Recipe: Jammie Dodger, Biscoff & Reese's Blondies

Sunday was a grizzly day. It was pouring with rain, I was feeling pants and it was a rest day. Humf, I could sit and stew in my misery, or do something about it. Baking has always been one of my favourite ways to relax,  once upon a time I'd spend my days pestering my gran until she'd pour over her ancient cookbooks with me and help me perfect the art of shortcrust pastry (always roll onto a slab of marble, and make sure your hands are cold) or light sponge cakes (always fold with a large metal spoon). Oh dear, I'm rambling again aren't I? Anyway, I knew the best way to cheer myself up was to pop on some Jazz music and bake something... but what to bake? 

Then, I had a brainwave. I recalled seeing Ellie's incredible looking Jammie Dodger blondies last year. The ones I promised I'd get around to making. No time like the present. I couldn't find Ellie's picture anymore, but I remembered that she'd found the recipe online, and a quick google search revealed Katie Cake's recipe. That's the badger!

What you may or may not know about me though is that I'm terribly indecisive. Like awfully so. So I actually made a smaller amount of her brownie batter and used it to make three variations on her recipe: Reese's, Biscoff, and Jammie Dodger. 

So here's my amended version Katie's recipe for the blondie mix (which makes 6 blondies).

Ingredients:

60g butter

85g caster sugar

1 large egg

100g plain flour

85g white chocolate

Toppings:

Mini Jammie Dodgers & Jam

Biscoff Spread & Biscoff Biscuits

Reese's mini peanut butter cups & peanut butter. 

Method:

1)  Preheat the oven to 175C

2) Slowly melt the butter and white chocolate together in a saucepan on a low heat, being careful to stir constantly and avoid the chocolate catching. Once melted, remove from the heat and set aside.

3) Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes on a high setting). Then pour the chocolate mixture in, and stir until combined. 

4) Gently fold in the flour, being careful not to knock too much air out of the brownie mix

5) Pour the blondie mix into a greased, suitably sized receptacle (I used an individual brownie pan, which I bought from ASDA for £5). 

6) Now for the fun part - the toppings! For the Jammie dodger ones I dolloped about a tsp of jam in each brownie, and swirled with a toothpick before adorning with mini Jammie Dodgers. For the Biscoff I swirled in some Biscoff spread and placed a Biscoff biscuit on top*. The Reese's one? Well that was just a tsp of peanut butter swirled in, and then I broke up some mini Peanut Butter cups and topped them with that! 

7) Bake for 20 mins! 

8) Enjoy - warm, cold & with or without ice cream. They also freeze well too! 

*In hindsight, I wish I had added cinnamon to the mixture too. 

NEW! Krispy Kreme Reese's Peanut Butter & Jelly Doughnut

Without a shadow of a doubt, the best Krispy Kreme I've ever had was one of their Reese's peanut butter doughnuts. The best doughnut I've ever had? The Tandem Bakery's PB&J. Therefore it should come as no surprise that I was super excited to see that Krispy Kreme have re-released their Reese's Peanut Butter & Jelly doughnuts as part of their new American range, though this time it has a new raspberry gloss. In fact I'd have been tempted to make the 46 mile round trip purely to get my grubby mits on the pb&j Krispy Kreme last Monday (when the range was released) had it not been for the fact that my vehicle is still off the road and that I'd already planned a trip to Birmingham on the Saturday to meet the lovely Sian. 

"Filled with Reese's Peanut Butter & Raspberry filling, hand-dipped in a sparkling raspberry flavoured gloss and topped with peanut butter chips and peanut butter drizzle."

It was even glittery! I've heard that glittery food tastes on average 1467&9x better than non-shimmery food, so I felt it was worth the hefty £2.20 price tag. Feel free to gulp if you like. 

The best thing about the Reese's Krispy Kreme was the ample peanut butter filling. Sweet with a slight salinity, it hit the spot and made me grin from ear to ear (after I'd finished smacking my lips of course). 

FFS. It was only yesterday that I mentioned Krispy Kreme's infamously unreliable filling skills. This had got to be a joke right? Surely I'd just cut into it wonkily*.

