Mr Kipling Birthday Cake Tarts (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

Birthday cake is quite the trending flavour at the moment, with the added bonus that you don’t need it to be your birthday to enjoy it. The flavour generally means vanilla paired with something like strawberry or raspberry to replicate jam, along with a good hit of sugar for the icing element. Having a strong sweet tooth and missing mince pies post-Christmas, it’s no surprise I picked up a box of Mr Kipling Birthday Cake Tarts.

 

Each box contains four tarts, featuring pastry, raspberry jam, a layer of vanilla sponge, white icing, and colourful candy sprinkles. They look very appealing, and I enjoyed one alongside a nice afternoon cup of coffee.

These tarts are incredibly sweet, a proper sugary indulgence. If you’re not a fan of sweet treats, these might not be for you. The filling is predominantly icing and vanilla, with just enough raspberry jam to evoke the flavour of birthday cake. The different layers create a lovely texture, with the thick icing and crunchy candy sprinkles on top being particularly enjoyable.

Mr Kipling Birthday Cake Tarts are fun, cheerful, and a delightful treat for an afternoon break. No birthday required, I’d happily buy them again!

Pukka Chicken Balti Pie (not Pork) [@NLi10]

 Tonight we are off to the football, without leaving the house!  At Bromsgrove Sporting back when I went we used to get the Balti pies - and they were hot and satisfying. Pukka has realised we'd quite like to try these at home too.

It's barely spicy so suitable for all the family (except maybe nanna) and doesn't contain pork - but putting it in the title will still cause the bots on X to reply to this with vegan replacement ideas.

Looks like all the other Pukka pies

And the inside is decently meaty and smells great.

Add a few veggies and this is a decent meal to watch live sports, or in our case tea-time quizzes.

Pub Originals Pork Crunch (Asda) By @SpectreUK

I've been a fan of all things Pork Crunch ever since I broke a tooth on Pork Scratchings a few years back. Of course, they're not the same. They don't taste as good, especially when Pork Scratchings are particularly salty, and they don't have the same texture, but they don't have the risk of an expensive visit to the dentist. Oh my, dentists are expensive now.

These Pub Originals Pork Crunch are the best quality pork cuts flash fried for a better crunch. Each packet has around 19g of protein in it, which will help to fix my muscles after my weights session today. I decided to try them with a tuna and Cholula Hot Sauce sandwich.

On opening the packet you can see from the photograph that these Pub Originals Pork Crunch were neat lightly seasoned pork puffs. They smelt like lightly salted fried pork. These Pork Crunch were easy on my teeth with a decent crunch, and were mildly salted. My spicy tuna sandwich dominated my lunch a little, however, I certainly felt pumped full of protein to fix my tired muscles after my daily workout. High in protein and low in calories, I'd certainly have these Pub Originals Pork Crunch again.

Information on the packet; The 27g packet has 491 calories per 100g, with 24.2g of fat, 0.8g of sugar, 4.08g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Branston Pickle Topped Pork Pies (Asda) By @Cinabar

I have to admit, we’re rather missing the ‘picky bits’ selection that Asda had before and during Christmas. We sampled lots of the trays of nibbles, from spicy crispy prawns to cocktail sausages. It was a sad day when we realised all the interesting party food had disappeared for another year. So, we decided to have a look at the regular deli section to see what we could find. That’s where I spotted these Branston Pickle Topped Pork Pies and thought we’d give them a try.

The tricky part of this snack is definitely the topping. It looks lovely but makes transporting it home in a bag or car a bit precarious. They looked much neater in-store, but to be fair, the pickle was still on top when we got home. I gave them a little smoothing out before serving.

When I tried one, I absolutely loved the flavour. The pork is firm, with just the right amount of jelly, i.e. not too much. The pastry is savoury and delicious, and the pickle topping is what really sets these pies apart. The combination of flavours worked so well, adding a lovely spicy, fruity kick. I usually enjoy Branston Pickle with cheese, but this has inspired me to pair it with other foods too.

