NEW! Red Velvet, S'mores, Salted Caramel & Cookie Dough Cheesecakes (ASDA)

I walked into ASDA the other night to pick up some bread rolls and came away with four cheesecakes. How did that happen?! Please tell me I'm not the only one. Believe it or not, that was me holding back, there were many more new ones (take a look at the bottom of this post for photos of just some of the others I spotted). Anyway, I bought 4 of the 5 new individual ones for £1 each -key lime pie didn't appeal I'm afraid, even enough to take a photo. 

Cookie Dough
I really hoped this would be better than the last ASDA cookie dough cheesecake I reviewed just over a year ago. It certainly looked appealing, with a more substantial base this time around.

"Chocolate biscuit base with chocolate chip and chocolate cheesecake batters, with cookie dough, topped with chocolate sauce, milk chocolate chips and white chocolate buttons."

The cheesecake itself was pretty pants. It had that wobbly jelly like consistency that I find so off-putting in most supermarket cheesecakes. Flavour-wise neither the chocolate or chocolate chip batter cut the mustard either. The paler of the two didn't have many chocolate chips, neither did it taste of vanilla, or soured cream, just plain. Humf. The chocolate cheesecake wasn't much better either. 
As for the cookie dough, that was a bit lost too. In fact I only realised when I finished my slice that I hadn't even tasted it! Oops. Fortunately the chocolate bottom was ok, although a little on the dry and crumbly side.

5/10 

Salted Caramel 

"Digestive biscuit base topped with caramel cheesecake batter and salted caramel sauce, topped with milk chocolate malt balls and chocolate crispies."

At least the cheesecake itself was actually flavoured. Whilst it still wobbled, I enjoyed the treacly flavour (although I'm not sure how salted it truly was). 
The honeycomb balls on top were crisp, although admittedly they weren't up to Malteser standards.

I also enjoyed the base of this one. Sometimes you can't beat the original, and I greedily hoovered up every last crumb of digestive biscuit. 

7/10

Red Velvet Secret Centre 

"Red velvet base with vanilla cheesecake batter and a chocolate sauce centre, with red velvet topping."

Boy this was messy to retrieve from its pot, the cake crumb scattered everywhere! Also, can you call a cheesecake a cheesecake without a biscuit bottom? 

Another sub-standard cheesecake. I think ASDA must've used the same batter in this and the cookie dough flavour, for it had a similar a similar taste and consistency. The cake crumb was ok, but there wasn't much of it, and without the crunchy base there was a distinct lack of textural contrast. Not good. The 'secret centre' constituted a measly teaspoonful of runny chocolate sauce, the sort of stuff you'd use to top ice cream -again it wasn't particularly enjoyable. 

I'd give this one a miss if I were you.

4/10  

S'mores 
I really hoped that this cheesecake would fare better than the other new ASDA cheesecakes and the Tesco freezer burnt S'mores cheesecake I reviewed last year.

"Chocolate biscuit base with chocolate cheesecake batter topped and a chocolate sauce centre topped with a chocolate sauce and marshmallows."

This cheesecake was at least easier to remove from its case, revealing three distinct layers beneath the marshmallow topping.

The top layer was meant to be chocolate sauce, but it was set and tasted a bit like the odd wobbly chocolate puddings you find in all inclusive hotels on the continent -please tell me you know what I mean? I really wish that ASDA had used ganache instead.

The chocolate cheesecake was far from the best I've had; it was gelatinous and mild in flavour. As for the secret centre, I uncovered the same sorry state of affairs as I found in the Red Velvet. Gah, ASDA, you can do so much better than this.

I was grateful that the base was crunchy and actually made from biscuits! The chocolate flavour was rather good too, with a dark bourbon-esque element. C'mon guys, I'm looking for the silver lining here. 

6/10

Summary
What a disappointment ASDA, especially having bought and thoroughly enjoyed your outstanding White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecakes the weekend before. 

Just some of the other new cheesecakes spotted at ASDA..

I like the sound of the Banana Bonanza, but I fear it'll be just as bad as their other new cheesecakes. Please let me know what you think if you try any of ASDA's new dessert range!

Peanut Butter Granola Bars: ASDA's best kept secret.

Now these are definitely not new. However, following plentiful conversations with fellow Bloggers about the joys of peanut butter, I've come to the conclusion that these Granola bars are a relatively well kept secret. They are sold in a box containing 6 packs which are priced at £1.85* and you can find them hiding amongst the branded products in the cereal bar aisle in ASDA- if you're lucky! 

They are an own brand product but are very similar to the Nature Valley Oat Granola Bars, and just like their branded cousin each individual pack contains two biscuits. They look very similar to Nature Valley's products- however I'm admittedly (and embarrassingly) so obsessed with PB that I emailed them a while back to suggest they produce a peanut buttery oat bar and they responded by saying that they would "let me know if they do" -which they haven't- so I'm still at odds as to who manufactures these bars for ASDA.

They're just as crumbly as the Nature Valley bars, and the peanut butter element comes from the spread across the top. The ratio is spot on, and the nuttiness comes through comfortingly once nibbled. They're actually the only British** peanut butter product I've tried to date that actually tastes of the real deal. They incorporate a good level of saltiness which compliments the sweet oat and honey combination beneath.They dunk really well too and hold together slightly better than a Hobnob... But don't quote me on that- there's nothing worse than losing a biscuit in your cuppa after all! 

If you're interested, they are also healthier than Hobnobs, as each pack contains 192 calories and only 1g saturated fat. The bars are also gluten and dairy free.

If you either haven't seen these bars, or haven't tried them for fear that they might not be as good as the branded alternative (and you're a peanut butter fan) I implore you to give these wondrous snacks a go.

9.5/10 

-The American Nutter Butter Bites still holds the No1 peanut buttery spot In my heart.-

*Price correct at the time of publishing.

** After I wrote this review, my interest was piqued which led me to check the packet- they're actually made in Canada.