Apparently not. There had got to be a maximum of half a teaspoon of peanut butter and half a teaspoon jam in that off centre nugget. I could've cried. It's a huge shame because the single mouthful that contained the filling was delicious. In the end I retrieved my jar of Skippy from the cupboard and made my own Krispy Kreme - something you shouldn't have to resort to when spending £2.20 on a doughnut (the equivalent of 11 supermarket jam doughnuts).

On the plus side, the glittery topping was full of flavour. The raspberry worked really well, but be warned, it's very sticky and therefore only advisable to eat when you're near a sink to wash your hands after. I'd have liked to have seen a few more of the peanut butter chips too. Hell, it would've been nice to have some kind of pb in the doughnut. 

In the aftermath of reeses-pb&j-donut-gate I sent an email to KK, including the above images, who replied and said... 

46 miles for a replacement? You've got to be kidding...

The doughnut I had: 2/10

What I imagine a properly filled pb&j KK would score: 10/10.

Is it worth the gamble though? You decide.


 *new word alert!

NEW! Reese's Crunchy Cookie (Online)

There's a new Reese's Cup in town. Well there's kind of two, if you count the British and American markets separately. You see, the Reese's Pieces Cups are now available to buy from Sainsbury's, but there's also a brand new variety Stateside: Cookie Crunch. 

As a huge fan of the American mini Reese's filled Oreos (please, don't insult my tastebuds by suggesting that the British ones are anything other than disgusting) I was looking forward to trying the new cups, but I'd promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more chocolate. Then one night when the insomnia was driving me utterly crazy, I consoled myself by placing a 2am order with American Fizz. Damn it. I kicked myself even harder when the parcel arrived with an item missing and half of the snacks broken and/of battered. American Fizz have truly gone downhill.

Anyway, the pack contained two crunchy cookie filled cups, which appeared no different to the standard cups. I found myself wondering if the crunch would be as disappointing as it had been in the Reese's crunchy cups and toenail cups -sorry, pieces cups. 

Ooh. Look at that slice through! There were plenty of Oreo-esque pieces to be seen in the standard orange coloured centre. Texturally Reese's delivered on its promise at long last too: the cups were crunchy, with an odd -but enjoyable- grittiness. 

Unfortunately, the cocoa biscuit flavour overshadowed the peanut butter. I shouldn't complain I suppose, as they are meant to be cookie cups, but as a peanut butter lover I felt the ratio was slightly off. For this reason, I imagine king sized versions of the cookie cups would be incredible as they always have a greater filling ratio. To be honest I always find the King Size Reese's products to be superior anyway! I'm still not sure they'd beat my favourite white chocolate Reese's cups though.

The crunchy cookies are an unusual peanut butter cup and at least Reese's have more successfully brought the cookie element into their core range more successfully than KitKat. They're worth a try, but I'd recommend waiting until the king size Crunchy Cookie cups make their way to British shores.

7/10 

Mrs Freshley's Reese's Peanut Butter Swiss Rolls (Protein Pick & Mix)

It's been ages since I've reviewed any foreign imports, despite recently munching my way through a whole host of Japanese products courtesy of Nat (of Lot-o-Choc blog) on top of the vast array of treats I bought back from Malaysia. The main reason I haven't written reviews is because I'm not sure if and where you can find them in the UK, but please let me know if you want the low downs on what was good and what was terrible. These Reese's peanut butter flavoured Swiss Rolls are available to buy in the UK though, and were a birthday present from Nat (she's good like that). A quick google shows that they're available from Protein Pick & Mix.

I have tried a couple of Mrs Freshley's products before with varying degrees of success. The banana pudding cupcakes were rather good, as were the cinnamon twirls, but the peanut butter brownie was less impressive. I found myself really hoping that Mrs F had done these peanut butter Swiss rolls proud as they sounded absolutely marvellous. 

Let's just start by acknowledging the size of these cakes. Cadbury's mini rolls are 27g each, whereas this two pack was a whopping 79g. The packet suggests that one roll is a serving, but I don't have that kind of restraint and so ate both in one sitting.

Unfortunately the covering had shattered in transit, but that meant I got to peel off the chocolate as I would with a Jaffa cake. Yes, the peanut butter drizzled chocolate was thick enough to peel, and whilst it was far from the most superior I've tasted, it was about on par with Reese's (in other words it was weirdly addictive). 