That said, for easier transport, I think they could’ve put the pickle inside the pastry, though perhaps that would’ve made the pies soggy. Either way, we’ll definitely be picking these BBranston Pickle Topped Pork Pies up again!

Spanish Latte (Costa) By @Cinabar

During a long journey, we stopped at a motorway services and popped into Costa for some coffee. Naturally, I went for the current special, Spanish Latte, and then had to ask what it actually was! The lady behind the counter explained it was made with condensed milk flavour syrup. Intrigued, I decided to give it a go.

The coffee looked lovely once prepared, decorated with cocoa sprinkles in wavy lines, a nice touch.

Now, an interesting fact about me: I don’t put sugar in coffee. I do enjoy flavoured syrups when I’m at a coffee shop, though. I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth and love caramel, hazelnut, most of them, really. But 99% of the coffee I drink isn’t sweetened, and I never add regular sugar.

Taking my first sip, I noticed the coffee’s sweetness and a slightly creamier texture than usual. The first half of the drink was alright, a sweet, creamy coffee. However, it was a bit nondescript. I’d been hoping for a custard or vanilla-like flavour, but that might have been wishful thinking.

As I drank more, the sweetness became overwhelming. Despite my sweet tooth, it felt cloying, like someone had added cream and sugar to my coffee, not how I typically drink it. Looking back, I realise the syrup had likely settled at the bottom of the cup, and stirring it might have made the flavour more consistent. Still, this isn’t a drink I’d order again.

If you like cream and sugar in your coffee, it’s probably the perfect indulgence. Personally, I’d rather stick to hazelnut syrup any day.

Jaffa Cake - JoNuts - Jaffa Doughnuts Are Back! [@NLi10]

 4 years ago - at the height of the CroNut Craze the bods at Jaffa HQ decided to release their own version.

It's a bigg jaffa cake - or a doughnut with Jaffa inside and chocolate on the top.

And they come individually wrapped so they stay fresh.

The chocolate could be darker and thicker for my liking

And the Jaffa could be thicker - or more like a jelly - and have bits of peel in it like marmalade.

But - as it stands - instead of a luxury must have they have created a decent enough elevensies snack. And while one isn't quite satisfying enough for me, I suspect that these are more designed for a lunchbox.

Worth a try - especially if you didn't sample them on their first visit.

Tiny Rebel Hadouken IPA Beer (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

Time for a monster movie and a curry takeaway. Another flavoursome beer is required to wash down my favourite Lamb Rogan Josh with chips. What better beer to have with huge monsters running around thumping each other on the TV than an "Amplified" one? I just have to taste it, to find out what that means.

This 6.2% in volume Hadouken is an Amplified IPA brewed by Tiny Rebel. Hadouken is a special wave attack in Capcom's Street Fighter video game series. I played it a little many years ago, but I'm one of those button bashers rather than someone who takes time to learn all the special moves of a character. I'm not that great at beat-em-up games, but I am the reigning champion in this house for using dance mats whilst playing Tekkan. Anyway, the internet reminds me that Hadouken is a surging punch that sends a wave of energy towards an opponent. The Hadouken is also known as the "wave motion fist" or "fist of surge".

Pale, Wheat and Cara malts were used in the brewing, as well as Simcoe and ID7 hops, all with TR House yeast. On opening this hazy Hadouken Amplified India Pale Ale, there was notes of citrus and tropical fruits, such as mango. There was also pine, with wheatiness and pale malts at the back of the aroma. The mango should go very well with my curry if it is involved in the flavour.

On taste this Hadouken Amplified India Pale Ale packed a bitter punch of citrus and warming spiciness. There was a wheatiness just before the sweet pale malts into the aftertaste. I adore spicy ales, so this was right up my street. Unlike me button bashing whilst playing the old Street Fighter game itself. Cheers!

