ASDA Toffee Fudge Muffins review

Sticky toffee pudding is one of the most comforting desserts that you can eat, especially this time of year when the weather is starting to turn colder. I took this nippy weather as an excuse to buy these toffee fudge muffins from ASDA which are a part of the Bakers selection. These are toffee flavoured muffins with toffee sauce and fudge pieces and so sounded perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth like me.

The muffins wee deliciously soft and moist with plenty of fudge pieces all enwrapped in a black paper case. I cut the muffin in half which revealed a generous amount of toffee sauce through the centre. The flavour of these muffins was incredible! Rich, sweet and any toffee lovers dream. The small fudge pieces added a lovely chew to the texture as well as a fudgy flavour.

I can't recommend these muffins enough if you are a fan of toffee flavoured products. These are very rich and so if you are not looking for a muffin that practically smells of diabetes then these probably aren't for you. If like me however you like indulgent fudge flavours then you will be dreaming of these until you get to taste them again.

Marks and Spencer's Wood Fired Pizza Ultra Thin Pollo Primavera review

Well the name of this pizza sure is a mouthful so I wont even attempt to say it. I have been eyeing up this pizza for a while when I read the description which is a chicken, sautéed spinach, asparagus and parmigiana reggiano pizza with pea and mint puree, lemon and basil. This is all featured on an ultra thin base and sounded pretty classy. The only thing that has been putting me off is the thought of a green pizza. I was worried that it would taste somewhat healthy and if I am having a pizza, I like it to taste a little bit naughty.

I cooked the pizza and it was remarkably long and thin which meant that the outside of this pizza crisped up perfectly in the oven without tasting burnt. I took my first bite and am annoyed that it took me so long to try this pizza because it was delicious. The marinated chicken was flavoursome and soft, The sautéed spinach was delicious and absorbed the flavour of the puree amazingly well. Now as for that puree, wow! This is what really made the pizza! It basically tasted of a creamy pesto and although I couldn't really detect the flavour of pea, the texture and ever so slightly minted garlic flavour meant that I didn't even care. The parmigiana was creamy and mild in flavour and although there wasn't a lot of it, it added another layer of flavour to the pizza that I really appreciated.

I thoroughly enjoyed this pizza and it made a nice change to have a pizza without the typical tomato base and mozzarella cheese. This was thin and perfectly crispy which meant that I was full afterwards but it didn't feel too heavy. The flavours were strong and delicious yet at the same time pretty delicate. I would highly recommend this pizza to any pesto lovers out there as this is a unique pizza that felt much more sophisticated than most pizza's available from supermarket shelves.

Starbucks UK Pumpkin Spice Latte review

It's back!!! Autumn is officially here when Starbucks releases their Pumpkin spice latte. Last year, Starbucks emphasized that their PSL contained real pumpkin but since I haven't seen it stated on any of this years posters, I am assuming that the real pumpkin didn't go down too well. In all honesty I wasn't a massive fan of last years PSL because I found it slightly bland but despite this I was well up for trying it again this year. I had my latte without the whip so that it stayed nice and hot and I could get a true taste of the pumpkin syrup with nutmeg, cinnamon and clove spices.

I took my first sip and am happy to admit that I am an utter pumpkin head! It was delicious and better than any of the previous years that I can remember. It was much sweeter than I remember it ever being and so I can imagine it being a little too sickly for a lot of people but I am never one to moan that something is too sweet! The spices were also really prominent with the cinnamon probably being the most noticeable but I was still able to easily detect the other spices. This PSL has a very full on spicy and sweet flavour but I absolutely loved it. If you're the type of person that likes coffee to taste of coffee and not too sweet then you should probably avoid this at all costs. I however will be picking one of these incredibly flavoursome little beauties up at every chance I can get.

Metcalfe's Charity Popcorn Sea Salt review

When the opportunity comes up that means I get to donate money to charity by eating popcorn, it's one that I am more than happy to take. Metcalfe's Skinny popcorn allowed me to do this by donating money from every bag bought to CLIC Sargent children's cancer charity. This popcorn is high in fibre, gluten free, has no artificial flavours and is suitable for vegetarians. This variety has been lightly tossed in natural sea salt and contains only 94 calories per bag so this sounded like the perfect snack.

