Portlebay Lemon Sherbet Popcorn

I love that Popcorn seems to be the snack of choice at the moment, with new brands being stocked in an increasing variety of stockists. I have a particularly sweet tooth and so what excites me most about this new craze is the sheer innovation in flavours- both sweet and savoury. Of course I'm naturally  more drawn towards sweet popcorn in flavours such as the 'Sweet coconut & vanilla' by Propercorn (which are absolutely delightful), and the Tesco own brand 'chocolate orange', 'strawberry toffee' and 'salted caramel' popcorn (which come in a pack of 6 single serving bags).

Whilst in Boots picking up a meal deal I spotted these 'Lemon Sherbert' bags by Portlebay. Each bag is 25g, contains 115cals and costs 80p.  I remember seeing something on the net a few months ago about Portlebay bringing out a coffee flavour popcorn which I'd have chosen above Lemon Sherbet, but never-less I was suitably intrigued by Portlebay and decided to give them a go. 

They're packaging tells me a little more about Portlebay- apparently they are a small crew from Devon who want to make great tasting, interesting food. They 'pop it by hand in small batches with a splash of rapeseed oil and a touch of raw cane sugar to give it a delicious crunch.' They 'then sprinkle it with our natural Lemon Sherbet seasoning.'

I munched on my first mouthful and was disappointed that I wasn't hit with a strong lemony flavour, just a mere citrusy tang. I thought I'd made the wrong choice in not purchasing the Propercorn 'coconut & vanilla' that I know I love, but as I continued through the bag I was rewarded in my persistence. The popcorn increased in intensity, and was reminiscent of the classic Lemon Sherbet sweeties I had as a child.

When I reached the bottom of the bag I realised that Portlebay had completely redeemed themselves and I felt satisfied both by taste and in satiety. I was also impressed that I found a lone hard kernel in my bag, notably less than you would find in a bag of Butterkist for example. I guess that's a benefit of popping it by hand, and I welcomed not having to watch out for that painful crunch when you bite down on an unpopped corn.  

I'm definitely on the hunt for their coffee popcorn now. However,  I'm far more eager to try Propercorn's newest release- a peanut and almond flavour which I absolutely cannot wait for!

8/10

ASDA Blueberry Ice Cream Roll

Nestled amongst my favourite foodstuffs, alongside peanut butter, caramel, chocolate and bananas is ice-cream. Over the past few years there has been something of a retro resurgence which has thankfully led to the return of some much missed favourites such as the Cadbury Wispa bar. In 2008 one of the nostalgic treats that made a comeback was the Birds Eye Arctic roll, which was welcomed back to supermarket shelves after an eleven year break. 

ASDA must have taken note of this trend and have manufactured their own spins on this classic dessert. Last year we were graced by a Battenberg variety which unfortunately seems to have been now dropped; it certainly hasn't been in my local branch. This year they have produced two new varieties of an arctic roll style dessert- Blueberry, and Cookies and Cream.

I bought the Cookies and Cream a month or so ago, when ASDA started clearing their summer lines in favour of the winter items. I was lucky enough to pick one up at 25p, a ridiculously low price. More specifically it was a 'chocolate flavour sponge wrapped around cream flavoured ice cream with chocolate flavour cookie crumble and chocolate sauce.' I don't have any photos of it, because it was before I started this blog, but it was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, as soon as I realised the deliciousness of this treat I returned to store to stock up, and of course they had all gone. 

I have been sulking about ASDA's decision to sell off all their stock as I would have been happy to pay the £1.50 standard price and eaten them all year round. ASDA did however decide to keep selling their (non-chocolate) Blueberry ice-cream roll and they must have had their reasons so I decided to test it out. This flavour is described as 'blueberry flavoured sponge wrapped around purple and white blueberry and sponge flavoured ice creams with a layer of blueberry sauce'- well that's got to be one of the most confusing descriptions I've read.

The roll is supposed to serve 6 but that would be a pretty measly portion so I quartered ours. The ice cream has four different sections and it looked rather attractive once presented. I sampled the purple ice cream first, which was lovely and fruity; exactly what I hoped for.Next I tried the white coloured ice cream, but I couldn't identify a flavour. The blueberry sponge however was beautiful- and complemented the purple ice cream perfectly. I couldn't find much of the blueberry sauce that was meant to nuzzle between ice cream and sponge, which was a tad disappointing but didn't ruin the pudding.