Swiss roll cake is traditionally made without butter and that's why it tends to be drier than your normal sponge. At least that's what I was reminding myself whilst devouring Mrs Freshley's offerings. The cake has a taste and texture that's not dissimilar to our British Cadbury's versions, however the filling was very different -thank goodness for that...

...Yes, I could actually taste peanut butter, hurrah! Where Mrs F's brownie had failed to get the ratio of peanut butter to chocolate right, these mini rolls were gloriously nutty. I'm not sure the photo does them justice, but I thoroughly enjoyed the combination. Noms.

These Swiss Rolls aren't dainty enough to serve your nan for a posh afternoon tea, but there's nothing wrong with that. They might be clumsy and full of additives, but they're charming and pack a peanutty punch, which means they get the thumbs up from me!

8/10

Peanut Butter Cup Muscle Mousse (CN Sport)

A couple of months ago I was perusing Instagram during a very dull PR lecture when I spotted a very good deal on short dated quest bars in my local sports nutrition store CN Sport, swiftly followed by another offer on USN's protein mousse.

I didn't know much about USN's mousse, but had spotted Muscle Mousse so often on Instagram that I decided to give it a whirl -especially as Conor (the owner of CN Sport) was offering it at such a good price. The strawberry and white chocolate USN mousse is utterly fab, tasting just like Angel Delight, so it wasn't long before the temptation to try Muscle Mousse took hold -not least because they sell a peanut butter cup flavour! I bade my time and waited for the Black Friday deals, and luckily Conor matched an offer I found. The Moose's Mousse was mine at last!

Muscle Mousse contains 30g of protein per 50g serving from a combination of Micellar Casein, Whey Protein and Egg Albumen -making it ideal to enjoy before bedtime. N.B it also contains gelatin and sweeteners (namely Stevia and Sucralose).

P.S Glittery stars not included in the pack! 

The mixing instructions suggest adding 2 scoops to 150ml water in a shaker bottle, but I've found it mixes much better with a quick whisk, and tastes much better made with milk! Unlike USN's instant mousse, Muscle Moose suggest chilling their made up mousse for at least 30 mins (and consume within 48 hours).

The resulting mousse is fairly dense with a strong and sweet peanut butter flavour. The chocolate is somewhat lost against the nuttiness, but to be honest I didn't really mind. I have to admit that I prefer the fluffier consistency of USN's protein mousse, but it's still an enjoyable treat (and makes a very welcome change from yogurts and shakes).

The very best use I've found for Muscle Mousse however is on my morning porridge. I make and heat my oats as normal, then stir in a single scoop of powder, top up with milk, and reheat. This combination produces the creamiest, most flavourful porridge ever! Adding chopped banana make for an even tastier creation, but the other night I had a brainwave....

How about adding banana and Reese's chocolate? Genius.

I was lucky enough to receive an inordinate supply of Reese's goodies for Christmas, including a giant (141g) heart from my dear Daddio. I topped the peanut butter cup muscle mousse banana proats with a quarter of the peanut butter heart and indulged in the heavenly ecstasy of my creation... easily the best bowl of oats I've ever had.

8/10

Macros per 50g (as sold): P30/C12/F1

NEW! Reese's Rounds (B&M)

I was both excited and resentful when I was tagged in a photo on instagram this week by 'productsinstore' who had found a new Reese's product. I love Reese's, you know I do -if you've ever read this blog before anyway!- so why on earth would I be grumpy about something new to try? Well my snack buying has become slightly out of hand again, especially with biscuits, ice cream and chocolate.. My kitchen is a diabetic's worst nightmare.. there's at least 40 bars of chocolate in my fridge (if you include the individual Reese's white chocolate hearts), 60 ice cream portions in my freezer (a combination of 'wiches, sticks & tubs) and a good 10 or so packets of biscuits stashed away filling up the cupboards too. All this (combined with the fact that I've had to reduce my working hours as I've returned to uni) means that I really shouldn't be buying any more food. But c'mon. It's Reese's. I'm impervious to resist their bright orange packets, calling me in like the nutty sirens that they are. So I hot footed it down to B&M the very next day and spent 99p on a pack from B&M Bargains.

