Galaxy White Chocolate Gift for you review

 

 

Galaxy is one of my favourite chocolates and I love white chocolate so this little gem sounded right up my street! This chocolate contained four squares, two with bubbly chocolate and two with solid white chocolate.

 

 

This picture shows one of the squares. The chocolate wasn't very big but just the right size for a good chocolate hit and since it was very rich and creamy, I felt as though I had eaten quite a large bar. I would never choose to have a bubbly bar as I usually don't enjoy them very much but the bubbles in this bar were very small so I have to admit I quite enjoyed the two bubbly squares. My favourite part however were the two solid squares. This treat was sweet and tasted very indulgent considering the price. I really enjoyed this chocolate so am planning to pick it up again before they disappear.

Costa Gluten Free Pecan Pies review

In case I hadn't made it clear, I have been trying to work through Costa's 2015 festive range and I continued my tasting session with these gluten free pecan pies. I very rarely buy any of the packaged snacks from Costa but there was very little stock so thought I would try these. I was worried they were going to be dry as the pastry looked really thick, however once cut in half the pastry on the bottom and sides of the pies was very thin and they were filled with the pie centre. This was a delicious maple sponge that was surprisingly moist with a sweet pecan on the top. I m not gluten intolerant but would happily buy these again as they were sweet and nutty. I can imagine that for those who do require a gluten free diet that these would e a more than welcomed treat to Costa's range.

Baileys Extra Thick Cream review

Baileys Irish Cream is the ultimate indulgent Christmas drink and I love a tipple in a latte or hot chocolate, so I was just a little excited at the idea of putting a dollop of this thick baileys cream on my mince pies.

 

 

I lifted the lid and admit that tis picture was taken after a spoonful (or several) had been eaten straight from the pot. This had the strong Irish cream flavour that you would expect in a very thick creamy texture and was incredibly rich but for those who enjoy the boozy beverage this time of year, it was a real treat! This was exactly what I expected from the product and although I don't think I would use this throughout the rest of the year, it was a lovely festive addition to my fridge shelf. 

Kopparberg Pear Cider review

I have never really gotten the hype about Kopparberg and found it really sickly despite having a really sweet tooth but I do like pears so decided to try this cider. It was probably the sweetest cider I have tasted but I thought it was lovely although you would have to be a fan of pears to enjoy this.

 

 

It was a very pale green in colour, almost like a wine colour. In fact it tasted very similar to an incredibly sweet wine which is my usual drink which might explain why I liked it. I can't see this being much of a hit with hard-core cider drinkers but for those who like something sweet and fruity I can defiantly recommend this drink for you. 

GU Maple & Pecan Pies review

 

 

Well Christmas is over for another year and so a few reviews coming up of goodies I have been indulging in over the holidays. To start with these Maple & Pecan Pies by GU. I have never bought a GU product before so was excited o see why they are so popular.

 

 

They come in individual glass containers which was really convenient. I opened the lid and it looked appetising but nothing spectacular. I tasted it and am now a GU convert. It was a cheesecake not a pie in all honesty so some people may be disappointed but I found it thick and creamy but not too heavy. The flavours were very subtle and it was difficult to detect either the maple or pecan but both added an extra depth which was delicious. The base was very crumbly and here I could notice the pecan flavour and texture slightly. The maple taste was in the cream cheese itself and just added a very slight sweetness. These made a perfect, easy dessert for when you just want a little pick me up and I can't wait to try the rest of the range. 

Marks & Spencer's Count on us Jaffa Dessert review

Not that its worth watching your waistline this time of year but I had this sitting in the fridge a few weeks ago now and thought I would be a little good before I consume my own bodyweight in cheese, turkey and chocolate.

