Review- Krispy Kreme NEW: Hersey's and Coconut & Raspberry

Oh hi little Bloggy, long time no post! It's been a while since my last review, almost a month* in fact..  But you know how life goes - "Busy" has a sneaky habit of keeping you just that! So what's new with everyone? Anything exciting to tell me? Has Spring, sprung where you are? New faves and foods? Gossip? Let me know!

Kicking things back off today, it's the NEW Hersey's Cookies 'n' Creme (Also available in Ring form) and Coconut & Raspberry Doughnuts from good old Krispy Kreme (Not Cream in name but said as cream, not krem. GOT IT!?), which I picked up in my usual Tesco cabinet. Price wise, I bought an assorted box of 3 for £4.85 but assume they are the usual £1.90 each. 

Hersey's Cookies 'n' Creme

Filled with Hersey's Cookies 'n' Creme Kreme, topped with white chocolate flavoured coating and Hersey's Cookies 'n' Creme pieces. 

I was so convinced that no filling was going to feature within my Hersey's number, I had a complaint tweet practically composed, ready to press send as soon as confirmed by the slice of my knife.. But the eager finger was soon shown the door when some Kreme did turn out to be present! - Not a lot mind but more than what it's weight suggested! Onto the eating and texture wise, the very bottom layer of the dough itself wasn't quite cooked and in turn a bit on the stodgy side. Thankfully, the rest was up to the usual fluffy KK standard and delivered that signature sweet flavour. As for the Hersey's aspect, both inside and on top.. It brought nothing to the party - No real creaminess, certainly not cookies whatsoever, perhaps some more sugary, wannabe white chocolate tones but generally, lacked all kind of flavour. It's a disappointing, 1 out of 5 from me. 

Coconut & Raspberry

Filled with coconut Kreme and topped with raspberry gloss and desiccated coconut. 

Moving onto the Doughnut which has been greatly longed for and the one that I had much higher hopes for.. The Coconut & Raspberry! Cutting in two, the dough still proved to be marginally raw a long the bottom but far less noticeable than the above and probably not something anyone would complain about apart from me! From first bite, the coconut aspect was instantly identifiable with plenty of creamy, tropical tones a long with sweetness, all packed into the super smooth, silky abundance of Kreme. The sticky gloss on top added a real pop of fruitiness which as expected, went wonderfully with both the chewy desiccated coconut and the aforementioned filling. YUM - A 4.5 out of 5 from me. 

Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag here from Krispy Kreme. Hersey's is no Reeses in my opinion** so if KK are expecting it to catch on.. I can't help but think they've got another thing coming given what they've produced - Mine really did taste of nothing! As for the Coconut & Raspberry offering, it is a "spot on" delight and you would be a fool not to get yourself 1.. Or a dozen. Happy Doughnut munching! 

*Whilst I was MIA.. On the 23rd of March.. It was the Bloggy's 2 year birthday.. And I completely forgot. Whoopsie doodle. Happy Birthday Bloggy!! 

**What do I know, I don't even like Peanut. I'm just channelling my inner Nibby Nobs. She knows stuff, that one. 

Review- M&S NEW Baked Doughnut Mix

As some of you may already know.. I am big on baking. Massive in fact. I take no greater pleasure in life than whipping up something from scratch.. So when my Sparks* offers came through this fortnight and one was "20% off Home Baking Kits", I felt nothing but personally offended. How dare M&S force such sacrilege upon me? Who do they think they are? 

Well actually, I should probably eat my words as when having a quick peruse around my local store, I stumbled across this vegetarian friendly, NEW Baked Doughnut Mix which I figured would kill several birds with one stone - 1. Utilise my offer 2. Get potentially yummy Doughnuts 3. Bit alternative thus good for the bloggy. And just like that, I was convinced and hotfooted it to the till where I paid £2 (£2.50 without the 20% off). 

Inside the box was the doughnut mix itself, a bag of caster sugar and 3 sachets of raspberry jam with all one needing to bring to the party being, 90ml of warm milk, 50g melted unsalted butter and a lined baking tray.