Irn-Bru 1901 Original Flavour (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Irn-Bru is famously Scotland’s favourite soft drink, and one of my colleagues who lives in Edinburgh always has a can on her desk during our Teams calls, which feels like definitive proof. When I was a child, they advertised it as being “made in Scotland, from girders” a slogan you’d think might have put us off, but it didn’t in the slightest.

In 2018, the recipe for Irn-Bru was changed, with sugar-free variants becoming more common. However, this bottle of Irn-Bru 1901 takes us back to the original recipe. Made with sugar and packaged in a glass bottle; which, as we all know, somehow makes soft drinks taste better (through a scientific mechanism I don’t quite understand), it promises a nostalgic experience.

I poured myself a glass and was pleased to see the bright, familiar colour, which hasn’t changed. There was plenty of fizz too, which I appreciated, I do enjoy fizzy drinks, or “pop” as we call them here in the Midlands.

Taking a sip, I found the flavour as delightful as ever. Irn-Bru is notoriously hard to describe to those who’ve never tried it. It’s sweet, with a taste that’s somewhere between bubblegum and spiced orange. It’s such a distinctive flavour that words don’t quite do it justice, if you haven’t tried it, you really must.

This 1901 version offers a softer flavour than the sugar-free editions we’re now used to. It’s smooth, sweet without being sharp, and utterly nostalgic. I thoroughly enjoyed the classic taste and would gladly have it again. That said, it would be an occasional treat due to the sugar content, but it’s certainly one I’d look forward to.

With Burn’s Night approaching, I think I’ll need to get another bottle of Irn-Bru 1901 sooner rather than later.

Sainsbury's in-store Patisserie - Lemon Tart [@NLi10]

 Supermarkets in the UK have had in store bakeries for ages now - but some are upgrading and doing actual patisserie sections - inspired by the similar ones in euro-supermarkets.  So how do they stack up?

The range looks good - and there are more fragile ones over to the right - but I wanted something robust to share with nanna.

And I chose a little lemon tart - risking that she isn't one for acidy flavours.

Looks the part and is still crisp

And is a slim enough portion that nanna risked a quarter and enjoyed it!

While not quite France quality, this was a decently light snack with deep flavours and a lovely pastry case.  Nothing too exotic, but better than you'd get on the non-fresh shelves for sure.

So - a win - maybe I'll risk something flakier and creamier next time.

Nespresso for Change Please Coffee (Nespresso) By @SpectreUK

I don't often write about coffee. I do love a black coffee, especially in the afternoon after lunch. I find coffee first thing in the morning overpowers everything I eat for the rest of the daytime. So, generally I drink copious amounts of tea while I workout.

I don't have any time for instant coffee (pun intended). I prefer my coffee made from a machine. Nespresso for Change Please is a coffee with a good purpose. Change Please is a social enterprise founded in London in 2015. It is focused on changing the lives of homeless people through job opportunities, and this will be by providing them barista training and qualifications, to give them a shot at building a new life.

Nespresso gave this Change Please an Intensity of 5/10. I like my coffee smooth, sweet and strong. The reviews state this coffee has sweet notes of toasted cereals, biscuity flavours and a hint of nuts. It certainly had a toasted nutty biscuity aroma whilst making it in my Spectre mug.

On taste this coffee definitely had body to it. It was like a meal on its own. Unlike many coffees on the market that just taste of coffee in varying degrees of strength, Change Please had a toasted cereal flavour to begin with, followed by a sweet biscuit taste and ending with a hint of nuttiness into the aftertaste. I was impressed. I usually concentrate on caramel flavoured Nespressos, but I would have this again.

Waf-Fulls Choc Hazelnut (Asda) By @Cinabar

I may have gone to the supermarket intending to buy bread, but I got a little sidetracked by the sweet bakery section across the aisle. That’s how this pack of Waf-Fulls Choc Hazelnut ended up in my basket. (Don’t worry—I remembered to grab the bread too!)