"Crunchy biscuits with a peanut butter filling covered in milk chocolate."

The pack felt rather light (and at 110g it was) because it only contained 6 biscuits, however I then realised that I was imagining them to be a little like Reese's versions of the PB twix -of course in circular rather than finger format- and immediately equated it to three chocolate bars. Much better value for money. Go figure. 

I could immediately detect the pleasing scent of peanut butter as soon as the pack was open, which made me almost salivate with anticipation. I sliced one in two, and spotted the softer-than-expected centre. The peanut butter was more akin to the Reese's spread than the filling of their cups, which didn't concern me but simply surprised me. 

The biscuit was as crunchy as described, and instantly made me think of my gran at Christmas. I've been racking my brains ever since to try and understand why, but I think it reminded me of the crunchy chocolate covered round biscuits in the M&S selection boxes, which I hope you'll agree is a positive.

If you're not a fan of the chocolate covering the Reese's cups, you really won't like the stuff they've used on these biscuits. Which is slightly odd given that they're actually made in the EU (and manufactured for Lightbody Ventures -so it's not even coming directly from Reese's). 

The last disappointment came from the peanut butter which, although smelt strong, got lost in a miscalculated flavour ratios. The rounds consist of 27% milk chocolate and just 25% peanut butter filling, which means that the nuttiness is all but lost. It also didn't taste particularly like the Reese's that I know and love so well; lacking the characteristic salinity that the iconic brown is known and respected for.  

Well, they're not bad, but they're not great either. PB Twixs are by far the more superior product, with a much better balance of flavours -and better quality ingredients to boot.

6/10

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

NEW! Reese's Snacksters (B&M)

So it turned out that I was looking in the wrong place in my B&M store. Whilst the Hersheys Snacksters were situated with the sweets, the Reese's variety were by the tills -silly me. Anyway, I hastily picked up a couple of packs of the peanut butter version in the hope that I'd love them as much as the Hershey's. 

Just as before the pot was split in two: one side contained 9 Graham Cracker dippers, and the other the chocolate spread. I hadn't actually realised until I got home that it wasn't pure peanut butter and was a peanut butter flavoured chocolate spread instead. 

At once, a joyous peanut butter and chocolate fusion hit my taste buds. Sickly sweet, but comforting, I enjoyed the smooth dip against the bland cracker biscuit. My feelings started to change however as I munched my way through the pot, as soon the nuttiness was lost against the chocolate. I actually found it much more cloying than the chocolate spread alone, and by the end I couldn't handle any more sweetness, so was glad to finish.

I can't help but think that this would have been a much yummier snack if Hershey's had used their Reeses peanut butter instead of the chocolate version. Oddly enough, the night before I tried the Reese's snackster my sister offered her peanut butter pretzel graze box to me, and whilst I enjoyed it, it was just too healthy. 

I'm more of a naughty peanut butter kind of girl, and favour the spreads that have had plenty of salt and sugar to them -or chocolate, honey and banana if you remember my PB Crave review! Reese's peanut butter ranks high amongst my favourites, and I'd love to have a snack pot that uses it. Until then, I'll have to create my own with a bag of salted pretzels and a side of PB.  

6/10
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Reese's Crispy Crunchy

Recently I've given you reviews of the Crispy and the Crunchy so it seems only right to review a combination of both textures, Reese's Crispy Crunchy. I've been tempted by it in Tesco on many an occasion, but my Reese's supply is always so well stocked that it's rare I can justify buying more*. Fortunately, one of my friends at uni knows how much I love peanut butter and bought me the Crispy Crunchy as part of my birthday present.

"Peanut butter fans will surely dig this crispy, crunchy treat made with chocolate, REESE'S peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter candy and chopped peanuts."

The bar was very nobbly, in a similar way to a toffee crisp or lion bar. Once sliced, all of the individual components became apparent: the crispy centre, surrounded by chopped peanuts and chocolatey coating.