So filled with the joys of spring, I cracked on and measured out my milk before giving it a quick zap in the microwave until it felt tepid.

I added it to the doughnut mix, in a large bowl as instructed and mixed to form a dough, prior to giving a good knead on the table for about 5 minutes, until it felt smooth. 

Plopping the dough ball back into the bowl, I proceeded to cover it with clingfilm and left to prove for an hour, or as the instructions stated, until doubled in size. 

Well.. As I often find with anything that is meant to rise, my dough didn't exactly expand much despite being left for longer than an hour and having been sat in a warm spot. So, that's brilliant. 

Following the next step of briefly kneading said dough and cutting into 6 equal (Semi equal) size pieces, I "gently" rolled each into a ball and placed them onto a not so lined (I forgot) baking tray, evenly spaced apart. A further 45 minute prove or once again, until doubled in size, whilst being covered and then they would finally be ready for the oven.. Thank the lord. 

In the mean time, aside from doing a jig around the kitchen, a "waiting dance" if you will, I melted the 50g of unsalted butter in a little tumbler - It was certainly sunny in appearance! 

At least the rise was more apparent this time.. Sort of.. Ish. I brushed approximately a third of the above, melted butter onto the balls and whacked them in a preheated 190ºc Fan oven for the recommended 6 minutes.

Out they came and a second coating applied before going back in for a further 6 minutes or.. Wait for it.. Until golden brown! Who saw that one coming? M&S love a vague "until" option. 

I left the little nubbins to cool by the window and got my jam ready..

There was no way I was going to faff around with making a small hole in the top of each doughnut and filling with half a sachet of raspberry jam - How was that ever going to work? Is one meant to spoon it in? It would have to be a really diddy spoon? Who has one of those? Stupid bloody M&S. I chose to utilise the use of a syringe.. Meant for my pet fluffy.. My needs are greater than hers. Soz. 

Tadaaaaa! 6, jam squirted, raspberry doughnuts that had been brushed with the final third of butter and rolled in the caster sugar. 

So what did they taste like? Good question after what felt like an eternity in the making! Unfortunately.. I can't say that the doughnuts produced were anything other than totally boring. Taste wise, the dough itself wasn't one thing or another - Not particularly sweet when eaten alone or possessing the flavour akin to any doughnut, baked or fried, that I've ever had. The jam centre was nice enough in being fruity and supplying pleasant raspberry tones with the sprinkling of sugar on the outside really heightening the overall sweetness - It also provided a crunchy contrast in the texture to the "soft" bun. 

Crikey. What a palaver. Not so surprisingly, this NEW Baked Doughnut Mix just isn't a winner for me. It takes far to much effort, for the end results to be nothing short of lack lustre. One could literally just buy a part-baked roll, slather it in butter, bake it off, roll it in sugar and then consume it with jam.. It would be no different, taste or quality wise. Now, someone go and buy me some proper doughnuts, the need is dire. - It's an exhausted, 2 out of 5 from me.

*Find out about the M&S Loyalty Card here - The offers can be anything from food to clothes to homeware and definitely worth having! 

Snackmas Day 21- M&S Merry Molten Truffles ft. Salted Caramel Fudge Log

We're on the home straight now.. Christmas is only a few short days away! Eek! I trust by now you are all completely organised with the food in, presents wrapped and not a single ounce of impending doom lurking in your panicked subconscious.. No? Well, breathe.. Calm yourselves.. Sit and have a chocolate with me. 

Clementine flavoured milk chocolate truffles dusted with icing sugar and white and milk chocolate truffles dusted with icing sugar and freeze dried cranberries. 

Truth be told, these Merry Molten Truffles might actually be not what you want if you are running around in a flap.. But to get out for a get together or a stocker stuffer, yes, yes! The 185g tray of half Cranberry & White and half Clementine & Milk Chocolate Truffles cost £4 and are peachy-keen for the vegetarians to consume. 

