Kev's Snack Reviews

Recently Cadbury UK launched three new Dairy Milk bars, and you can vote for which one gets to stay on shelves. Neat idea right? Amongst the flavours are Simply The Zest, Raspberry Shortcake and today's review: Choca Latte. This is a coffee themed bar, with a coffee flavour cream filling and filled with biscuit pieces. I was very excited to try this one as I do love me some coffee chocolates and miss the coffee cream chocolate from Quality Street selections (it used to be in there many years ago). Opening the wrapper of this bar I was very excited indeed as it had a nice creamy coffee cream like aroma. It tastes pretty good, the cream isn't very strongly coffee flavoured but it has a nice sweet creaminess and is definitely worthy of the name latte. It reminds me a bit of the Coffee Escape chocolate from Cadbury Roses. The biscuit pieces blend nicely with it and make for a good crunchy and creamy combo. It's not the most groundbreaking flavour, probably not the one I w...

I was recently sent this new Ion 8 Leak Proof Flask to review. Now I don’t usually feature such products but as this was described as being leak proof I couldn’t say no, since I am so often disappointed with cheap flasks that end up leaking in my bag. This Ion 8 bottle promises to solve that issue with a lid that is completely sealed, with a one touch spring-open top. I have to say I do like the design, it’s sleek and quite sexy, haha! As promised the lid flips open easily and has a button on the side to do so. No unscrewing or pressing the top down like some flasks that inevitably end up leaking. The top screws off so you can fill it with your drink of choice. It’s BPA Free so will leave no odours or bad tastes in your drink, and keeps drinks chilled at the same temperature when filled. I used it as a flask for coffee, which it’s not specifically advertised for but after reading the instructions they state it’s safe for both hot and cold drinks. And I can confirm that ther...

The supermarkets have gone into a frenzy recently and started doing their own versions of low calorie high protein ice creams, with Aldi now doing a version, Morrisons , Asda and even Lidl! They've just started selling a 4 variety range from Graham's Family Dairy, which is lower in sugar and higher in protein than most regular ice creams. I was lucky enough to be sent the range to sample from Graham's - thanks so much guys! These are available from Lidl stores now for £2.99 a tub. There's White Chocolate and Rasperry and Salted Caramel available now and also Mint Choc Chip and this Espresso Caramel Ice Cream in the range. I'm starting with this because it was my absolute favourite and is a pretty unique ice cream too. The whole tub contains 310 Calories and 21g Protein. Now I don't know how this compares to the calorie and protein contents of other ice creams (I'm not one of those who care - ice cream is ice cream as far as I'm concerned and it...

After reviewing the delicious Salted Caramel Nakd bars , I was overjoyed to find that there was another new variety in their range - Coffee and Walnut! I love my coffee so this wasn't a want, it was a need, and special thanks to Nakd Foods I now have a whole box of them! They're certainly keeping me powered through these long, cold February days.. Made with a mixture of  dates, raisins, walnuts, almonds, cashews, coconut and coffee, these are an interesting one for sure. They used to make a Caffe Mocha bar (not sure if they still do), but this flavour is more focused on the coffee rather than cocoa. Opening the wrapper, it has an earthy aroma and a distinct whiff of coffee. It tastes nice enough, with a pleasant, earthy, nutty texture and the coffee flavour neither too strong nor weak, but somehow it doesn't work and I can't put my finger on why. Maybe the walnuts are just the wrong type of nut to go with it, maybe the addition of coconut in the ingredients dr...

I recently spotted a new Winter Blend coffee from Asda's Extra Special range, and the description sounded rather intriguing indeed: "Capture the magic of Christmas with a delightful collection of the finest beans sourced from East Africa and Latin America. Subtle Winter Spices sparkle against a deep, velvety dark roast, crackling with hints of toasted nuts and dark chocolate". Sounds pretty special right? This costs £2.75 for a 227g pack. I made it as directed in my cafetiere and of course drank it from my special piggy mug - no coffee would be complete for me without a pigs behind staring back at me, haha! I wasn't expecting this to taste of festive spice or anything too fancy, because these "special" coffees never really do, but to my surprise it was rather good! Definitely not just an average coffee and there were some fruity and spicy notes in there. It's not christmas spice flavour but they've clearly used a different blend of coffee beans...

A big thankyou to Mr Beans Coffee (no, not the comedy character!) for sending me a sample of their freshly roasted coffee to review recently. I'm a fan of quality coffee - the stronger the better  especially when it's made in a cafetiere, so I was super excited to try this! I was given advice on how to brew it for the perfect cuppa beforehand, and the coffee arrived freshly ground within a day through the post. Top marks for service! The coffee comes in a sealed packet, and opening it revealed a fresh coffee scent...there's no better smell in the morning is there?! This particular coffee is the Brazilian Twister, a unique blend of Arabica coffee originating from Peru. I used two large spoonfuls in my cafetiere and filled it with hot water. The aroma was great - definitely fresh and good quality in comparison to supermarket brands. The taste was great too - flavoursome, fresh and slightly malty with a hint of fruitiness. No traces of chemical taste like you ge...