As expected, the chocolate wasn't anything to shout about, just the usual Reese's confection. The peanut butter centre knocked my socks off though, it certainly earned its title, with a crunchyness that's on a par with real potato crisps. Of course, the addition of peanut butter candy meant that the bar was tooth-achingly sweet, but it worked in symphony with the saltiness that Reese's is known for.

The Reese's Crispy Crunchy reminded me of something, a fond memory..

I've got it! Do you remember Mars Delight bars? God I loved those things! Anyway, the crispyness of the Reese's bar made me connect the two products, and so I'd liken it to a peanut butter version of the (very missed) Mars Delights.

9/10

*except for when I spot something I've been trying to get hold of for ages such as the Reese's crunchy peanut butter cups!

Reese's Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups (American Soda)

I've been hankering after Reese's crunchy peanut butter cups for a long while. I keep seeing pictures of them pop up on my Instagram feed* but I haven't been able to locate them for love nor money. Lady luck popped up at the oddest of times however, when I finally found a stall selling them at Birmingham's Comic-Con of all places! They were priced at more than American Fizz & American Soda's sell them for, but both sites have been out of stock every time I've placed an order. 

The crunchy peanut butter cups look no different to their smooth counterparts, but once sliced the peanut pieces could be seen. The chocolate coating was Reese's standard waxy stuff, a sweet backdrop for the treasure within. The welcomed saltiness transported me into the peanut butter heaven that I've become accustomed to, and I waited for the crunch... but it was more munch. The peanut pieces weren't as chunky as I'd have liked, nor were they in generous supply. There was the occasional hardness, sure, but it wasn't as texturally interesting as I'd have expected. In fact, I think the Wawel peanut butter bar was more crunchy than this Reese's version.

Please don't misunderstand me, I devoured the peanut butter cups and enjoyed every little morsel, I just wish that Reese's had been more courageous with the crunch that they'd promised of. 

7/10

* come find me on instagram: amyseeksnewtreats
 and whilst you're at it, you might as well follow me on Twitter too ;) @seeksnewtreats

Oreo Mini Reese's (American Fizz)

I was curled up on the sofa last weekend coughing, spluttering, and generally feeling sorry for myself, when I had that lightbulb moment, and realised exactly what would cheer me up. Half an hour later, I'd placed a large order with American Fizz for all sorts of Imported goodies that I never even knew I needed. Delivery was quick, and I was pleased to find that my treats were neatly packaged, so they arrived in perfect condition.

One of the items that I purchased were these Mini Oreos filled with Reese's peanut butter. As I was fortunate enough to receive 40 bags of my favourite Nutter Butter Bites for Christmas, I thought I'd never need to buy any more peanut butter biscuits ever again. Of course, I've munched through my supply pretty rapidly, and I never grow old of peanut butter (or biscuits) so I thought I'd take the opportunity to try the Reese's Oreos.

I was hugely disappointed by the British peanut butter Oreos when they were released last year -to me they tasted artificial and lacked the real taste of roasted peanuts that I expected. I have heard numerous rumours that they are nowhere near as good as their American counterparts, and I really hoped that the grapevine hadn't let me down.

The 'big-bag' contained approximately 30 biscuits, which was meant to be the equivalent of roughly three servings. The Oreos were somewhere between the size of a penny and tuppence, with a thin peanut butter disc in the middle of each.

The biscuits were the same as British Oreos; beautifully rich and dark with a good crunch that also held up well after dunking. Of course, it's not really the biscuits that's of interest here -it's the peanut butter. Fortunately Reese's hadn't let me down and I revelled in the familiar, true-to-form, sweet-salty nuttiness. If I was to be picky, I'd say that the peanut butter wasn't as thick as I'd have liked, the biscuits could've benefited from a more generous central creme disc, but they're a far cry from the pitiful British nonsensical Oreos. 

The chocolate and peanut butter combination is a match made in heaven, and they were so good that I polished off the whole bag in one sitting. Oops.

It's glorious to see that two of the best manufacturers in their fields (Reese's and Oreo) have amalgamated their resources to create such a delightful product.  So Oreo, please stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes, remove the fraudulent UK peanut butter flavoured Oreos, and replace them with the real deal -we deserve them too!

