Mr Kipling Selection Box - A Very British Lockdown Indeed! (@NLi10) #ExceedinglyGood

There are some parts of being a child in the Eighties in Britain that I remember fondly.  Toys in cereal boxes, Garbage Pail Kids, and all manor of cakes and chocolates from the Great-Grandparents cupboards!

One brand always stands out to me - purely because they were the most disappointing thing you could be offered - and that is the products of Mr Kipling.  Now maybe this is just because the other options were M&S or TeaCakes or Home-Baked scones, but it seems odd that one of the most prevalent UK pudding brands isn't something I've ever loved.

A firm family favourite over the years, producing tiny cakes to entice and yet disappoint my tiny self.  French Fancies were ace - no questions - and the Jam Tarts were good (mainly the pastry) but the little pies always had an aftertaste that lingered for me and I just didn't like it.

But - now we are on lockdown (and thirty years older!) how do they hold up?

Well - they are probably very similar to the olden days.  Probably less bad fats and probably less sugar, but still very similar in appearance and marketing.  It was only when skimming the box here (and chuckling about the 'melt in the mouth' pastry that we both thought was far too crumbly - 'fall in the cleavage pastry' was mentioned) that I even spotted that these are supposed to be heated!  Shame I've eaten all mine now.

Very presentable - no damage.  Icons on top so you can tell which are the apple, which are the apple and something and which are the no flavour ones.

First up - apple!

Looks like apple - tastes like Kippling apple.  It's perfectly edible and quite nice.  Minimal aftertaste.

Then Blackcurrant & Apple.  Easily the best.  minimal aftertaste.

Last we have the Cherry.  I didn't take a pic of the inside.  Nicely red - good flavour - then AFTERTASTE!  I'm not sure if this is an odd genetic thing, or the fact we've never baked them meaning something has gone wrong, but I'm transported to my youth and gulping down tea to cleanse the taste-buds. 

 Overall though - a success.  I enjoyed them much more than I thought I would, and may even buy the Jam Tarts for old times sake.  I'd still rather have my grandparents baking though.