As you can see there were defined layers of mandarin jelly, vanilla & chocolate mousse and a chocolate custard type layer. I may be bias because I really like chocolatey-orange things but I thought this was really quite nice. The jelly definitely tasted more of mandarin than orange but this just meant that it was a little sweeter. The custard layer had a nice amount of gooey-ness and was really quite a rich chocolate flavour while the mousse was light to compensate. I can't say it was as tasty as an ordinary full fat dessert but for a low fat option it certainly hit the spot and I can imagine for anyone on a diet, this would be a real life saver.

Marks & Spencer's Roast Potatos with Beef Dripping review

Christmas Eve Eve so time for a festive little post and these Roast potato's with Beef Dripping from M&S. I have grown up on home made roasties no am generally unimpressed with shop bought versions but these were bought by a family member so I decided to give them a fair chance.

 

 

They took 35 minutes to cook and the result was crispy, fluffy potato's. Now in all honesty these weren't as good as homemade but I will admit they weren't half bad and I actually quite enjoyed them (which is something I didn't think I would ever say about shop bought roast potato's. I'm convinced that I could taste a beefy-ness to them but I'm not entirely sure if this is just because I knew that these are what these were made from. I cant say that these are as good as the real thing but if your looking for something to make your life a little easier this Christmas, then M&S wont disappoint with these for your dinner.

Costa Skinny Very Berry Muffin review

I have had muffins from Costa before and if I'm honest I have always been a bit let down. I understand that it is a chain café so they are pre packaged but they have always been quite dry. Still I fancied a little pick me up to go with my latte and thought since its a "skinny" muffin, even if its not amazing I wont feel too guilty. No one was more surprised than me to say that this is the best muffin I have ever had from Costa. It was moist and the cake itself had just the right amount of sweetness. I wasn't able to pick out any one fruit as the predominant flavour so the taste was very much that of (as I should have expected from the name), mixed berries. There was a decent amount of jam with the same berry flavour inside and I can honestly say I would quite happily buy this muffin again.

Marks & Spencer's Spicy Chorizo Sweet Potato Snacks review

I previously reviewed the sour cream and red pepperversion of these snacks and they were a hit! These snacks are basically baked crisps but as they are sweet potato rather than normal crisps, this wasn't a factor that I really noticed. As I often find chorizo a bit hit or miss I wasn't really sure what I would make of this variety but I thought that these would come in second to the sour cream and red pepper variety.

 

 

As crisps go these days there were a fair amount in the bag which when opened released a tangy smell. I tasted one unsure of how they were going to go down and I have to admit that I preferred these even to the sour cream and red pepper version. There was a smoky chorizo flavour which when paired with the sweet potato base wasn't overwhelming which is what I thought may happen. There was a tasty crunch and although these snacks have a texture that is slightly chewier almost to traditional crisps I will certainly be recommending these to anyone who enjoys sweet potato. 

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream review

Chocolate ice cream is not a flavour that I usually gravitate towards as I can sometimes find it a bit too heavy but when that chocolate craving does come on, it will always be Ben & Jerry's.

 

 

Now a little warning, this ice cream is for the serious chocoholics out there and is deliciously rich. As you can see the chunks of brownie were present from the very top of the pot and were evenly spread right the way through. They were chewy and melted slightly with the ice cream making them even more appealing. The ice cream itself was the usual high standard that most of us expect from this brand and I wasn't disappointed. This ice cream was lovely so if you are having a chocolate craving then this should certainly hit the spot! 

Tesco Skinny Chocolate Frappe Dessert review

I am a coffee obsessive which is why I needed to try this frappe dessert consisting of chocolate custard, vanilla, coffee and chocolate mousse. At 117 calories per pot, what could go wrong? Well if I'm honest I was a little sceptical as I'm not a huge fan
of mousse because I find it a bit boring but nonetheless my love of coffee still made this appeal to me.

 

I was so impressed with this dessert! The mousse was thick and creamy not even slightly "blah" as I was worried about. The chocolate custard at the bottom was rich and delicious and the sweetness of the vanilla mousse complimented the more bitter coffee flavour perfectly. I would have enjoyed this even if it was a full fat dessert so the fact it was from the healthy living range makes this an ideal treat for any coffee lovers!