Designed to go into the oven to achieve their "molten" namesake, I preheated my fan oven to 140ºC and whacked a few balls on a tray for the recommended 3 minutes. Much to my astonishment, the spheres came out perfectly, albeit with slightly cracked shells. 

L-R Cranberry & White Choc, Clementine & Milk Choc 

Now isn't that a glorious? - Melty, ooey gooey to the max! Starting with the Cranberry & White Choc, the outside had a thin, crisp texture, not all to dissimilar to that of a Cadbury Mini Egg with a very much sweet taste, thanks to both the shell itself and the smooth white chocolate, and the flavour balancing addition of a pop of tartness from the cranberries. An ever so slightly warm, liquid pool of milky yet cocoa rich chocolate hide in the centre, complimenting the previous elements and generally feeling very much indulgent. Moving onto the Truffle that I expect will appeal to the most people.. Clementine & Milk Choc! Once again, a good, satisfying crunch came from the ball with the same whiff of powdered sugary sweetness before hitting a pleasantly orange tang within - Not overpoweringly citrus or identifiable as the taste of actual Clementines but delicious nevertheless. As one can probably imagine, this went superbly with the silky chocolate, producing Chocolate Orange vibes.. But for the far more sophisticated "grown up"! It's a 4 out of 5 from me. 

Salted Caramel Fudge Log

Oo it's an added extra and one, let's face it, that I was never not going to buy - I just love me some fudge! Priced at £2.50, this 146g Salted Caramel Log is also veggie friendly and rather unfortunately, designed to be sliced and shared.. Opposed to bitten by oneself and scoffed ferociously like the animals, I know you all to be.

Milk chocolate (22%) covered fudge with toffee pieces (3%) and a salted caramel core (5%), decorated with dark chocolate. 

I wasn't quite sure what to do with the thing once out of it's packet. Perhaps you could present it on a fancy plate or board rather than a heathen piece of kitchen towel like I did.. Not that I think that took away from its beauty - Check out the chunkiness!  

Holy moly, what a sight to behold.. This has to be some of M&S's finest work here, surely with the Log cutting beautifully to reveal a trio of golden colours - A thick surrounding coating, the promised core and a dense fudge centre. Soft, squidgy and malleable rather than the rock solid, "gritty" variety, the aforementioned itself was nothing but creamy with oodles of vanilla and naturally, extremely sweet! Adding further to this although not being too much at all, the caramel aspect was equally as divine delivering further buttery, sugary tones.. But not salted in the slightest from what I could tell! A real hit of cocoa came from the chocolate which I have to admit, I feared would let down the lot but surprisingly enough, I was proved wrong and only helped cut through whilst providing a good velvety texture broken up by the toffee nibs, to match. Amazing - A 4.5 out of 5.

Overall, both of these chocolate-y offerings from M&S have floated my boat big time! The Merry Molten Truffles are scrummy, not to mention a great novelty and will make a fabulous addition to any stocking or if you're looking to switch it up, great fun for a party - Maybe only a sit down do however otherwise you'll discover a trail of chocolate all over your carpet, upholstery and comatose-d Grandad*, later on. As for the Salted Caramel Fudge Log.. I don't even care that it isn't salted. Go get one. 

*Also, don't give him one that hasn't been in the oven - Any teeth he does have remaining won't thank you.

Snackmas Day 17- M&S Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls

I couldn't get enough of the Maple Bacon Tortilla Rolls that graced us last Snackmas - They were ridiculously moreish and I thought, quite an "original" idea to put out there despite still not being all too sure exactly what Maple has to do with Christmas..  

M&S being M&S however aren't just happy with one repeat flavour and this year have chosen to embrace their spicy side with these NEW Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls. I snapped up the physically dinkier, although still 190g bag, for £1.50 and took reassurance in the fact that they are gluten free as well as suitable for veggies and vegans. 

