Review- NEW Kinder Joy

This is quite possibly the most exciting release since Giant Biscuits.. In fact, I think it is on a whole other level - Kinder Joy have come to the UK! Katherine, otherwise known as Grocery Gems was of course, the first person to jump on these and on her word, I promptly hotfooted it down to the Co Op to pick myself up a couple. 

Now, what these 20g eggs are actually priced at, I am uncertain. They were marked at an extortionate £1 each but I was charged £2.60 making them 86p a pop.. But Kev's, Co op had them on offer for 2 for £1.60 so who knows, exactly! 

For anyone who doesn't know, Kinder Joy are nothing like the traditional hollow, Kinder Surprise with chocolate cream and wafer balls rather than a set egg shell. A handy little tab helps separate the 2 plastic halves of the egg to produce a foil topped left side containing Kinder chocolatey goodness with the right, holding the signature DIY toy and a handy spoon to aid scooping! 

Since the quality of the toy is paramount, I got a dinky dune buggy in mine which was as easy as peas to put together.. Unlike some that genuinely require some sort of Honours in Construction to figure out! 

Crispy cocoa wafer bites on milky and cocoa creams 

I wasn't sure what would be the best way to picture these - 20g isn't an awful lot after all! I cut one of the balls in half to try first. As expected, the aerated wafer spheres were very light and crunchy with a roasted nut sort of taste, despite not any being in the ingredients, with a soft, sweet chocolatey cream centre. 

Moving onto the creams (And a different KJ, entirely!) of a sweet chocolate base layer with a milky top, both were silky smooth in texture and together, similar to the MilkyWay Spread but with a much nicer flavour. It really did taste like a gooey equivalent of the Kinder Chocolate Mini's. Very sweet, very milky and very yummy! 

Overall and not surprisingly, I am quite chuffed that these Kinder Joy have made it to the UK. Yes, the are minuscule and stupidly priced but for the novelty factor and pure Kinder hit, I can't fault them at all. I am not sure if and when they will be available anywhere other than the Co Op's Easter aisle but I highly recommend you seek them out. It's a 4 out of 5 from me! 

Review- Weetabix NEW Protein Crunch

BSW has what I call, "a pitless stomach" - The man can eat and eat and eat without feeling remotely full up.. It amazes us all. Last week, he specifically requested some a cereal to take to work with him as he just can't make it to lunch time without some sort of snack in-between. Since, I am ever so generous, I went and picked him up these Weetabix NEW Protein Crunch in hope to sustain the poor chap.. As well as being a extra reviewing opportunity for me! 

Perhaps easily swayed by the promise of being kept going all morning thanks to being packed with protein and a satisfying combination of wholegrain wheat and oats, I had no qualms about paying £2.99 for the 450g box of Chocolate flavour cereal from Asda.. Although it just so happens to now be on Rollback for £1.50 which is just typical! 

It appears we have moved on from Gü ramekins, mainly because I couldn't find one, into another round, glass pot thats intended purpose isn't being a bowl. Alway one to eat cereal dry, I took a handful of the about 2cm long tubes and had a good munch. The seriously crunchy cereal was both similar in texture and taste to Nestle Nesquik - Just far less sweet but still with a good chocolatey flavour. A malty element was also very apparent which I can only put down to the oats in the ingredients, I guess! Although I personally didn't try them with milk, BSW reported that they go pleasantly soft without being to mushy and concurred that they do taste rather like that moreish chocolate cereal of our youth. 

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by these Weetabix NEW Protein Crunch - They are mighty moreish and do feel like a substantial snack without any sort of yucky, "protein" product, taste. A plain, non-chocolatey version is also available which I too would be interested in trying.. Hopefully BSW might want those next and I can nick some! It's a 4 out of 5 from me! 

Review- Thomas J. Fudge's Wondrous White Chocolate Florentines

I think I need to make up a Thomas J. Fudge's, chant - I love them so and have lost count of how many reviews I have done now! My trusty old and ever so slightly nutty, Mrs 1T very kindly sent me these Wondrous White Chocolate Florentines for Christmas (Along with something else which will be revealed another day) after not being able to find them for love nor money - How wonderful is she?! 

I do enjoy the illustration on these boxes.. Who knew balancing buildings on ones hat could be such fun? I am almost tempted to give it ago myself! 

I don't mean to alarm anybody but the 8 Florentines were presented in a plastic tray within a cardboard outer.. What is this sorcery?!