Another review courtesy of Charlene's Chocolate Factory today, makers of interesting and quirky chocolate bars (check out my reviews of their Bubblegum Blonde , Mint Choc Chip and Beetroot Bars !). This time it's for something a bit more common as a chocolate flavouring - coffee, brilliantly named after the classic Wham! hit. I do love me some coffee in the mornings, so I loved the idea of being woken up by a chocolate bar rather than coffee! A bit of background first: Charlene's Chocolate Factory are of course named after the classic Charlie and The Chocolate Factory film, and are dedicated to making interesting and quirky bars, from the likes of Gin and Tonic, Marmite and various fantastically-coloured bars. To check out their range see: www.charleneschocolatefactory.co.uk A darker bar than the others I've reviewed, this vegan chocolate contains 72% cocoa solids and has ground coffee beans direct from Italy added. Ooh-er! One side has a lovely patterned e...

So there's been a big fight recently between Waitrose and luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat; the latter have claimed that Waitrose's new chocolate slab range are copying their famous Selector bars (see my #slabgate post for pics of the new range). They've even gone as far as taking legal action, but that hasn't stopped Waitrose who launched their new range this week. I thought I'd try one of the bars to see what all the fuss is about - would it live up to Hotel Chocolat's high standards? I chose the Espresso Swirl bar as it appealed to me the most; these are currently on offer for £2 and this bar is described as "Marbled Belgian milk and dark chocolate delicately swirled with hazelnut praline and coffee, topped with chocolate mocha beans". Sounds delightful doesn't it? Opening the wrapper it was definitely reminiscent of Hotel Chocolat's slabs, the sides are curvy although less so than a HC bar. One side contains the coffee beans whil...

Another ice cream review today, and this time it's for Perfect World's new Sweet Espresso variety, which is part of their newly revamped range alongside the existing Caramel and Pecan , the new Raspberry Ripple , Pistachio , Mint Choc Chip and Double Choc Chip. All of Perfect World's ice creams are suitable for vegans, gluten and dairy free and sugar free. They're made with a blend of xylitol, stevia and erythritol and contain coconut milk plus nut paste. The range is available from www.ocado.com and some Tesco's (if it isn't stocked locally please do request they sell it). As well as being free from most allergens this ice cream is also high in 12 vitamins and minerals, and contains only 4.1g natural sugars and 396 calories per tub. Pretty healthy! It's described as a "non dairy coffee flavoured ice cream with espresso concentrate and sweeteners". Coffee ice cream can be a bit hit and miss I find, in that it's usually too weak in flavo...

Today it's my third and final review from the new Festival 2018 Range from Montezuma's, which have been created to celebrate their 18th birthday. Check out my reviews of their Milk Chocolate and Chai Latte plus the Dark Chocolate with Rose & Vanilla bars. I've saved the best (in my opinion) for last with today's review...who doesn't love a good old coffee and chocolate combo? Well, granted not everyone but it certainly rates highly in my books. Today's bar consists of 35% milk chocolate with 3% coffee and 2% cocoa nibs added. Maybe not enough caffeine to give you the shakes, but still enough to make a delicious bar. I'll not bore you with my thoughts on the block design or the packaging today (I love both, FYI) and get right onto the taste. Of all the various coffee flavoured chocolates I've tried over the years, from milk, to white to dark chocolate, this is perhaps the best I've tasted! It hits the right balance of creamy, flavoursome...

Just a quick review today, and it's one for those who may be reducing or cutting out the sugar what with the news of the UK Sugar Tax coming into force. Most chocolate bars using sweeteners can often taste chemically or just "wrong", so how does Plamil's So Free Espresso bar fare? Made with xylitol, a natural sweetener derived from birch, I found this bar in Holland and Barrett. It contains 72% cocoa solids, is gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegans. The bar has small segments you can break off. I went for the espresso variety simply because I was in need of an energy boost, and although the coffee only comes from flavouring I reasoned the placebo effect might still give me a boost! And it was just what I needed for a sweet coffee hit. The chocolate gives a rich flavour, with the coffee lingering in the aftertaste whilst the xylitol makes it sweet enough to be palatable. It's not the same as sugar of course, and it does take a little getting used...

When I'm trying to eat healthy (#thestruggleisreal!) I do like a nice refined sugar, gluten and dairy free snack to munch on. There's always the trusty, tasty Nakd bars on hand in most shops, but a lesser-known brand is The Primal Pantry, who make Paleo and Vegan approved bars with ingredients like nuts, dried fruit, coconut sugar etc. I've tried their stuff before and really enjoyed it. So when I spotted this caffeine infused Espresso variety in the Co Op recently I got very excited indeed - probably too excited, must have been the thought of that shake-inducing caffeine! Described as simply a "Double Espresso Protein Bar" it contains real coffee beans and seemed to be promising an energy boost in bar form - protein AND coffee all at once?! Can't get more #fitfam than that ey? Unfortunately, the bar turned out to be a bit pants. Overlooking the fact it looked like something you'd find in your pants, the texture was my first point of contention: it ...