I was impressed by the portion of popcorn that I got from this bag, especially for so few calories. I bit into the popcorn and it wasn't as crunchy as other store bought varieties that I have tried. It was slightly more chewy than I would have liked but not like cardboard so I still happily finished off the bag. The salty flavour was also much milder than the majority of salted popcorns that I have tasted and so if you find salt flavoured products a little to overwhelming then this more subtle flavour will suit you. I personally love the taste of salt and so would have liked it to be a bit stronger but as with most bags of popcorn, the further down the bag I got the stronger the flavour became.

I found this popcorn by Metcalfe's pretty enjoyable ad if it was give to me i wouldn't think twice about demolishing the bag, however i can't say that I will be going out of my way to buy it again. Although the taste was pleasant, I personally feel that there are other brands of popcorn available with a stronger flavour and more of a crunch. The fact that money raised from these products does however sway me slightly though and so i have absolutely no regrets about buying this bag. This is worth trying if you are after a light, savoury snack without too much of an obnoxious flavour that is slightly healthy. It is also worth remembering that by buying this popcorn you are donating money to a good cause, so there is absolutely no guilt involved!

Greggs Toffee Apple Ring Doughnut review

I am loving seeing all of the autumn flavoured product appearing on shelves recently and the latest one that caught my eye was this toffee apple doughnut from Greggs. Although I'm not too keen on actual toffee apples, I do like the combination of flavours in cakes or other sweet treats. This is Greggs traditional ring doughnut with a toffee apple flavour icing, decorated with white icing and topped with small fudge pieces. When I walked into the store and saw that there was only one left I took it as a sign that this was meant for me!

When I got it home I noticed that there weren't a lot of fudge pieces on top but there enough to have a couple of mouthfuls with the small fudge-y chunks so I can't really complain. I took a bite and noticed how subtle the apple flavour was. The overall doughnut was delicious, it was sweet and perfectly chewy. The toffee apple icing became more noticeable the further into the doughnut I got but it was still quite mild. The fudge pieces added to the overall texture and they provided a richness to the flavour. Although the toffee apple flavour wasn't as strong as it could have been I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I am determined to get hold of a few more of these doughnuts while they are around and my faith in Greggs products is still going strong!

Muller Corner Crunch Strawberry Shortcake Yoghurt review

I sometimes feel like a dessert after my dinner, but having over indulged with my meal I cant quite face anything too heavy. I don't usually class a yoghurt as a dessert as I often have them just as a snack but the Muller Crunch range have been designed to be a little more luxurious so I am willing to make an exception. This is a strawberry flavour yogurt with white chocolate coated shortcake balls which sounded pretty tasty and just the sweet hit that I needed without being overly filling. It also stated that the recipe had been improved to make it even thicker so I wanted to see how indulgent this would taste.

The pot was split into two sections. I first tasted the pale pink yogurt which had a lovely strawberry flavour, slightly artificially sweet but then most fruity yogurts are. I was impressed with the creaminess of the flavour and the texture was a lot thicker than the Muller light range which I have tasted many times. I also tasted the white chocolate  shortcake balls which were really simple but also very enjoyable if you like white chocolate and shortcake type biscuits.

When I mixed the two sections together I was pleasantly surprised. The overall effect was a mixture of a creamy strawberry yoghurt and crunchy white chocolate biscuit balls. This is a relatively simple dessert but it ticks all the right boxes. I would say that this yoghurt is more suited to those of us with a pretty sweet tooth but I really enjoyed this and would happily buy these again for a slightly less indulgent dessert.

Cadbury Fudge Dessert review

I remember having Cadbury desserts a lot when they first appeared on shelves a few years ago but for some reason I stopped buying them. When I saw them on offer this week I noticed that there were a few flavours that I had never seen before including this fudge version.

I opened the lid and saw the Cadbury chocolate dessert which is almost like a thick yogurt type texture. Next to this were the small chocolate coated fudge pieces. The dessert tasted like creamy melted Cadbury chocolate and was delicious. Although it was only a small portion, it was quite rich and so if there was anymore of it I think it might have become a bit sickly. The fudge pieces were just like mini pieces of the fudge bar and so also quite rich but were perfectly sweet and chewy adding another level to the dessert.

This isn't the most luxurious dessert available and although it is probably more aimed at children I thoroughly enjoyed it! This is like bliss for any chocolate lover but you certainly need a sweet tooth to enjoy this extra rich fudge version. I will seek this out next time I am looking for a sweet chocolate hit and only Cadbury will do and I'm looking forward to trying the rest of the range that I haven't yet tasted.