Tearing into the bag, a smell that can only be described as that of "seaside doughnuts" came from the Rolls which naturally, made my hopes soar to great heights. Almost greasy and buttery in taste, the Tortilla's still had the signature corn chip flavour combined with a semi sweetness that really was like the aforementioned.. Minus the overload of sugar, of course! The comforting warmth of cinnamon was consistent throughout and came through subtly along with providing a delicious aftertaste which made them all too easy to munch away at. Texture wise, they were equally as flawless in being satisfyingly crisp and satisfyingly crunchy - Yum!

Ah M&S have only gone and done it again.. These Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls are bloomin' brilliant! They pack just the right balance of sweet and spice, combined with the pure delight of some sort of doughy fritter - I think I can safely say, no one is going to turn their nose up at that! Get a bag,  why dontcha - It's a 4.5 out of 5 from me!

Review- Krispy Kreme NEW Cruller

It's time for another Vintage Krispy Kreme and this fortnight, the turn of the Cruller which allegedly is one of the most popular and very first products to be released in KK's UK history, way back when in 2003.. Before I knew better and prior to the start of my love affair with doughy delights!

Our iconic American cake doughnut, covered in our signature glaze. 

It looks like I got first dibs on the fresh batch at my local Tesco Cabinet today with the tray of twisty turn-y cake doughnuts being full and untouched - Perhaps this throwback isn't quite as "popular" anymore? Who is to say, I was happy to get my chance to try it and paid £1.75 at the till before skipping on my merry way. 

I cut the sweet smelling Cruller in half and was not all that surprised to find it relatively dense and crumbly - Similar to the Triple Chocolate Cake albeit not quite as "spongy". Taking a bite, the familiar sugary taste of KK's signature glaze was instant with its crunchy, almost sticky consistency. The "doughnut" itself was a weird one.. Extremely dry and "bitty" yet with air pockets and the flavour of something which I can only liken to being a bit stale - One might say it was a "needed to be eaten up" item opposed to a fresh and inviting treat! Together, the two elements were alright.. But only that.  

Overall, I can't say I am blown away with this Cruller.. I understand that it is meant to be a cake doughnut but the texture just doesn't do it for me - I can't see past the fact it reminds me of something stale! By all means give it a go before the 17th* but do have a hot beverage on hand to wash it down.. I don't want anyone choking on a rogue crumb! It's a 2.5 out of 5 from me. 

*The Pumpkin Spice will be covering the latter half of October and making for the last of Krispy Kreme's Vintage Doughnut range. 

Go read the Peanuts post too! She does like the Doughnuts muchly!

Review- Thorntons NEW White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites

It helps having friends who are eager snack finders.. Not only do they inform you of said NEW products but if you've been really good, they send them to you too! It's a win win situation! 

My lovely buddy-chum, Charlotte is to thank for these Thorntons White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites which appear to be the same as the regular Milk variety just with a different topping - It's about time we all got something even sweeter in our lives! Purchased in Asda and priced at £1, I am yet to see the Veggie friendly, dinky delights in store myself or in any other supermarket.. But no doubt, Thorntons themselves have their shelves stocked to the brim!

Scrumptious shortcake squares covered with a delicious caramel layer and topped with smooth white chocolate. 

Turns out, they were a bit smooshed but no matter - No one is ever going to refuse oozing caramel.

I cut the Bite in half, purely for picture purposes and it actually turned out to be more robust than I expected with not a single crumb out place. Smelling beyond ridiculously sweet of a butter, Werther's Original combo, I popped a piece into my mouth and let the sugar overload engulf me. Starting with the base which was quite gritty, it didn't add anything to the flavour with the middle of thick, squidgy caramel completely overpowering any potential other taste and generally being just how it smelt! The white chocolate, albeit a nicer contrast to all the soft, didn't really come through either due to the aforementioned but did add further sweetness. The 3 elements together were pretty sticky, cloying and definitely something that would give you diabetes.. And a dry, sore tongue! 