10/10

Reese's Puffs Cereal

Valentine Day is upon us again. Sigh. It's one of the few celebration days that I really can't get along with. Perhaps my resentment is fuelled by the residual envy of watching pretty girls receive their cards and gifts at school, but really I think it's more to do with the idea that love can be expressed through presents and gifts -absolute tosh. Love is kindness, understanding and friendship, not something that can be bought. 

I feel like such a hypocrite this year though, because for the first time in our 8 year relationship I requested a cheeky little something from my other half, and of course it involved my two other major love interests: chocolate and peanut butter. I've been hankering after the Reese's Puffs for a long time, but at £5 a box I couldn't justify the extra expense over standard cereal. So I guess he must really love me, as for the first time this morning I got to get my lips around the famous American breakfast treat -hurrah!

The little peanut buttery and chocolatey balls were a similar size and shape to Nesquik, and as soon as I opened the plastic wrapper I was greeted by the familiar nutty scent that never gets old, making me all the more excited to get stuck in.

After my long wait, I wasn't disappointed; both flavours were well represented in a gloriously comforting manner. The cereal was so moreish that I ended up enjoying another bowl mid-morning -although that might just be my sugar cravings kicking in, 'cause boy it was sweet! 

If you're a fellow peanut butter obsessive with a sweet tooth then I implore you to fork out the extra couple of quid to try a bowl (or ten!) of Reese's puffs. Yum! Best Valentines Day ever, thank you sweetpea!

10/10

Reese's Sticks (Tesco)

As you may recall, last week I received a package of peanut buttery goodies from the lovely 1Treat. The parcel included a pack of Reese's Sticks, which I thought might be the Stateside equivalent of peanut butter KitKat Chunkys as both the bars comprise of milk chocolate, wafer and peanut butter.

I was pleased to discover that (unlike their Nestle cousin) the Reese's Sticks came in duo finger form -only because I prefer to savour my chocolate, and eek out every moment of pleasure! The wafers were only lightly covered with the milk chocolate flavoured coating, which barely concealed the wafer within. 

The wafers were very crisp and light, reminding me of an ice cream cone. The peanut butter was sandwiched twice in between the three wafer layers, providing a satisfying sweet-salty flavour that was quite rightly the star of the show. The chocolatey coating was typically sweet in true Hershey's form, although it provided a rich contrast against both the wafer and peanut butter filling. The bars felt very light to eat, and despite my efforts to lengthen the enjoyment process, they were gone before I knew it!

There are in fact clear differences between the Reese's Sticks and KitKat Chunky:-

 Reese's Sticks vs KitKat

The Sticks had a far better peanut butter ratio thanks to its second nutty layer and more salty flavour, whilst their wafer was far thinner and therefore lighter than the almost biscuity Nestle version. The KitKat Chunky had a much thicker chocolate case however, which actually tasted of real chocolate!

So, I recommend that if you're craving chocolate with a peanut butter hit then you may be better off with the KitKat, however if you're a peanut butter fanatic -like me- then try the Reese's Sticks!

Thanks Mrs 1T!

8/10

Reese's White Peanut Butter Cups (Tesco)

 I was lucky enough to receive a huge stash of peanut butter goodies for Christmas from both my other half and Nibs 'N' Scribs -including lots of Reese's goodies. I'm a huge fan of Reese's products, and simply adore the combination of sickly sweet chocolate flavoured coating and salty peanut butter filling. I'd tried most of the peanut butter goodies before (Nutter Butter Bites & PB Twix) but until Christmas I hadn't tasted the cookie dough bites or the white Reese's cups. 

The white Reese's excited me as I love white chocolate, but I wasn't sure if the sheer amount of sugar would knock the confection off kilter and into the realm of sickliness. 

'Peanut Butter Crème in a White Chocolate Flavoured Coating.'

I needn't have worried. As usual, Hershey's had perfected the ratio of coating to filling. The chocolate wasn't the best I've ever had, but it's a damn site better than many of the cheaper white chocolate products on the market. The peanut butter centre was pure nutty heaven, and the two elements worked in perfect salt and sweet harmony.

I think I actually prefer this to the standard chocolate Reese's cups! Fortunately our local Tesco stocks them for £1.20 per pack so I'll be buying them again and again as a special treat.

10/10

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