Muller Rice Raspberry review

Being a massive Muller rice fan I have tried most of the flavours and for me the raspberry version is a go-to. It sounds pretty boring but I have a very sweet tooth.

 

Digging the spoon to the bottom of the pot unveiled a thick gooey deep pink sauce. There was a strong, sweet raspberry scent that mixed in perfectly. I am not a lover of seeds and pips and so I was pleased to see that there were very few in this version, in fact I didn't even notice any based on taste alone. This was distinctively raspberry not just genetic berry which is something I was worried about, as I often find strawberry flavour jams can be quite bland. I found this version of the Muller rice desserts delicious and it is one of my favourites. This is a staple in my fridge alongside any limited edition flavour I can get hold of.



Marks & Spencer's Sweet potato snacks Sour cream & Red Pepper review

I think sweet potato is delicious but sweet potato crisps are often a little bland so although I'm not a big fan of red pepper I decided to try these baked snacks as I was hopeful this would give them a bit of a kick.

 

 

I opened the bag and there was a really tempting smell. It wasn't obvious what the flavour was but there was a subtle heat. I was really pleased with these snacks. They definitely tasted of sweet potato but with a lovely crunch and tangy flavour. If I'm honest, I would never have known what the flavour was and even when I did know I couldn't really detect the sour cream or pepper as a prominent flavour but none the less I thoroughly enjoyed them. It's really difficult to explain the taste of these but for anyone who enjoys sweet potato and a subtle heat from their crisps then these will probably go down really well with you as they certainly did for me. 

 

 

 

 



Costa Festive Caramel Cookie Stack review

 

 

I have been eyeing this little treat up since the release of Costa's festive menu but could not find an actual description of what it was. Nevertheless, the look and sound of this caramel cookie stack was too much to resist. It came with a knife but when trying to cut it, the cookie completely fell apart. There was a strong caramel smell and thick chocolate drizzle and stars on top. Oh boy did I love this stack! The texture was difficult to explain, a very crumbly texture almost like a soft shortbread. The flavour was a mix of rich chocolate from the thick layer on top but predominantly sweet caramel. I will definitely be grabbing another one of these before the festive range disappears and for anyone who usually goes for their (delicious) caramel shortbread then you should give this a try... I think its even better!

Sunbites Crispy Crackers Oven Roasted Onion and Rosemary review

I previously reviewed the lightly salted version of these crispy crackers Sunbites by Walkers and really enjoyed them. This lead me to buy this version with the sound of oven roasted onion and rosemary sounding very promising, especially as rosemary is a favour I really like yet it's rarely seen in these kind of snacks. I opened the bag to a strong onion smell which certainly followed through with the flavour! A little warning for anyone planning on being around any mistletoes, these will leave you scaring off any vampires with the smell of your breath afterwards. I was however disappointed with the rosemary flavour as it was barely detectable. They had the same thin and crisp texture as the lightly salted variety and overall these were a pretty decent cracker if you like the taste of onion. I would eat these again but they aren't my favourite cracker, in fact I prefer the lightly salted version to these but that is purely down to personal taste.

Tesco Mince Pie Cookies review

After enjoying the white chocolate melting snowman cookies from Tesco's so much, I decided to give the mince pie version a shot. I don't mind a mince pie Christmas time to get me in the festive sprit ut I cant honestly say that they are something I crave all year round.

 

 

I opened the bag and could instantly smell the warming spices of a mice pie. The cookies were slightly wet on the back from the wetness of the filling but I didn't really mind this. There wasn't quite as much filling as the white chocolate version but I think this is because too much filling would make them a bit overpowering and difficult to eat with the sweetness of the cookie. The filling tasted of traditional mince pie with plenty of juicy raisins. They will probably be a real treat for any hard-core mince pie fans and I didn't mind them but I don't think I would buy them again. Something about these just seemed a bit off to me and I would prefer an actual mince pie with the less sweet pastry. However if you find the richness of an actual mince pie too much then these may be a good way to ease yourself into them. 

