January 8th: Fazermint Chocolate Creams

Kcal 35 Fat 3.5g Fat(sats) 2.0g Carbs 13.0g (per piece)

It seems that Dean-German-Grocery don't just stop at German chocolate as today they sent me these Fazermint Chocolate Creams which are a product of Helsinki, Finland. If you want some more information on the Fazer brand take look HERE - I was surprised to read they supposedly have some sort of presence in the UK ... this was the first I had heard of them. These 'Chocolate Creams' were formed of 'chocolate with soft mint centres', and were not to dissimilar in proposition to Nestle After Eight mints .

The chocolates came in 150.0g box that contained about 15 individual pieces. The box had a nice combination of silver and green colours and communicated the relevant information well. Each piece came nicely wrapped in a branded foil wrapper that gave it just an extra touch of class. The chocolates were of a perfect size, and their curved shape not only made them look attractive but meant they also felt nice in the mouth. I thought the chocolates smelt quite appetising - the aroma was a mixture of sweet cocoa and a minty scents.

My main criticism of the Nestle After Eights was that the taste of the chocolate was all too quickly overpowered by the sugary mint fondant - this wasn't such a problem here. Though the pieces were actually quite small in size, the chocolate was actually quite thick. The 47% cocoa min chocolate was not the strongest tasting, though by the time the outer layer had melted the unsweetened cocoa flavours were long established, and provided an adequate chocolaty background flavour. Obviously the really defining and dominant element of the taste were the mint fillings. In contrast to the After Eights the fondant centres were not half as sickly or sweet tasting. The mint filling seemed much more relaxed and nowhere near as imposing - the peppermint flavours were refreshing, cool and very moreish. The texture of the filling was also nice and smooth, I was expecting a more grainy, crystallised feel but this was far preferable. The strength of the flavours meant that four of these proved to be a really quite fulfilling snack.

Overall to be honest these really quite surprised me, and proved to be a highly satisfying chocolate mint combination. I say they surprised me as I was expecting a lower quality version of the Nestle After Eight mints, who I thought up until now owned this section of the market. In my opinion these were actually the superior product out of the two. The flavours of the chocolate were better established with the thicker coatings, whilst the texture and overall taste of the mint fillings were far less intense and subsequently more enjoyable. If your a mint chocolate fan then these are well worth a look at.

7.9 out of 10

Fancy trying Fazermint Chocolate Creams for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

January 7th: Ritter Sport Organic 60% Dark

Kcal 364 Fat 26.7g Fat(sats) 16.9g Carbs 26.5g (per 65.0g)

I continued my look at the Ritter Sport 'Bio' (Organic!) range today sampling the 60% Dark variant. My original plan was to do this review as a direct comparison with the standard Ritter Sport Dark bar that I also have awaiting review - but after seeing the different levels of cocoa I thought I would leave them separate. As you have almost certainly gathered from the name this was a 60% cocoa solids bar, 50% of which were from 'selected Edelkakao beans'.

Just as with the 'Raisin and Pecan' bar this came in a 65.0g serving size, in the typical square shaped form. The outer packaging cut a more fresh, modern look to the standard range with the two tone purple background colours and relevant images particularly catching on the eye. Again I wasn't to enamoured with the splitting of the bar into 16 smaller blocks - it wasn't quite as detrimental to the bar as with the 'Raisin & Pecan' variant, though it was more the impracticability of having to handle the bar so often. The bar smelt strongly of a mixture of coffee and cocoa. The aroma was really quite pungent, I thought this set the mood nicely for what was to come.

This wasn't a bar that needed its melt progression to be far advanced before its full taste was established. As soon as the chocolate entered the mouth the cocoa flavours were very apparent. The taste of the cocoa was relatively intense, though an ever present creamy undertone avoided the taste from ever becoming bitter. This creamy background, along with the heavily vanilla noted aftertaste made for a chocolate that although strong in its flavours, offered a reasonably friendly dark chocolate experience. The melt of the chocolate also had some fine attributes in that it was well paced, thick and smooth; my only slight reservation was as mentioned earlier the disappointingly small sized blocks. The strong flavours meant I actually found this bar quite rich, I happily ate the 65.0g bar in two separate servings and found both very satisfying.

Overall this wasn't the greatest dark chocolate I have ever tasted but it was still of a pretty good standard. It didn't quite have the range of flavours offered by the higher end dark chocolates (Hotel Chocolat, Lindt etc), but it did offer an enjoyable more everyday type of chocolate. The flavours were strong, yet friendly with the cocoa intensity nicely controlled by the underlying creaminess and vanilla essence in the aftertaste. If your looking to dip your toe into the vast ocean of stronger chocolate formulations this would be a good place to start.

