Wedel Caffe Latte Milk Chocolate (Polski Sklep)

Last week I was queuing up to pay for the peanut & chocolate croissant in the Polish deli, when a chocolate bar I hadn't spotted before caught my eye. It grabbed my attention for three reasons:

1. It was cheap (just 40p)
2. It was caffe latte flavoured (I love anything mocha)
3. It was made my E.Wedel...

...Why would the slightly obscure brand appeal to me you may ask? Well, I've seen their larger (and equally interesting sounding) bars in supermarkets, as well as reading a few favourable reviews* of their products, but have never taken the plunge and bought myself a bar. In the name of impulse, I grabbed the Pawełek and quickly bought it before I could remind myself of he numerous bars of chocolate already sat in my fridge.

Please can we just take a moment to take in the Google translation of E.Wedel's description of the bar on their website (where I also found out that it's new)!

"Pawełek flavored Caffe Latte in milk chocolate bar designed for lovers of coffee with milk and refers to the ritual of drinking this beverage in combination with sweet chocolate pleasure."

My heart sunk when I unwrapped the bar and spotted the White curse of spoilage lingering on the corners. Still, appearances can be deceptive, and I snapped the bar in half. I think I was expecting a truffle-esque centre enrobed in chocolate, but instead I discovered a gooey, fondant core (which smelt very alcoholic!).

Unfortunately in this case, the book should have been judged by its cover. The chocolate was waxy, and tasted cheap, reminiscent of Kinnerton's Christmas calendars. I'm a fan of liqueur chocolates, but I couldn't even detect the slightest hint of coffee, as it was totally overwhelmed by the throat burning alcohol. So potent was it, that I was left wondering how many bars you would need to eat before feeling woozy**.

It's such a shame really, considering the success I had with both of the last Polish chocolate bars I've tried (The Wawel Peanut Butter review here, and advocaat bar review here if you're interested) and the success other bloggers have had with E. Wedel. Maybe I'll give them another shot soon. Have you had any of their bars? If so, which is the best?

3/10

* Such as:
Kev's  Karmel-love! Caramel White Chocolate Bar review
Nibs' Crème Brûlée Bar review
and One Treat's Dark Tiramisu review

** At 2.1% of the bar's ingredients I guess it might be more than the taste led me to imagine!

Banana Barny/Lubisie (Polish Deli)

Banana cake. My favourite kind of cake. Or maybe that's carrot, or actually coffee? Who knows, it's up at the top somewhere. Following a discussion on Instagram about the pitiful banana Twinkie I reviewed about a month ago, the lovely Sarah from wafflyversatile (please do go and check out her blog -it's full of fantastic recipes) informed me about banana Barnys. 

Banana Barny's? How did I not know about such a creation! Well, it turns out that they're only available from the Polish Deli's (of which there are many in Hereford). I'm not sure why, but I always feel rather embarrassed sneaking into a Polish speciality shop, like I shouldn't be allowed in because I'm British -just me? Anyway, it wasn't very long ago that I was moaning about the boringness of Barny's flavours, so I sucked it up, and went on a banana cake mission.

Fortunately, I found one in the first Deli I went into, although they're known as Lubisie (not Barny) and are instantly recognisable thanks to the near-on identical packaging. The little cake bear only cost 30p too, bargain! 

The Barny/Lubisie looked very similar once unwrapped too. The surprised bear was easy to slice, bearing a rather meagre looking pocket of creamy filling. Unfortunately only the core was flavoured, and I couldn't help but think it would have been much nicer to have had a banana cake to surround it. 

If you've ever had a Barny before, you'll know what to expect from the sponge - it's very dry and typical of long life mass produced cakes. The banana filling was fair, but it didn't pack enough of a punch for me -and there wasn't really enough of it to shout about it. 

Meh. I'm glad I braved the Polish Deli and tried this banana Barny/Lubisie, but I don't think it's one I'll be in a hurry to try again. It's on a par with the other Barny's widely available in the UK, and I'll doubt I'll buy any more until the company meets my demands for a Biscoff or peanut butter version! 

5/10

Wawerl Maciek Adwokat *Milk Chocolate with Advocaat Filling* (Tesco)

Our local Tesco Express store has just introduced a Polish section. I'm embarrased to admit it, but whilst I am all over the American section in the bigger Tesco, I've given the Polish section a wide berth until now. In fact, I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance if it wasn't for One Treat's Worldie Wednesdays thankfully opening my eyes to the plethora of good quality European (and beyond!) chocolate. Nibbles 'N' Scribbles also recently reviewed the E.Wedel Creme Brulee Bar with resounding success. So, its thanks to these ladies that I bought this Wawel Advocaat filled milk chocolate bar (and I might add, for a very reasonable 39p). 

Advocaat will always hold a very special place in my heart due to my other half choosing to propose three Christmas Days ago whilst I was sipping a Snowball cocktail -glamorously dressed in my PJs. Snowball cocktails were a staple part of our Christmas Festivities growing up, and although its now January, who says its too late to enjoy the traditionally festive spirit in chocolate form?

The bar consisted of 6 square shaped segments, which once broken revealed a gooey, fondant style centre. The Advocaat filling had a paste-like consistency, slightly thicker than the middle of a Creme Egg. It tasted slightly alcoholic, but in a standard Christmas-selection-box-truffle sort of way. The milk chocolate wasn't half bad. It wasn't very thick, which meant it was almost lost against the sugary filling, but I used the chocolate as a scoop to eat the centre separately so I could savour it until last. It was no dairy milk, but it was of a far superior quality to what I was expecting. 

All in all, this was an unusual bar. The boozy element gave it a slightly naughty edge, and as such I can imagine eating this at my desk on a Friday afternoon after a hard week with the Weekend beckoning. If you like liqueur chocolates (or you're after a cheap chocolate bar!) then I recommend giving the Wawel Maciek Adwokat Bar a try. 

8/10