Overall, I enjoyed this retro-inspired ice cream dessert. I definitely preferred the Cookies and Cream flavour, but that's the opinion of an utter chocoholic. 

7/10

New Dr Oetker Mug Cakes

So, these aren't a brand spanking new product, but they're still labelled as NEW!, and I've never had them before, so they're classified as new in my book...

These Dr Oetker Mug Cakes come in three flavours: chocolate, chocolate chip & lemon. I adore chocolate but I'm pernickety when it comes to chocolate cake: chocolate fudge cake- yes please, dry chocolate sponge- no thanks. With that in mind I figured that chocolate chip mug cake is probably a safer bet.

Normally, I believe that the best part of home-baking is the reward of being able to eat still warm cake fresh out of the oven, the lovely smell filling the house. I was always warned as a child that eating cake whilst it was still warm would give you a dicky belly, but in hindsight that may have been a ruse so that all of the cake wouldn't be gobbled down too quick. I'll have to google it someday.

Anyway, I don't do as much baking as I have done in the past or indeed that I'd like to do due to my lifestyle and the fact that there is only two of us in our home. Dr Oetker must have have realised that this issue plagues a lot of households and have been pretty smart in coming up with a solution: individual mug cake baking kits, perfect for the lazy baker/ those living alone/ people who have a limited amount of time on their hands. The packet proudly claims that it's 'easy, quick and delicious' -big promises Dr Oetker.

Each sachet cost 50p from ASDA, and the instructions are pretty straightforward: simply pour the mix into a mug, add 60ml milk, stir with a spoon until smooth and microwave for 1 minute and 10secs. Simples!

I followed the instructions religiously and watched the cake rise up and above the mug's rim as it spun on the microwave's turntable, but as soon as I opened the door it sunk back down. The cake didn't have that nice tanned top that you get from an oven bake, it remained very pallid. 

My excitement was quickly diminishing, and as i tucked my spoon into the warm cake, I felt it almost resist being eaten. When I tasted my first mouthful I regretted buying into the idea that Dr Oetker had solved my baking dilemma, because the cake was utterly tasteless. I was so disappointed that I almost gave up entirely, but I pushed on, hoping to find reassurance in the chocolate chips. The chocolate chips were plentiful but I couldn't even entertain the idea of enjoying this product because of the texture. It was so rubbery that I believe if I dropped it, it would have continued to bounce around my living room for the rest of the evening.

I'm gutted. I had high hopes for this product, but I won't be having it again. Next time I'm wanting a warm muffin, I'll buy the strawberry & white chocolate ones from ASDA's in-store bakery and zap them in the oven for 30secs.

1/10 

New: New York Bakery Co Soft Pretzel Knots

Yay, I finally tracked down the newest kid on the bakery block: the New York Bakery Co 'Soft Pretzel Knots'. I'm a big fan of NYBC's bagels- particularly the cinnamon variety. First off though, I have to admit that I'm certainly no pretzel connoisseur.. In fact the closest I normally come to consuming Pretzels is when the cracker selection type comes out at Christmas time.

I've been seeking these treats for a few weeks and eventually found them in Morrisons. I grabbed the  only variety available and indeed the last pack on the shelf. Luckily it was the 'sweet cinnamon' flavour that had been sat there waiting for me but -for anyone with a less sweet tooth- NYBC also make 'original' and 'cheese and red onion' varieties. Each pack contains four individually wrapped Pretzels, which means they're perfect either for lunch boxes or to pop in the handbag for a quick refuel when out and about. The pack of four cost £1.30 which I think is quite dear, but I was so eager to try them that it didn't deter me.

The packaging states that you can either enjoy them cold or alternatively pop them in the toaster on a low setting and eat warm, which of course I decided to do. When I opened the pack I was welcomed by the familiar festive aroma of cinnamon and attempted to warm the Pretzel as suggested. Admittedly, it may just be me being clumsy or the size of my toaster but my pretzel end got a bit caught up.. However following a bit of manoeuvring I managed to wiggle it out.