Today's review is for something a bit different. A while back I was sent some CoffeeGator products to review, and it's taken some time to get to them but I thought they'd be perfect for the festive season. Because coffee always makes a great gift! And also because I've been busy using these products to get a feel for them, and can safely say now that I love them - they've made life as a coffee lover so much easier! (For someone who doesn't have a Nespresso machine, anyway!) One of the products I was sent is The CoffeeGator Coffee Canister , a swish metal canister designed to keep your coffee super fresh as though the packet has just been opened. This is achieved with a special valve in the lid, which allows C02 to leave the canister but stops air and light getting in and affecting the flavour. It definitely keeps the coffee tasting fresher for longer, with no more having to clip pegs onto packets like I used to do! The canister also comes with a sta...

Pumpkin Spice Latte season is upon us and Halloween is but a week away, so it's only fitting that I review the only chocolate bar I know of (at least in the UK) to combine chocolate with the popular spicy flavouring this week. It took me a while to decide on whether or not to get this bar; after glancing at the ingredients I saw that it doesn't contain real pumpkin, but this is because it's not possible to add actual pumpkin to chocolate, Creighton's informed me on Instagram recently. So how do the other pumpkin spice latte elements work with white chocolate? By chance I spotted the last few bars of this limited edition in Fenwicks at the weekend and decided it was now or never: I had to snap one up! For £3.99 you get 100g of "spiced pumpkin flavour white chocolate with coffee". I couldnt be bothered waiting to get home to try this bar, so I did what I often do - ate it whilst shopping! Opening the paper wrapper it had a nice creamy and spicy aroma,...

Chocolate and Love are a new Fairtrade organic brand that have recently been rolled out in Sainsbury's stores. Currently, they're on offer for £2 a bar, so I thought I'd see what they're all about. Being a lover of all things coffee I naturally went for the Coffee 55% cocoa dark chocolate, although their other varieties are very enticing too (they do Mint, Orange, Creamy Dark, Caramel Sea Salt). This bar is not only fairtrade and organic, but dairy free and Vegan society approved. There's 4% organic coffee incorporated into the chocolate, which is a pretty decent amount compared to some coffee flavoured chocolates on the market. The chocolate certainly smelled very rich and coffee-like, especially for a 55% cocoa bar. And it tasted just as rich as its aroma; there were some complex cocoa bean flavours, backed up with the the stronger coffee flavour. It was very tasty indeed! More of an espresso than a latte in coffee terms - this is definitely one for c...

Whilst in Waitrose recently and in need of an energy boost, I noticed this new Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Coffee Mylk was reduced to £1.20. I thought I would give it a try, since I've been experimenting so much with dairy free options recently. This is made with organic coconut milk, spring water, organic date nectar and organic coffee. It's suitable for vegans, and everyone else too! For a drink made with all clean ingredients, this was pretty tasty indeed...I will even let them off with describing it as "ridiculously tasty" - because it is! I found this a lot more refreshing than a regular dairy coffee milk drink, and not as sickly. The balance of flavours is just right...it's creamy, mildly sweet and with just the right hint of strong coffee flavour. I felt both energized and refreshed after drinking it - double win! Overall, whether or not you're vegan, dairy free or eating only clean, organic foods...this is a tasty coffee drink that will give you...

It's always nice to get new white chocolate variations, especially if they involve coffee, so today's review is dedicated to none other than Aldi who brought out this Coffee & Cream Choceur white chocolate recently. They also do Coconut Crunch and White Crisp varieties, which I can't eat since they contain gluten. Boo! If you're a fan of the coffee chocolates from Merci this may be a bar you'll enjoy... The bar has a layer of coffee flavour milk chocolate on the bottom and a thicker layer of white chocolate above it. The blocks are very chunky indeed; just the way I like my chocolate! It tastes pretty good. The white chocolate is creamy and super sweet, although it somewhat overpowers the coffee milk chocolate layer. It's a nice bar but a bit too mild on the coffee front for my liking. Overall, not a bad variation from Aldi, but I'd definitely like to see a more upmarket version. Something like the coffee chocolate from Merci in bar form...

There's been a few new coffee varieties from Nescafe recently, from the limited edition Coconut Latte brought out last year to the latest, perhaps more sensible flavour, Toffee Nut Latte. Toffee Nut is a staple flavour of coffee shops so it makes sense Nescafe would do a version too. But is it any good though? It's labeled as a Special Edition, so presumably won't be around forever. There's 8 sachets per box and they're suitable for vegetarians. I made it as directed, producing a very frothy drink. It tasted pretty good; a nice mild coffee kick with plenty of creamy sweet froth. At first I couldn't detect the nut, but eventually there it was - a slight hazelnut flavour with a hint of toffee. It wasn't too bad although was a little on the artificial side, which I guess is no surprise. I later made another cup but this time doubled up on sachets, which produced a far nicer drink...who cares about the extra calories?! Overall, this isn't a b...