This snack features an individual waffle, ready to eat straight from the pack—no need for a microwave or toaster, which I appreciated when I looked into it at home.

Inside the packaging, you’ll find two oblong waffle pieces sandwiched together with a generous layer of chocolate hazelnut spread. It looked so inviting, with some of the spread oozing slightly at the edges, a promising start!

When I took a bite, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much chocolate hazelnut spread there was. They certainly lived up to their name, Waf-Fulls. The waffle itself was soft yet satisfyingly sturdy, making for a filling snack. Combined with the rich, indulgent flavour of the chocolate hazelnut spread, it was a winning combination.

I’d go so far as to say this was a better treat than a standard chocolate bar, something a bit different, and definitely a step up. It’s a resounding thumbs up from me!

Fox's The Snowman and the Snowdog Gingerbread Minis (Iceland) By @Cinabar

While rummaging through the cupboards for post-Christmas snacks, I was delighted to discover Fox's The Snowman and the Snowdog Gingerbread Minis. These little biscuits are the perfect companion to a hot chocolate on a chilly afternoon. After all, biscuits and hot drinks are a match made in heaven, especially for someone like me who loves a good dunk!

Opening the box, I was pleased to find a generous amount of mini gingerbread men inside. However, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of gingerbread dogs, which the product’s name had led me to expect. It seems the title is more about referencing the classic film than reflecting the contents, which are exclusively gingerbread men.

I tried one and was impressed by its satisfying snap, these are firm biscuits, not the soft and chewy kind. The flavour struck a lovely balance: sweet enough to be enjoyable, with a gentle warmth from the ginger that doesn’t overwhelm. They’re subtly spiced and wonderfully moreish. I quickly polished off three before remembering I was meant to share them!

V60 Coffee Dripper via Pact Coffee [@NLi10]

 My coffee advent calendar from Pact came with a V60 coffee dripper, which I popped on the shelf and ignored.  I had a big coffee pot dripper and used that instead for December. Now I have lots of the calendar left and wanted to see whether the dripper would mean I could take them to work.

It’s basically a big plastic cup - with a hole in the bottom -and ridges to make sure that the filter paper doesn’t stick.

Mr tickle was the perfect size for coffee, but if you fill the funnel you get coffee all over the counter. Whoops.

The Pact coffee is great quality, but I much preferred the lightly roasted varieties - they made the house sing with magical smells. The dark roasts were nice, but not for me.

There’s a lot of adjectives for ‘strong coffee’ here, but this one was at least nicely rich.

But - with a little Gu ramekin for it to sit in afterwards- this does produce a couple of nice cups of coffee in a way that would be easy enough in the office.

Essentially you put the ground coffee in the top and pour circles of hot water into the top which gradually drips through into the cup. 

Plima Double IPA (The Garden Brewery) By @SpectreUK

I have a curry takeaway tonight. A treat for a hard few days. One mom is still in hospital after 9 weeks from a fall and various infections, and my own mom has a habit of falling over in her flat. She has an alarm necklace, but my sister worried when she didn't answer a regular call, and also many calls later, so out we went around midnight last night. She's okay, just really hard of hearing, and was in bed asleep. The mind can spiral terribly to every worse case scenario.

I reckon this Plima Double IPA will help to cheer me up and wash down my Lamb Rogan Josh with chips. At 7.4% in volume the front of the can mentions citrus and berry hops, with creamy flavours of coconut. Produced by The Garden Brewey, in Croatia, Extra Pale, wheat flakes, wheat malt, and oat flakes, were used in the brewing, as well as Citra, Amarillo, and Sabro hops were used, and also JuiceMachine yeast.

On opening the can this hazy pale ale poured with a frothy excitable head. There was a strong predominant berry smell that I wasn't familiar with from other India Pale Ales, with a slight citrus aroma as well as wheat and malted barley.