Marks & Spencer's Count On Us Beef Ragu review

Being a massive fan of the M&S count on us range I don't know why it has taken me so long to get round to trying this beef ragu, especially since I eat pasta practically every day! This meal contains roasted garlic, beef ragu and rosemary mushrooms with Italian style pasta which all sounds pretty good seeing as it is only 378 calories.

I cooked my meal in the oven but it can be microwaved if you really cant wait. I was surprised at just how generous the portion was and it even smelled lovely. I bit into the meal and the pasta was pretty impressive for a ready meal. It tasted of a high quality and even maintained a slight firmness that ready meal pasta's often lack resulting in a soggy texture. There were large rosemary mushrooms throughout and I could even detect a slight taste of garlic. The beef ragu was perfectly in proportion to the pasta and was really tasty with a true beef flavour that was well seasoned. There was even a decent amount of cheese on top that was very subtle in flavour but melted into the ragu well.

This meal was really filling so for anyone worried that healthy meals means tiny portions then do not be afraid to try this beef ragu! I really enjoyed it and was impressed with the quality of the meal. I would definitely recommend this for any pasta lovers out there especially if you are trying to eat well as this tastes far from "healthy" and could have fooled me for being a typical tasty beef ragu meal. M&S count on us range continues to get the thumbs up from me!  

Krispy Kreme UK Maple Crunch review

You know its coming into the autumn season when the maple flavoured products start appearing on shelves (even though its hotter than its been in weeks outside!). Maple syrup is something that I love and so I took the first opportunity I had to try this maple crunch doughnut from Krispy Kreme. Described as being dipped in maple icing with maple flavoure crunch and gold dusting this sounded right up my street.

I got the doughnut home and could smell the maple as soon as I opened up the bag. There was a subtle dusting of gold dusting that I didn't really notice but it did make the doughnut slightly more attractive. I took a bite and it was like bliss. The doughnut itself was light and crispy like all of the krispy Kreme range and the maple icing was sweet and true to its description. The crunch added another level to the texture which I really appreciated. Overall this was a deliciously sweet maple flavoured doughnut that I can't wait to try again!

ASDA Carrot Cake Puds review

Carrot Cake is my absolute favourite but it's so rich and indulgent that its not something that I have day to day. I saw these carrot cake ouds at Asda and knew that I had to try them. With cream cheese flavoured mousse, carrot cake sponge and spicy compote this desert sounded like it had it all! I was mostly curious to taste a cream cheese flavoured mousse as I have never even heard of this.

I could clearly see all three components of the pud and started with the cream cheese mousse. I was surprised at how much this did actually resemble cream cheese as I was slightly worried that it would just taste like a generic cream mousse. It wasn't as indulgent as actual cream cheese but still pretty impressive and really tasty. The carrot cake sponge itself was decent. Far from the most luxurious or moist sponge that I have ever tasted but the flavour was nicely spiced and it was very light in texture. I was also very impressed with the spicy compote. This was the most flavoursome part of the dessert and so when combined with the more subtle flavour of the mousse it really shone.

All in all I enjoyed this pudding. Is it as good as an actual slice of carrot cake, probably not in my opinion and I cant honestly say that I will be rushing out to buy these again. Despite this, they were a pretty tasty little treat and quite authentic to the flavours of a carrot cake. If like me you are a lover of carrot cake then these are probably worth a try because there is nothing not to like. The ide behind these puddings is great, I just feel that a better quality sponge and maybe a little more of the compote would improve these and make them pretty delicious.

Tyrrells Veg Crisps review

Vegetable crisps are becoming increasingly popular and as someone who is a big fan of them, this is completely fine with me! Tyrrells veg crisps are probably the variety that are most widely available and although I am pretty sure that I have had these before, I couldn't remember how much I liked them. The bag contains beetroot, parsnip and carrot crisps flavoured with sea salt and the packet states that these are hand cooked English crisps which made them sound like they were of a pretty decent quality.

I opened the bag and saw that there was a generous portion of crisps inside, more than it looks like from the picture in all honesty. There was a fairly even amount of parsnip, carrot and beetroot which meant that I was greeted with a colourful bag of thin and curly crisps.

I took a handful and was really glad that I picked these up. The flavour of the sea salt was pretty strong but then I do quite like the taste of salt and I think that it worked really well against the natural sweetness of the vegetables. Because of the mixture of strong sweet and salty flavours these crisps were very rich in flavour and as much as I enjoyed them by the end of the bag I wasn't wishing for anymore. These are a little more pricey than traditional crisps but if you enjoy them as much as I did then these are worth that little bit more!