It may look like I picked the Florentine that was the most loaded, for the sake of a good picture but I assure you this wasn't the case at all - The distribution of dried fruit was on point with only 1 round, lacking a Sultana or 2.. A vast improvement to what I have experienced previously! Taking a bite, I was shocked by how hard it was. As usual, there was an abundance of crunchy almonds but I think it was the caramel holding the lot together that resulted in actual effort having to be used to chomp through. This in turn caused the thick white chocolate to crack and crumble everywhere but where it was suppose to go and I ended eating most of it off the table top! Taste wise, there wasn't as much to complain about as they were delicious - Rich, buttery and sweet with nuttiness and a fruity, zingy kick thanks to the citrus peel. The quality of the thick chocolate was superb in being super creamy and sweet but not to sweet to handle.. So I can forgive its crumbly state! 

Overall and not surprisingly, these Wondrous White Chocolate Florentines are fantastic. I have moaned previously about the quality control of Thomas J. Fudge's goods but these were spot on.. They even softened up and went slightly gooey once opened which made them easier on the teeth. I can't fathom how or why the texture of each variant of Florentine* has been so different but I don't suppose it matters all that much considering how delicious they always are. It's a 4 out of 5 from me - Thanks Mrs 1T! 

*All Thomas J. Fudge's reviews (Including Florentines)

Wonderful White Chocolate Flapjacks, I am coming for you next! 

Review- Chicago Town NEW Chicken Club Deep Dish Pizza

We aren't really pizza people in my house. We do like it when we have it but it is a bit of a rarity.. That being said, I have managed to have it twice in the last 2 weeks somehow! One was a Sainsbury's fresh 14 inch jobby (It was shared FYI!) and the other being these more modestly sized, Chicago Town NEW Chicken Club Deep Dish - A brand I haven't had since a kid! 

A deep dish pizza topped with succulent chicken breast, bacon, ham and mozzarella cheese on our signature tomato sauce. 

I picked up the box of 2, 160g Pizzas from Asda where they are currently on offer for £1, although they will hardly break the bank, at their usual price of £1.25. 

For the size and price, I wasn't expecting the top be be as loaded as it was - There was a lot of meat pieces and cheese for such a small pizza! I popped the little fella into a 190ºC fan oven for about 25 minutes until the top was nice and golden with melted cheese and a crisp base. You can also microwave it for 3 minutes but I can't even deal with that prospect.. And neither should you. 

Look at it, in all its gooey glory - It didn't half smell good too! Cutting baby size triangles, the base proved to be crunchy with a softer inside and of the perfect thickness in proportion to the topping. The tomato sauce was full of flavour that wasn't artificial in the slightest and what I would best liken to, a sweet fresh soup. A mild smokiness came from the meaty chicken, bacon and ham pieces which were all identifiable and even the latter being tasty for something that was reformed. Holding everything together was the stringy mozzarella that was pleasantly cheesy without being overpowering or salty in the slightest - I do feel the quality of cheese can make or break a pizza but this was spot on! Delicious!

Overall, these NEW Chicken Club Deep Dish Pizzas from Chicago Town are pretty splendid - They taste good, they are cheap and they remind you of being 10 again.. What's not to love? Also in the range is a Sloppy Joe option, Pepperoni, New Yorker and Pulled Pork - Literally something for everyone and I will definitely be trying more! Its a 4 out of 5 from me. 

Review- M&S Cappuccino Bar

They say it isn't about the journey or the destination but about the people you meet a long the way. At the risk of sounding like a total Marshmallow, I can't find anything to strike as true when it comes to this blogging malarky. Eating all the snacks is mighty enjoyable, don't get me wrong but the wonderful individuals I have befriended along the way, truly are the best part.. They sometimes send you chocolate and everything! 

White and Dark chocolate bar with a coffee mousse centre, decorated with milk chocolate. 

This M&S Cappuccino Bar was a Christmas present from the all round delight that is The Bananah AKA The Review Addict (Also answers to the name Hannah, if you shout loud enough). I was most excited as I love Coffee and hadn't gotten around to trying any other M&S Bars since The Crazy One and Lemon Mousse. 

I had a bit of a Deja Vu moment when I unwrapped the Bar and plonked it on the signature piece of Plenty, that graces all my pictures. Was this a Thorntons Continental jobby that had taken a wrong turn in Chocolate Land? I swear it was identical.. In fact, it even looks like the individual Coffee Chocolates you can buy in Bags as well as Selection Boxes, just bigger! I stopped thinking and got eating. The smell of coffee wasn't all that strong until cutting in two to reveal the more of a dense truffle than mousse, like centre. Biting through the marginally firmer, white chocolate exterior, a sweet and creamy flavour melted in the mouth perfectly with the milk chocolate adding a richer tone. This went beautifully with the fairly strong coffee taste of the thick filling which wasn't bitter nor to sugary sweet. A sprinkling of chocolate was the finishing touch to the Bar and although it didn't add much in terms of flavour, it did look pretty! 