The pretzels are doughy, soft, and quite close textured. Biting into my pretzel I could have been forgiven for thinking I was eating one of their bagels- it's extremely similar. I enjoyed the taste, but was glad to have a cup of coffee alongside it as I imagine if it was eaten cold and without a beverage it could become quite cloying. I also really missed the raisins that stud their cinnamon bagels.

However on the flip side, the pretzel was quite filling and for less than 150cal it's perfect for that time in the afternoon when lunch seems a distant memory and dinner is still a long way off. They're also pretty healthy and for anyone watching their fat intake the Pretzels are pretty angelic, containing only 1g ( 0.2g of which is saturated fat) each. The pretzels sit within the bakery aisle and have a short life of only a few days, but they are freezeable- if they hang around that long!

8/10 NYBC if you put raisins in I'll bump it up to a 9 ;)

New Cadbury Desserts- with Fudge Pieces

I bought a couple of these new Cadbury Desserts whilst at the offer price of 50p each. I had read 1treat's Cadbury Dessert review a while back and so I had mixed feelings about what to expect. 

When I opened the pot all of the chocolate dessert had slid and set unattractively against one side of the pot, and I had to look deep into the side of the fudge prices to find the meagre offering at the bottom.

I tried the little fudge cubes first, and was utterly disappointed. I'm not sure how Cadbury have managed it, but the taste reminded me of the acrid smell of burning rubber. They are certainly not made on the same production line as the Cadbury Fudge bars. I hoped to disguise the nasty little balls by hastily mixing them into the other side.
The chocolate side was thankfully much more enjoyable- it has a lovely smooth and silky texture. If I was forced to make a comparison, the closest I could think of would be a cross between mousse and chocolate custard- but it's a lot denser than that.  

Overall, I really enjoyed it and I'd certainly buy them again- next time I think I'd try the chocolate orange variety. I only wish they created one with digestive balls like the muller corners, or a rocky road side as the mixture of textures would be more interesting on the palate.. 

Anyhow, they have a really long best before date so I'll keep some in the cupboard for when I'm craving a chocolate pud fix.

5/10

New ASDA Rocky Road Cheesecake Slices

After writing yesterday about the similarity between the McVities Caramel Digestive Slices base and the biscuit layer of cheesecake I felt the urge to eat my favourite dessert. I went to ASDA with the intention of buying their Maple Waffle Cheesecake slices but -alas- they don't seem to be stocking them anymore. The space previously accommodated by the Waffley variety has been replaced with a brand new cheesecake: Rocky Road.

As you may have ascertained I have a huge amount of love for chocolate and so I was particularly  eager to sample ASDA's Rocky Road Cheesecake. I was imagining that the cheesecake itself would contain marshmallows and biscuit chunks...mmmm... The strap line itself was enough to have me salivating in the aisle  as it reads 'Our road to chocolate heaven! Creamy, crunchy and chewy pleasure.'

The slices looked a little worse for wear in their plastic sleeves (I definitely prefer the packaging of their Extra Special cheesecakes) but looked much more appealing once presented in a bowl. Each had three distinct tiers: a chocolate biscuit base topped by a cream coloured layer (I kept my fingers crossed it was white chocolate) and followed by a chocolate layer. There was an artful sprinkling of chocolate curls, chocolate sauce, mini marshmallows and a single(!) malt ball on both slices.

I tucked into the  tip of the cheesecake, a tier at a time. The uppermost layer was fairly chocolatey, smooth and creamy BUT with the oddly gelatinous texture that is often pertinent amongst shop bought cheesecakes.
I sliced into the middle, and tasted.. well not much, it was fairly bland. I'm not completely sure how to describe it- I couldn't even distinguish vanilla.
The chocolate biscuit bottom however, well that redeemed the dessert. It had a decent cocoa bite, and felt perfectly decadent. I continued through the cheesecake but I don't believe it's worthy of the rocky road title. There was no marshmallow or chocolate chunks rippled through as I had hoped, only the aforementioned sprinkle on top. It turned out that the middle layer is 'chocolate chip' but sadly you'd have trouble finding the chips.

This cheesecake satisfied my chocolate craving, and was worth the £2 for 2 slices, but I won't be choosing it above my beloved ASDA White chocolate & raspberry cheesecake in future.