Overall, unless you're an absolute sugar fiend or are prepared to power on through the initial sweet, sickly punch to the face, I am not sure these NEW White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites are going to woo everyone.. There is nothing wrong with them as such but even I, the lover of all things with more sugar than anything else, found them to be a tad too much. Perhaps Thorntons should stamp "Enjoy with a strong coffee!" on their packaging.. Because believe you me, you're going to need it! It's a 3.5 out of 5! 

Review- Ikorn NEW Gourmet & Health Kick Popcorn: Sweet, Salted & Himalayan Salted

Last week, a lovely chap called Richard (Hi Richard!) from Ikorn Popcorn contacted me asking if I would like to try their recently released, brand spanking NEW Premium Gourmet Popcorn. I was never going to refuse such an offer and in no time at all, an assorted box of 12, 25g bags landed on my doorstep.

Ikorn is proud to present you with our Popcorn. We use the highest quality non GM, butterfly corn along with premium coconut oil to bring you this delicious snack. Using the finest corn, finest ingredients and finest recipes, we satisfy the finest popcorn connoisseur. We're sure you won't be disappointed. Gluten and Wheat free. 

Inside was 3 flavours, all having under 120 calories each.. Sweet Korn and Salted Corn (RRP £1.29) along with a Himalayan Salted (RRP £1.49) coming from the Health Kick range - With some very fancy thick packaging that was almost a struggle to get into, I might add! All made from the most poppy, voluminous corn known to man, the team at Ikorn tried and tested over 40 different varieties of the stuff to ensure only the best was to make it into their product with refined coconut oil and Virgin Organic coconut oil (Used in the Health Kick) being the catalyst to ensure for the most fulfilling, healthy snacking option - None of this "cheapy" Canola oil which is slowly killing us all. 

Tech to your eyeballs, Folks.. Or save and zoom for those less frivolous. 

Sweet Korn

Starting with the Sweet and my personal favourite when it comes to Popcorn flavours, upon opening the bag an immediate buttery scent was apparent with what I thought was lemon tones despite none being in the ingredients. Taste wise, the sweetness I envisaged wasn't quite there and certainly not the sugary stuff I am used to with some pieces being more coated that others, in turn being a bit hit or miss on the flavour front! It did however have that "cinema-esque" feel with a satisfying airy crunch, transitioning into melt in the mouth goodness. A 3.5 out of 5 from me. 

Salted Korn

Moving onto the Salted.. I have to say I was dubious - I have never been one for savoury Popcorns with the whole notion just not sitting well with me quite frankly! Trying to keep an open mind, the Popcorn once again had the buttery and lemon scents mentioned above but of course this time, not remotely sweet in taste. The salt was undeniable and at first a bit of a shock for me but thankfully with the buttery tones, things mellowed and along with another fantastic texture, it really wasn't half bad! It's a 3 out of 5 from me. 

Himalayan Salt

Some salt is good for you too, don't cha know! Get zooming and reading please.. Apologies for the blue hue!

Last but by no means least, the Health Kick Himalayan Salted, designed for those super duper health conscience. Tearing into the bag, as seen previously it was almost full to the brim with the decently sized Popcorn pieces although this time not having the familiar buttery aroma. I grabbed a handful and got munching.. Salt. That is all I can say. I found this variety to be overly salty - Almost to the point where it was unbearable. I can't fault the light, melty feel and total lack of hard husks or kernels but the sheer amount of salinity was all to much for me.. But brilliant, I expect if you're on a bit of a sugar rush! It's a 2 out of 5 from me. 

Overall, it is mixed bag from Ikorn. I really can't fault the texture and quantity found in an individual bag but I do feel the flavours need tweaking ever so slightly.. Ideally, more sweet in the Sweet and less salt in the Salt with a better distribution of coating to ensure the flavour flows throughout. The team at Ikorn are currently working on obtaining retail outlets (And expanding the flavour range!) so in the mean time, do check out Ikorn online if you fancy ordering yourself some Popcorn in bulk and go say "Howdy Do!" on Twitter. Thanks Ikorn!