Weight Watchers Limited Edition Brazilian Bahia Chicken & Rice review

I have seen these weight watchers ready meals on the shelves in my local supermarket recently and was interested to see if the low calories and sugar would compromise the taste. I decided to try this Brazilian Bahia chicken which is only 300 calories and I would imagine inspired by the Olympics. The description of this meal is sliced chicken breast with a Smokey Brazilian style tomato sauce in chorizo sauce with rice. I was slightly concerned that this would be too spicy or have an overwhelming taste of tomato but the fact that it was limited edition made me eager to buy it.

Once cooked in the microwave, I emptied the contents onto my plate and was really impressed with the generous portion size. There were plenty of chicken pieces throughout which tasted of a pretty good quality without being dry or chewy. There were also beans throughout and the rice cooked well without becoming too chewy.

The flavours of this meal were lovely. It had a good heat without being overwhelmingly spicy and the tomato and chorizo sauce are the elements that made this slightly Smokey although I cant say that the chorizo was particularly noticeable. I am so pleased that I got to try this ready meal as I really enjoyed it and was left me feeling full. This is a great easy option whether you are trying to loose weight or not so I will definitely be trying to get hold f more of these whilst they are around.

Greggs Rhubarb and Custard Doughnut review

I love trying anything that sounds a bit quirky and so when I saw that Greggs had released a rhubarb and custard doughnut I was desperate to try it. I have attempted to get my hands on this for a while but Greggs have always been sold out when I have wanted one so when I saw the final doughnut left on the shelf I couldn't wait to get it home. Rhubarb is a flavour that I am very on the fence about. I love a rhubarb and custard sweet but I sometimes find it a bit tart and rhubarb products can sometimes be a little overwhelming so I wasn't sure how much I was actually going to enjoy it.

The doughnut didn't look amazing because the icing was slightly runny and didn't cover the whole doughnut but knowing not to judge a book by its cover, I didn't let this put me off. I took my first bite and oh my gosh was I impressed. I personally love Greggs doughnuts and have to admit that I find them equally as good if not better than Krispy Kremes which are twice the price! The doughnut was just the right amount of squidgy and had a lovely doughy feel. The doughnut itself was slightly sweet but not so much so that the icing made it sickly which was a massive risk with these flavours. The icing tasted just like the sweets that I love so much. It was very sweet but I could detect both the custard and rhubarb flavours and for someone with a sweet tooth like mine, I highly suggest that you try these whilst they are still around because it is a sweet, sticky and doughy treat that I am very glad I got to taste!

Starbucks UK Pumpkin Spice Loaf review

Its that time of year again where the weather is starting to turn cold and the pumpkin spice flavours are back in Starbucks! Being a massive lover of spices and pumpkin flavoured treats, I rushed down to my nearest Starbucks and decided to start with the pumpkin spice loaf which is a spiced cake topped with pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin flavoured products are more popular in America but they are slowly making there way over to the UK and so I was interested to see how this loaf cake would taste.

The smell of the spices was warming and this carried through to the flavour. This loaf tasted delicious with a strong spicy cinnamon type flavour that stops the sweet flavour of the pumpkin from being too sickly. The pumpkin flavour is certainly there but not so strong that it would put people off being as pumpkin is a bit of a controversial flavour in this country. The pumpkin seeds on top added a nice crunch and seemed to have a sort of sweet glaze that I really enjoyed. The sponge itself was slightly dry but I think I just got unlucky and has a bit of a dodgy slice. I thoroughly enjoyed this loaf cake and am now already starting to feel a bit festive. I will definitely be making the most of these cakes while they are around!

Nestle Ski Mousse Strawberry review

I have previously tried other flavours of these Ski Mousses by Nestle and really enjoyed how light and fruity they were. I decided that this strawberry version with a strawberry coulis swirl throughout would be worth a try for a light, summery sweet treat.

I lifted the lid and saw the pale pink mousse with the darker coulis swirl clearly visible. It smelt very sweet and the strawberry scent was surprisingly strong. As with the other varieties that I have tried, the mousse was light and airy so wasn't filling at all. The flavour if this mousse did disappoint me though. There was an overwhelming artificial strawberry taste that was too sweet. The strawberry coulis didn't improve the taste very much either although it did provide a slight sharpness.

Although I have enjoyed Ski mousses in the past this one left me feeling very disappointed. It was too sweet and artificial tasting and I certainly won't be picking these up again. I would recommend having either a strawberry yogurt or an alternative mousse to this as there are better alternatives available.