7/10

McVities Caramel Digestive Slices

I'm not sure how long these have been about, but when I saw these McVities Caramel Digestive Slices on offer in ASDA (at the bargain price of 64p for 6) I couldn't resist.

These are described as 'digestive slices topped with caramel and milk chocolate'

Each slice is 129cals (6.9g fat 3.7g sat fat 10.3g sugar)

I think McVities caramel digestives are a marvellous creation and so I had high expectations from these slices. Each slice is individually wrapped- perfect for a treat on the go. I opened the pack to discover a decent biscuit layer topped with a (slightly indistinguishable) caramel layer and smooth milk chocolate topping.

I bit into the slice and entered my own little segment of heaven. The biscuity bottom tasted exactly like a decent cheesecake base should- buttery and decadent. The caramel and chocolate top were deliciously sleek and the combination was perfectly rich. The slices aren't that big, and so I savoured every nibble.

It turns out that McVities have got size felt just right, any more and the slice could easily trip into the realms of  being sickly.

I'll definitely buy these again. 

9/10

Kelloggs Rice Krispies Multi-grain Mini Biscuits

Kelloggs have recently released two new 'Multi-Grain Mini Biscuit' bags packs in Coco Pops and Rice Krispies flavours. Each large bag contains 5 handy size snack packs of mini biscuits, and I purchased them for £1 from ASDA.

As a chocoholic I initially opted for the chocolate Coco Pops biscuits.. But they weren't brilliant

(:Coco Pop Multi-Grain Biscuit Review ) 

However, having read reaching for refreshment's  Multi-Grain Biscuit Review , and seeing that she'd got on better with the rice krispie version, I decided to give them a whirl.

Again, each bag had about a dozen mini biscuits in, topped with oats. My expectations were low, but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure I could distinguish the flavour as being particularly that of a Rice Krispie, but then puffed rice hasn't got that much of a taste. I'd describe them as vanilla flavoured biscuits, and the bonus is that they are pretty low in fat (2.2g per bag, 1g sat fat) and also contain fibre... However, be aware if you're watching your sugar intake (7.8g) but that explains the yummy taste ;).

I'd definitely buy these again

8/10

New Soreen Apple & Cinnamon Breakfast Bakes

I became acquainted with Soreen's new products: their 'Breakfast Bar Bakes' via a very inspiring Instagram feed (Abbie's journey forward) and today went on a trek to to find some for myself.

Soreen have released two flavours of the Breakfast Bakes:

- Original Malt & Toasted Oats (made with raisins and malt & topped with honey coated oat flakes).

- Apple, Cinnamon & Toasted Oats (made with sweetened Apple flavoured pieces, cinnamon & topped with honey coated oat flakes).

There's seems to be an influx of 'breakfast on the go' products. Am I the only one who never eats them instead of breakfast? The 'breakfast' labelling only serves to highlight them as a healthier treat in my opinion. I'd be interested to get other people's opinion on this.

I found them in Morrisons at £1.50 for a five pack. I chose the Apple Bars, and imagined  (hoped) that they'd taste like an apple flavoured Kelloggs Elevenses bar. I opened the packaging and realised that they actually looked more like king-size Soreen lunchbox loaves topped with oats. They smelt  strongly of Apple & cinnamon aroma which was very pleasant.

I soon realised that the consistency was much more akin to the lunchbox loaves and not the Elevenses bars. When I took my first nibble I was very much underwhelmed. It tasted like raw dough... Mary Berry might've even made a  "Soggy Bottom" comment.

I'm sure fans of the banana loaves may be much more used to the consistency and would enjoy it, but I'm not that keen. The original Malt Loaf flavour might well be better, but I'm certainly not rushing out to buy it any time soon.

4310

Fabulous Bakers 'Chip Off The Old Choc' Flapjacks

Today's review is of the Fabulous Baking Bros 'Chip Off The Old Choc' Flapjacks. I bought them from ASDA at the current offer price of £1 for a pack of four (normally £1.50)

I was a bit confused because the packaging looks spookily similar to the 'Fabulous Bakin' Bros' range of bakery goods often sold in Tescos. I've had the Fabulous Bakin' Bros flapjacks before and so I did a spot of research into the company. It seems that the Fabulous Bakin' Bros and Fabulous Bakers are actually the same company, the latter name being the subject of a substantial rebrand following financial difficulty last year. 