Review- Waitrose Jelly Mini Eggs

Another day, another Easter review and this one is completely down to the joy that is Mrs 1T - The woman literally has a built in sweet detector and finds all the goodies! I daren't copy all her reviews but these I just couldn't pass up.. It's Jelly Mini Eggs from Waitrose!
   

Soft jelly eggs in a crisp sugar shell. 

I actually sent MSW on a mission to locate these Eggs as I know someone who worked in that particular Waitrose store and I didn't want to speak to them (Don't you dare judge me - We've all been there!). She did a marvellous job and returned with not 1 but 2, 125g boxes of multicoloured eggs which cost a rather daylight robbery price of £3.50 a pop!

After a bit of a faff getting into the box, I tipped my gleaming eggs out and cut the slippery fellas in half for picture purpose. The first thing to hit me was how bizarre the texture was! Expecting a Jellybean like chew, it came as a massive surprise that the outer shell was quite solid and took a good chomp to break through. A gritty sugariness was most apparent which once again was a revelation of the best kind with a contrasting, York/Taveners/New Berry Fruit Jellies like texture in the centre. Flavour wise, it was a real mish mash! Starting with the Yellow and what I assumed would be pineapple, it turned out to be not so easily identifiable but I do know it was delicious and really fruity! Orange was up next and as expected, it certainly delivered its namesake - Full on orange and nothing but! I didn't have a clue what the White would be but it transpired that it was the elusive pineapple with a familiar, juicy tropical flavour which I am certain I have experienced before.. Chewits, perhaps? Pink was next and the one I was most looking forward to! Almost jammy in taste with a raspberry kick and what I think was a flash of apricot, this Jelly Egg was also mouthwateringly good and I could have quite easily eaten a whole carton full! Last but by no means least was the Green.. Apple, right? Well, not quite - This bad boy was actually one of my favourite foods.. Pear! The taste was second to none and scarily true to the fruit! Amazing.

Well these Waitrose Jelly Mini Eggs have to be up there with the strangest sweets I've ever had.. And without a shadow of a doubt, the best! They are so different to any Jellybean (Or any other Sweet for that matter), in both terms of texture as well as flavour. If pure sugary, squidgy, juicy, fruity things do it for you, definitely give these a go - They are well worth their price tag and that's not something I say lightly! It's a 4.5 out of 5 from me.  

Review- The Buttermilk Confectionary Company Indulgent Irish Cream Fudge

Fudge. It's a beautiful thing. There really is nothing that comes close to it in terms of a hit of pure sugar - It's an unbeatable, delicious rush. I make my own on occasion but will never turn down the bought stuff.. Especially when, from the Fudge Lady herself, Mrs 1T!

Rich and crumbly handmade, luxury All Butter Irish Cream Fudge. 

I'm quite surprised this little green and white box of Indulgent Irish Cream Fudge even made it to my doorstep to be honest, given Mrs 1Ts intense addiction.. But I am glad it did as I have never heard of The Buttermilk Confectionary Company before and was instantly wooed by the nice packaging!

Look at those dusted cubes. I barely had chance to sniff them before shoving one in my mouth - They were just to irresistible! The Fudge was quite "hard" and dense rather than a squidgy offering with a sugary but not gritty texture - I would say half way between a Fudge and a Tablet, if that helps anyone. A good kick of vanilla was apparent to pair nicely with the real creamy and butteriness and ever so slight tang of something sort of alcoholic.. Although I don't expect I would have noticed this unless I had read the ingredients prior to eating! The pieces melted in the mouth beautifully and I found it all to easy to eat one after another, after another - Scrumptious!

Overall, this Indulgent Irish Cream Fudge is what it says it is.. Indulgent! It reminds me a lot of "Seaside" Fudge which is something I am sure you're also familiar with if you live on the coast or have ever gone to the beach at some point in your life. It's the addictive type that doesn't last 10 minutes and leaves you wanting more almost immediately - 100g wasn't anywhere enough for my borderline diabetic body today as the packet was gone in a flash! Thanks Mrs 1T, you Fudge connoisseur you - It's a 4 out of 5!