On taste Plima Double IPA had a warming spicy berry bitterness to begin with that was perfect against the frosty frozen landscape outside. A little citrus hops followed all those berries, with body from the oats, and sweetness from the pale malts and wheat.

Gorgeous with my Lamb curry and chips the spices and berries in Plima really complemented all the lamb spicy goodness. I'd definitely have this again.

Snickers Fruit and Nut Bar (Asda) By @Cinabar

While browsing the aisles of Asda, I stumbled upon the Snickers Fruit and Nut Bar. Positioned near the cashier, it caught my eye as a potential treat to reward myself after a tiring day. Its packaging suggested a new twist on the classic Snickers bar, but my curiosity quickly turned into scepticism as I unwrapped it at home.

The familiar aroma of peanuts and chocolate greeted me as I opened the bar, it had a hint of the traditional Snickers. However, its appearance told a different story. About one whole peanut adorned the top, accompanied by a smattering of other peanut bits. The base was coated with a thin layer of chocolate, with a drizzle over the top, but it was clear this wasn’t the Snickers we all know.

A closer inspection of the ingredients revealed why. Snickers bars are famed for their indulgent combination of chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and nougat. This bar, however, was decidedly different. The caramel and nougat were missing entirely, replaced with a base primarily made of dates. Yes, dates! Not exactly what I associate with the fun Snickers brand.

The texture was pleasant enough, with the dates providing a chewy base and the peanuts adding a bit of crunch. There was just enough chocolate to keep things sweet, and the overall flavour was enjoyable. However, it didn’t feel like a treat in the way a classic Snickers does. Instead, it leaned heavily into the “health bar” territory, more suitable as a snack for those looking to curb a sweet tooth while staying in the January spirit.

In conclusion, the Snickers Fruit and Nut Bar is a tasty option if you’re seeking a healthier alternative, but it falls short of delivering the indulgence promised by the Snickers name. The branding feels slightly off for a bar that’s more health-conscious than indulgent, and while it’s pleasant enough, it doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set by its famous predecessor. Have you tried this bar? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Jaffa Cake - Special Cola Bottles Edition [@NLi10]

 McVitie's long ago realised that only the smallest of changes to the Jaffa Cakes recipe was needed to get us to pick a box up.  And we buy them all - they even have their own category on this site. Gradually they are straying further from the hallowed ground of the Orange to other Citrus Fruits, then other fruity things, and now technically I guess nut flavoured things.  

Well natural flavourings approximating the cola nut I assume.  Mr Whiskers is interested eitherway.

Only 10 in a pack now - that's another gradual change

And they still seem to be shrinking.

But - a fresh-from-the-pack official Jaffa Cake is still a thing of great beauty, and a less acidy flavour like Cola means you can happily eat a portion of 3 without batting an eyelid

Less 'jaffa' than before too - but all things in balance.

These taste like a weak cola bottle on a jaffa cake base, which is still plenty good enough.  Gone are the days when I'd get through a box of 36 Tesco own brand Jaffa Cakes in a week, so I'll settle for having these decent quality ones in a variety of flavours every so often.

Golden Wonder Fully Flavoured Sausage & Tomato Crisps By @SpectreUK

At the beginning of December I was supposed to have a promotional Golden Wonder Advent Calendar. I was really excited about that, as I love Golden Wonder crisps. However, something happened along the way and sadly the advent calendar was not available. Golden wonder sent us a big box of different flavours of crisps to make up for that. Of course, they didn't have to.

In amongst those crisps were these Golden Wonder Fully Flavoured Sausage & Tomato. I haven't had these before, though the Fully Flavoured Salt & Vinegar and also Cheese & Onion flavours in the big box were really flavoursome, so I had to try these Fully Flavoured Sausage & Tomato crisps.

On opening the packet these Golden Wonder Fully Flavoured Sausage & Tomato crisps smelt like a good meaty pork sausage with added sage, and there was the smell of paprika spice covering the orange coloured crisps, followed by a good tomato ketchup aroma.