The new range stocked in our local ASDA includes the chocolate flapjacks, and standard flapjacks, but also:

-Banana Brunch Bars (I think I previously mentioned being a big fan of anything banana related),

- Raspberry & White Chocolate Popcorn Bars, 

-Apricot, Almond & White Chocolate Popcorn Bars

-Double Chocolate Cupcakes

And 

-Vanilla & Chocolate Cupcakes

Anyway, back to today's fayre: the chocolate flapjacks.

They are bigger than the flapjacks pre-rebrand

When I opened it up I was a bit disappointed to discover that the chocolate chips are just dottedon top, and on mine they were only at one end. There's no little nuggets of chocolatey goodness throughout, and so I saved the best til last by sampling the plain end first. It was lovely and soft, the way I believe a flapjack should be. I did find it very sweet, and I felt like a bit of salt would've helped offset the sweeteness.. But I then again I am very fond of salt.

The chocolate helped as it was plain chocolate, and I really enjoyed the naughty chocolate end.

Overall, it was a nice flapjack and Id happily pay the £1 offer price for them again... However the Banana Brunch bars sound very tempting, so it'll probably be those that I choose next time! 

7/10

ASDA Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecakes

I purchased these 'Extra Special' Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecakes for £2.50 from ASDA as a dessert treat yesterday. £2.50 is more than I'd like to pay for two desserts as whole cheesecakes can be bought for the same price. 

These cheesecakes were very sweet neat little portions and I like fact that they aren't in the standard wedge shape- they look more like something you'd get in a restaurant.

The cheesecake topping was a perfect balance of creamy white chocolate and sharp raspberries on a beautifully buttery biscuit bottom. I felt like I could keep eating it forever, so it's probably for the best that it comes pre-portioned.

I love cheesecake and always feel let down when buying cheesecake from a supermarket; I feel there's a marked difference between shop bought and home-made. However, this may just be the exception to the rule- it's a wonderful dessert and my favourite ever supermarket cheesecake- definitely worth the £2.50 price tag. I'd even go as far as saying it beats the Gü cheesecakes. Bravo ASDA!

10/10.

Walls Cooky Snack Ice Cream

I wandered down to Tesco Express this evening to buy an ice cream for my dessert, and I thought I'd just check their impulse freezer, which was a good shout because all of their single ice creams were half price. It just goes to show there are benefits to them clearing space for the Christmas lines so early!

I was just about to pick up a cornetto when I spotted these:

Walls Cooky Snacks.

I'm not sure if they're new or not but I've never seen them before. They are described as 'vanilla flavoured ice cream with chocolate drops and biscuits with chocolate chip'. I bought them at 63p each .

My other half ate his straight up but I separated the cookies & microwaved them for 30secs.

I know the photo doesn't look very appetising, but -oh my days- this was amazing! The cookies were soft when cold but after microwaving them but they were gooey, the chocolate chips having deliciously melted. The ice cream was pretty standard vanilla and unfortunately only had chocolate chips around the outside but they were plentiful enough. I really REALLY loved this ice cream.. I just wished they came in a multipack so I could buy them year round.

8/10.

Nature Valley Cranberry & Yogurt Popcorn Bar

This morning I tried one of the new Nature Valley Popcorn bars, which I bought from Morrisons for £1.50 for a box of 5. There are two flavours: 'Cranberry & Yogurt' or 'Peanut & Sunflower Seeds' but my local Morrisons only had the Cranberry Variety. 

The box describes them as 'Chewy popcorn bar with cranberry pieces and sunflower seeds dipped in a smooth yogurt flavour coating.'

 I expected them to taste like a hybrid between the yogurt Alpen bars and popcorn.. Both of which I really enjoy.

To be fair, they were exactly that! The taste of cranberries and yogurt came through strongly, combined with the familiar chewiness of popcorn. As a hybrid, however, I'm not sure I enjoyed it. I wolfed it down in only a couple of bites but was left pretty empty after. It was almost Like I'd been offered a mouthful of someone else's popcorn and now wanted my own bag. They felt more of an appetiser than a snack, and for that reason I'd stick to either a cereal bar or popcorn but not a combination of the two

Sorry Nature Valley, I think your Oat bars are fab.. But these are nowhere near as good! 