Asda Good & Counted Sour Cream and Black Pepper Wholegrain Bites review

These are the other in the multipack of the previously reviewed sweet chilli flavour wholegrain bites by Asda. I really enjoyed the sweet chilli variety and they were the reason that I bought these bites. This flavour were just an addition to the multipack for me so I wasn't really bothered about trying them but since they were there I thought why not.

 

 

As you can see they look exactly like the sweet chilli variety just without the red dusting. The smell was similar to original Doritos (Similarly to the sweet chilli variety which reminded me of chilli heat wave variety). Onto the flavour now and I am so happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed these bites. There was a smooth sour cream taste but the black pepper added an extra level and a bit of a kick. They were indeed like a healthier bag of Doritos as they have a strong crunch although ever so slightly milder flavour in my opinion (like the sweet chilli variety) but the black pepper makes up for this as it was stronger in these bites than in Doritos. I liked these just as much as the sweet chilli bag if not more! These have become a stable in my house so can whole heartedly recommend them to anyone tempted by the sound of these bites.

Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich UK review

I really enjoy ice cream sandwiches but they aren't very common in the UK so the thought of thi sandwich really excited me! They come in a pack of 8 and are quite small but just big enough to be a decent dessert

 

 

The biscuit itself was the usual dark Oreo colour and the ice cream had specs of ice cream throughout it. I loved these! The biscuit had the traditional Oreo taste but was more of a cake texture but I really liked that. The ice cream was creamy and the small Oreo specs were delicious. If you like Oreo's and don't mind the cakey texture of an ice cream sandwich then you should definitely give these a go because I will certainly e picking these up again. 

 

 

Quaker Oat So Simple Multi Grain Original review

Porridge is a must for me in this cold winter weather and I love the convenience of a pot that just needs water. As I have previously said I like my porridge plain so chose the original version of this. Just add boiling water and wait a few minutes and its ready to go.

 

I accidently added too much water so expected this to be a bit watery and gross if im honest. However the flavour was still quite tasty. It was plain but not boring with a strong oaty taste.

 

I tried this porridge a few days later with less water as shown above and it had a much thicker consistency and I preferred this to my personal taste. I am really glad that I have found these pots as they are an easy but yummy breakfast perfect for this time of year for those who like to lie in as much as possible. They are obviously not as creamy as porridge you would make yourself but the addidtion of different grains adds to the texture and the mixture of flavours. 



Kettle Bites Mozarella and Pesto Lentil Curls review

I have never had pesto crisps so I thought these sounded really intriguing and as a healthier alternative these really appealed to me. I opened the bag and was surprised at how strong the smell of pesto was although I couldn't sense much mozzarella.

 

 

These curls had a nice crispy texture and there were a fair amount in the bag. I tasted them and they were enjoyable. I have to admit that the strong smell of pesto didn't follow through and the flavour of these was very subtle. If im honest based on taste alone, I don't think I would have easily been able to guess what the flavour was. This doesn't matter too much to me as I still thought that they tasted quite nice but for those looking for a strong flavour, you might be a bit disappointed.

Tesco Melting Snowman White Chocolate Cookies review

Soft chewy cookies with a melting white chocolate centre, sounds delicious right? I couldn't resist picking these up when I saw them, especially as these are a festive edition and so probably a limited edition.

 

 

These cookies were a fair size and a golden brown colour. They were much thicker in the middle as expected due to the white chocolate filling. The cookie itself was much sweeter than expected. I thought it would be a bit boring but I was surprised how tasty it was.

 

 

When it was broken in half the soft centre oozed out. There was a lot more filling in it than there looked like there would be. Again this was really sweet but for a white chocolate lover like me a real treat. I loved these cookies and if you're looking for a sugary little pick me up this winter then I can recommend that you grab these while they're around.