Marks & Spencer appear to be continuing their good streak of last month as this Cappuccino Bar is delicious - The coffee aspect packs a punch and the quality of chocolate itself is pretty decent. I don't know who is copying who here or whether Thorntons makes M&S chocolates too but I reckon they need to keep it up! It's a 4 out of 5 from me and a big thank you to Hannah for treating me! 

Review- Lola's Cupcakes NEW Chia Seed & Blackberry

Oh look.. A Cupcake - As you can see, January's healthy eating is going splendidly. No joke, this treat from Lola's is perfectly acceptable as it contains a Superfood.. Chia Seeds! What are Chia Seeds, I hear you ask? Haven't the foggiest, I eat chocolate not Chia but Google has informed me that they're from a plant in the Mint family and are full of fibre, protein as well as being super absorbing which makes todays review of the NEW Chia Seed & Blackberry Cupcake practically sinless. 

I picked up the classic sized Cupcake from the little stand at Bluewater for £2.95. It seems their much larger stomping ground, situated in the Lower Winter Garden Dining area has been taking over by Earl of Sandwich - Some sort of famous, American hot sammie Company. I am not best pleased about this as it means I can no longer get my hands on one of Lola's epic Cupcake Milkshakes which are literally the things that dreams are made of! 

I managed to get my Cupcake home completely unscathed, without a single buff in sight - There is nothing worse than loosing half the frosting on the box! Cutting the thing in two, I was a little surprised how stodgy and almost damp it felt.. Although I don't suppose I should have been given my overall lack of experience with Chia Seeds and in turn, not having a clue what to expect! The sponge was a bit like Carrot Cake with its signature soft and squidgy feel, along with the obvious bits of the grated vegetable I could see for myself. An abundance of seeds ran throughout which weren't exactly hard but did have a bite to them as well as some chopped almonds adding further crunch. Flavour wise, this Cupcake was a bit bizarre.. It didn't taste of anything really - Not Carrot Cake, spice, seeds or nuts! I couldn't even identify what the thick topping was but decided it had to be Cream Cheese Frosting, despite not having any sort of tang, purely due to the fact it wasn't the full on sugary sweet you find with a Buttercream. The Blackberry element was also pretty redundant with its total lack of fruitiness or any sort of flavour - Rubbish! 

Overall, I can't say I am all that impressed with this NEW offering from Lola's Cupcakes.. Not to mention Chia Seeds in general! I have absolutely no idea what they were trying to achieve here.. It's like a confused Carrot Cake thats had its spice removed in exchange for some hard but not hard, bitty things, tasteless nuts and tang-less frosting to top.. And I don't one bit feel rejuvenated by my intake of a Superfood either. Perhaps I need to eat more. I don't want to eat more. Chia Seed & Blackerry Cupcake, it's a 1.5 out of 5 from me - Sorry Lola's!

Review- Ryvita Fruit Crunch Apple & Cinnamon Crispbread

It's a new year which can mean only one thing.. We have all decided we just have to go on some sort of healthy eating regime in hope of shedding those extra December pounds - I am the first to admit that I have been really rather naughty and need to get back on track! A long term healthy go to for my household has been Ryvita.. Be it the plain ones back in the day or now the plethora of tasty flavours of which Salt & Vinegar Mini's are of course my favourite! These Fruit Crunch Apple & Cinnamon however are new to me - I don't know if they are actually new or not but I've certainly never seen them before despite being a regular buyer of the Currant, Seed & Oat version! 

Wholegrain Rye Crispbread with dried diced apple pieces, currants and cinnamon. 

I picked up the 200g, resealable foil packet in Tesco for £1- They are usually £1.59 each but rarely aren't on some sort of offer.

Tearing open the packet, I was greeted by a familiar smell - Ryvita but with a Hot Cross Bun twist! Having a munch, it was a little bit of a struggle to get my head around the fact that these were sweet and not savoury.. They were far sweeter than the Currant, Seed & Oat ones I am use to eating, anyways! The signature flavour of Ryvita was still very much apparent but not as in your face thanks to being balanced by subtle tones of cinnamon with a pop of further fruity sweetness from the chewy dried apple which ran throughout. I couldn't really distinguish the currants listed in the ingredients but felt like nothing was missing regardless. Very moreish and very yummy! 

What a cracking first review of the year! These Ryvita Fruit Crunch are spiffing and a great alternative to all the bad things we could all very well, still be eating right now! On the packet it suggests serving the Crispbread with Cream Cheese and Peaches but to me, they are perfect as is.. Or maybe smothered in Nutella. Healthy thoughts, Folks, healthy thoughts! It's a 4 out of 5 from me!