On first crunchy taste these Golden Wonder Fully Flavoured Sausage & Tomato crisps packed a spicy tomato punch to begin with, followed by pork sausage and a little sage. Gorgeous and flavoursome, these crisps were definitely Fully Flavoured, and I'd have them again.

Information on the packet; The 32.5g bag had 167 calories, with 9.4g of fat, 0.8g of sugar, and 0.45g of salt. Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans, and with no artificial preservatives or colours, please see photograph for the ingredients.

Popcorn Flavour Maltesers Bunny (Sainsbury’s) By @Cinabar

Maltesers Bunny chocolates have become a familiar sight over the years, much like the Cadbury Creme Egg. I’ve always enjoyed them as a smaller treat, perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. This year, alongside the regular Maltesers Bunny, we have a new twist: the Popcorn Flavour Maltesers Bunny, which sounded intriguing.

Upon opening the packet, the Bunny looks identical to the regular version, with no obvious hints of its unique flavour, aside from a subtle aroma. Breaking off a piece, the popcorn scent became a little more noticeable.

Taste-wise, I found the Popcorn Flavour Maltesers Bunny rather delightful. The thick, creamy chocolate shell was just as satisfying as always, and the filling retained the classic malty taste. The popcorn flavour complemented it surprisingly well, adding an almost nutty note that I really enjoyed.

However, there’s a twist, small bits within the filling attempt to replicate the sensation of eating popcorn, hopefully without it getting stuck in your teeth! While I’m not sure I needed that level of authenticity, the overall experience was still lovely.

These are definitely worth a try for anyone who loves a playful twist on a classic chocolate treat.

Shloer Winter Spiced Punch (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I was a bit late in discovering this Shloer Winter Spiced Punch, as it would have been perfect to enjoy over Christmas. However, I managed to find it on offer and picked up two bottles online, which felt like a win. I’ve always liked Shloer drinks, but they tend to be a bit pricier than my usual fizzy drinks, so I usually reserve them for special occasions or when there’s a good deal.

Although this is marketed as a Christmas drink, it’s definitely suitable for the whole winter season. With all the snow we’ve had over the past few days, it feels like the perfect time to enjoy it. Upon opening the bottle, the drink poured out beautifully fizzy, even foaming slightly into my glass, perhaps shaken a bit during delivery!

The first sip was delightful. I adore ‘winter spice’ flavours, and this drink did not disappoint. The warm notes of cinnamon and other spices paired beautifully with the fruity red grape base. I was especially impressed by the balance, plenty of spice, not overly sweet, and clearly designed for an adult palate.

I found it incredibly easy to drink and thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous fruity, spicy flavour. I’ll definitely be stocking up on a few more bottles while they’re still on offer. It’s the perfect winter warmer for these chilly days!

Magnum Bon Bon - Gold Caramel Billionaire (tiny choc ices) [@NLi10]

 We've had a few deserts hidden away for festive visitors and the other day had a reason to crack out these.  Magnum Mini's are good - but what if they were even smaller!

Magnum (well Walls) have gone for it - giving us a tub with a dozen tiny choc-ices in a tub - perfect for the cinema or theatre - but in the home freezer section.

And look how pretty they are!

bonbonbonbonbonbonbon

Nicely sealed for freshness - I suspect these go a bit odd in the freezer once opened.  Luckily they won't last long - 3 per portion really!

And they look pretty in real life too - they survive well enough that if you can stop them from melting then you can eat them anywhere!  

And they are tasty too! There are loads of textures here to enjoy and the caramel is present but not overpowering. 

As mentioned these are perfect home-movie snacks, but they need to sell them in the cinema & theatre if they don't already - as they are ideal for nibbling on as you go. 

And they did have multiple flavours too so I can keep going on these for a while.  A great new addition to the cold snacks.