4/10

New ASDA Banana Milkshake Malties

As a lover of anything banana I was excited when I saw these Banana Milkshake Malties as a new addition to ASDA's already well varied own brand cereal. They also do strawberry & chocolate milkshake varieties but I always opt for banana milkshake so these sounded right up my alley.

They're also only £1.38 a box, so pretty good value. 

 However, I was sadly disappointed at the lack of banana flavour in these malties. Compared to Caramel Shreddies -which are packed with flavour- these are pretty lacklustre. They're nowhere near as banana-ey as the banana mini weetabix, which I think is what I was hoping for. 

I might be tempted in future to try the strawberry malties if they are on the 3 for £3 offer with the other ASDA own brand children's cereals - but they're not currently included. 

For the moment I think I'll stick to their 'Jungle bites' which I reviewed earlier this week.

4/10

Goodfellas Enchanted Chicken pizza

As I was cooking dinner for just me tonight I thought I'd try Goodfellas new offering to the Pizza Market, this 'Frozen' endorsed chicken pizza, priced at £1.50 from ASDA.

When I opened the box I was disappointed to discover this bland looking runt of a pizza:

I half debated not even cooking it. I know it's meant to be a healthy pizza as the box clearly states that the cheese is low fat, and that it contains 1 of your 5 a day (which I don't believe the topping is SO stingy. Even so I decided to stick with it, and it didn't look any better after cooking. 

The tomato taste is overwhelming.. But not in a good way, it just tastes like tomato purée on stale bread. I hate wasting money, and so felt pretty peeved that I'd wasted my money on this pretty inedible pizza.

I'd give this 0/10.. 

Stay clear! 

Tesco Millionaire's Shortbread Spread

At long last, it's here! Tesco have finally released their Millionaire's Shortbread Spread, following an opinion poll of Tesco's Orchard Members last year.

This product is described as a 'Caramel flavoured and chocolate flavoured biscuit swirl spread.' I LOVE the lotus biscuit spreads, and Tesco's custard cream spread is pretty epic too. I recently bought the Tesco cookie spread but I was a smidgen disappointed by that in comparison. As far as biscuits go, Millionaire's Shortbread has to be king.. So although I already have a pretty well stocked Toast topping cupboard, I couldn't resist this newbie on the market!

The serving suggestion is to top warm waffles or brioche but I don't have any, so I decided to top my crumpets with the Millionaire's Shortbread spread. For anyone who has tried Tesco's Custard cream spread, this is a similar consistency. It's solid at room temperature but the moment it's slathered onto anything warm, it melts pretty swiftly. 

This makes crumpets a particularly good vehicle for this product as all the chocolate caramelly naughtiness oozes into the crumpet's pores.

Mmmmmm... Is all I can really say. It's my favourite of Tesco's spreads to date ( I have a very sweet tooth) and its got to be up there with the Lotus spreads.

9/10.

ASDA Own Brand Cereal: Jungle Bites

ASDA have a whole new range of children's cereal out, and instead of just ripping off brand cereals on the markets, include completely new concepts, such as these Jungle Bites. They are currently priced at £1.38 per box or you can mix and match with some of their other cereals for 3 for £3.

These are described as 'chocolate and caramel flavour fortified cereals.'

There certainly was a good mix as it seemed to be half and half of each chocolate and caramel cereals. They were really well flavoured and left the milk with a chocolate caramel flavour aftertaste.. Just like milkshake...Mmm.

Probably not the healthiest cereal on the market, but they sure taste good! 

I give them 9/10 and is certainly buy them again, well done ASDA! 

New Coco Pops Multi-Grain Biscuits

Today I tried the new Coco Pops Multi-Grain biscuits, which I purchased from Asda for £1. The bag contains 5 mini bags of multigrain biscuits at 104 cals per bag. 

Each bag contained about 12 multi-grain biscuits, which I guess are meant to be a "healthy" biscuit snack choice. I love coco pops and so was disappointed at the lack of chocolatey flavour. They tasted rather too much like cardboard for my liking, and more like munching on dry cereal than munching on biscuits. 

Sorry Kellogg's, I'll be sticking to my Cadbury mini dinosaurs when reaching for a mini biscuit bag treat in future. 

5/10