Fox's Disney Frozen Enchantment bars review

These bars were bought as a bit of an impulse buy because I saw them on offer whilst standing at the till and thought they might make a decent little snack. The packet states that they contain chocolate sparkles and raisins... sounds like a perfect combination to me!

 

 

First things first I will warn you that these bars are tiny. This kind of makes sense since they are aimed at kids but even by a child's standards they are pretty small. However I really don't know how happy I would be giving these to a child since I nearly broke my teeth biting into it.... its so hard! I was really surprised at how much effort it took to bite through this bar. The flavour itself was pretty good but then I would expect that from a Fox's biscuit. It's quite buttery with a kick of rich chocolate in more or less every bite. I can't say that I really noticed the raisins (or glitter) but I did joy the taste. Overall these left me a bit confused. They are a snack that is an appropriate size for a child but the product itself is way to tough in my opinion to give to any little ones. I wouldn't go out of my wa to avoid these in the future but the end result was just something quite basic and not particularly exciting.  

ASDA Good & Counted Sweet Chilli Wholegrain bites review

To start with apologies for the lack of posts, Wi-Fi being down has meant that it has not been possible for me to keep up with the blog but it is now sorted so fingers crossed for no more problems! Onto the review, These sweet chilli wholegrain bites from ASDA come in a multipack with a cool sour cream flavour (which I will review in future).

 

 

Similarly to most wholegrain bites they have a square shape with ridges. They were coated in a red powder and the smell of sweet chilli was definitely there.  When I tasted them there was a lovely crunch and a strong kick of sweet chilli but not so hot that they weren't enjoyable with an underlying sweetness. They can probably be compared to chilli heat wave Doritos but probably slightly less spicy. The bag wasn't that big but they were still reasonably filling. I really liked these wholegrain bites and have bought another bag since these so can whole heartedly recommend these to any sweet chilli fans out there. 

Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake review

In case you hadn't guessed by now I have a slight addiction to Ben & Jerry's. This is a flavour that I wouldn't expect to like as I am not usually a big fan of strawberry ice cream but due to my love of cheesecake and Ben & Jerry's it was definitely worth a shot. The ice cream is a pale pink with small pieces of strawberry throughout and an obvious cheesecake swirl. If you have a sweet tooth like myself you will love it. The ice cream is lovely and sweet with a creamy strawberry taste and I love how prominent the flavour of the cookie swirls were. The frozen strawberry pieces were quite subtle but added a slight sharpness which stopped it from being too sweet. It's far from any of the crazy flavours that are often produced but a thoroughly enjoyable rich ice cream.

Starbucks UK Pear & Cocoa Bircher review

Birchers are something that I often make for myself for breakfast so I was really interested to try this Pear & Cocoa version from the festive range. It was full of chunks of apples and pears with currents and seeds spread throughout. It had the usual oats and the yogurt used is like a berry flavour, I'm pretty sure it is the same as the one used in the Berry Bircher which I really enjoy. I couldn't detect any cocoa flavour but I didn't really miss it. This Bircher is a nice edition to the range with a lovely fruity flavour and filled with yummy oats and seeds. It is very similar to the Berry Bircher with the addition of the pieces of pear and apple. I would happily eat this again as a healthy breakfast treat.

Morrisons Lemon & Raisin Pancakes review

 

 

Pancakes are something always in supply in my cupboard and I love trying different versions and flavours. I have never bought pancakes from Morrison's before so thought that I would try these lemon & raisin variety. There was a nice subtle smell of lemon and they looked full of juicy raisins. I took a bite and my face screwed up. They were dry, stale and I actually checked the packet to make sure that they were still in date (which they were). This was a real shame as the flavour of the pancakes was actually quite tasty and there was a more than generous amount of raisins scattered through. The pancakes at the bottom of the packet seemed to be a little softer so I don't know if these were just a dodgy batch but either way I was really disappointed and threw most of the packet in the bin. I will be buying my pancakes elsewhere in future!