Handcrafted Chocolate Log (Boots)

I've not held back when it comes to giving you my opinions on Boots' bakery style snacks. We've had the grim Cookie Dough Brownie, the awful Banoffee Flapjack and disappointing Red Velvet Cake Slice. More recently I've had better experiences however with their Carrot Cake Slice -which I've had a far few times since reviewing and am still quite happy with. Boots released a couple of Festive themed cake slices last month, at the same time as their festive Sammie range, and so I decided to take a punt as part of my Monday £1 meal deal on the Handcrafted Chocolate Log. 

"A chocolate sponge topped with chocolate buttercream, and a milk chocolate decoration."

I didn't have high hopes for the cake, not only because of my history with Boots' snacks, but also because I realised last year that I'm rather picky when it comes to Yule logs. Not even the highly exalted Tesco Finest Yule Log pleased my disgruntled tastebuds. Still, this little slice looked pretty and chocolatey, so I prepared myself to try it with fresh eyes.

I was forced to eat my hat. The cake was moist and soft, with a bold chocolate flavour that didn't border on bitter. I soon discovered an additional surprise too: the plentiful supply of dark Belgian chocolate chips which studded the mixture and added a lovely twist. The buttercream on top was also tasty, bordering on fudge-like in its thick, creamy softness. I had expected naff Kinnerton advent calendar quality from the fake 'flake' adorning the slice, but yet again I was stupefied and found it to taste rather good. Please don't get me wrong, we're not talking high end artisanal chocolate here, but it was crumbly, melted in the mouth, and left a pleasant aftertaste. Nom.

I'd certainly say that the Handcrafted Chocolate Log is as good as Boots' carrot cake, but there's just a couple of issues...

1) It's a YULE LOG Boots, so please don't be giving us that Christmas red tape nonsense.

2) I'm now faced with a weekly dilemma on a Monday morning: do I go for the Merry Mince Pie Flapjack or Chocolate Log to complement my festive sarnie?

I think I can cope.

8/10

Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Yule Log

Now, just on the slightest off-chance that you've not eaten yourself into oblivion, and are still inclined to read about chocolate (even if you can't eat anymore), today's post is a follow-up to the lacklustre Cadbury's Mini Yule Logs. I'd been hankering after something a bit more decadent, any I was toying between buying the Co-Op's Chocolate & Amaretto Yule Log and Tesco Finest's version. The Co-ops bûche de Noël sounded more appetising, simply due to the Amaretto content, but Tesco's finest had resounding praise from bloggers Hannah & Lucy.

I decided to opt for the Tesco version, as these girls know their chocolate. It looked devilishly delectable, with a thick Belgian Chocolate ganache frosting smothering the entire cake. It sliced wonderfully, revealing the tell-tale chocolatey swirl. 

The chocolate ganache was beautiful- perfectly rich and chocolatey in an 'I'll lick the bowl when no-ones looking' way. The cake however was disappointingly dry, lacking the fudge-like stickiness that I expected (my personal quality indicator of homemade chocolate cake). Perhaps it needed lashings of double cream, but I'm afraid I didn't have any. The chocolate buttercream tasted decent enough, but I found that the ratio was a bit off-kilter. Although Tesco were generous with the ganache, they could have been a bit kinder with the internal buttercream swirl.

It might just be me, and my experience of home-made Yule Logs combined with the sky high expectations I had of this cake that led to my disappointment; although it was definitely a damned sight better than the Cadbury's minis. With that in mind, I'd be keen to know if any of you have tried it this Christmas, and if so what did you think?

7/10

Cadbury's Yule Logs

Hannah & Lucy have been hot on the case when it comes to the battle of the supermarket Yule Logs, and I highly recommend reading their reviews if you're undecided as to where to buy one from this year. 

As there's just two of us (and our mutt Monty) in our house -and my other half isn't keen on chocolate cake- I thought I'd buy the Cadbury's Mini Yule Logs rather than miss out altogether. The pack of 6 was bought from ADSA for £1.50, and Cadbury describe them as 'Chocolate flavoured sponge with chocolate flavoured cream, covered with milk chocolate and sprinkled with a light sweet dusting'

Unwrapping the logs I was pleased to discover that they looked as chocolatey as they promised, with a light sugary coating and the tell-tale icing ruts mimicking bark. Cutting it in half however, I realised that visually it was a very dry sponge, and the taste confirmed my suspicions. It was completely devoid of the naughty gooey buttercream that makes a Yule Log so delicious, and the milky creaminess of Cadbury's chocolate. I wouldn't have guessed that this was a Cadbury's creation at all, as it bared no resemblance to their chocolate. 

What a disappointment, these Yule Logs a more like a lacklustre mini roll. Cravings unsatisfied, I might have to give in to the recommendations of Lucy and Hannah... 

4/10