8.4 out of 10

Fancy trying the Ritter Sport Organic 60% Dark for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

January 6th: Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Chocolate Peanut Crisp Bar

Kcal 169 Fat 9.0g Fat(sats) 3.5g Carbs 19.0g

Being back at university means that breakfast more often that not is on the run. Kellogg's Crunchy Nut is one of my favourite cereals, so I was pretty happy when I stumbled across this 'Chocolate Peanut Bar' in my local newsagents. Formed of a 'peanut, wheat & oat cereal bar dipped in a smooth milk chocolate layer', it sounded a lot more exciting than most other cereal bars.

This bar came in a 35.0g form that given its smallish size did a very good job at curing my morning munchies. The outer wrapping looked good, I liked the similarity the packaging had with the original Crunchy Nut cereal box, the chocolate content was also well communicated pictorially. The bar itself also looked pretty appetising - the honey glaze gave it a nice fresh look and the peanuts appeared very generously portioned. The product also had an enjoyable smell. The aroma was predominantly sweet, but had a nice undertone of nuttiness to it. 

It seems a massive commonality with cereal bars that where chocolate is implemented it is often very minimally portioned; this was the case here once again. As you can see from the picture the 'dipped chocolate' was very lacking in its physical presence, and this unfortunately translated to the taste of the bar. The chocolate only managed to muster a slight milky addition to the taste, it really struggled against the far denser cereal ingredients. Despite the shortcomings of the chocolate, the actual cereal base was very good. The cereal and peanut elements made for a nice mixture of salty, savoury flavours that were fused together fantastically well by the sweet honey glaze. The peanuts in particular made for a long sustaining taste, as aforementioned this bar was very fulfilling given its relatively small size.

Overall this was one of the better cereal bars I have tasted on ChocolateMission, though this wasn't really down to its chocolate content. Once again the actual chocolate of the product was lacklustre, thinking about it now if this bar included a good quality full milk chocolate coating this product could be absolutely superb. As cereal bars go though this is one of my favourites - well worth checking out if your a fan of the category.

7.7 out of 10     

January 5th: Woolworths Dark Chocolate

Kcal 512 Fat 34.0g Fat(sats) 20.1g Carbs 45.5g (per 100.0g)

Today marks a sad day in UK retailing with the closure of Woolworths. I am sure many of you British folk will have very fond memories of popping into Woolies, and spending your pocket money on a CD single and some pick-a-mix. Unfortunately Woolworths is just a victim of the times, what with online shopping/downloading, sadly there just isn't the demand to run a sustainable business model - a real shame. Anyway as a tribute I have today reviewed a bar of their own brand dark chocolate.

I bought this bar in the sales (20% off), which came to a grand total of 75p for 200.0g, exceedingly cheap. I wasn't all taken in by the foil wrapper - I thought the choice of colour was a little odd, and not really suitable for a dark chocolate. The chocolate itself was equally underwhelming. It really lacked a telling aroma, and also was completely devoid of any personality with a completely smooth looking complexion - it just looked insanely boring. 

I was surprised to read the bar actually contained 50% cocoa solids - surprised as it didn't taste like it did whatsoever. The taste was largely one dimensional, and way too sweet for dark chocolate. It had neither the creaminess of milk chocolate, or the strength of cocoa to be classed as dark chocolate - it was just completely devoid of a meaningful taste. Looking at the ingredients list showed this bar contained some funky things I had never even heard of: 'Polglycerol Polyricinoleate'? This emulsifier is supposed to make the chocolate melt better, to be honest it didn't seem to help. The melt was waxy, slow and on the whole just quite lazy. Despite its lack of taste when in the mouth, the chocolate left a sour aftertaste - it reminded me of Cadbury Bournvile, but somehow managed to have even less of an appeal. 

Overall I wish I hadn't done this review, as my last memories of Woolworths are tainted by this truly terrible chocolate. This was frankly awful dark chocolate. It looked boring, lacked flavour and had a poor melt ... I only bothered eating about 30.0g of the 200.0g. I am genuinely sad that Woolworths is now no more, but thank god no one will have to withstand their own brand chocolate for much longer. The question is where are we going to go for cheap chocolate now!?

4.6 out of 10 

January 4th: Marks & Spencer Milk Chocolate Turkish Delight

Kcal 220 Fat 4.7g Fat(sats) 3.0g Carbs 43.5g

My recent success in the Turkish Delight category (Fry's bar) has meant I have been on the look out for different alternatives to try. Whilst shopping in Marks & Spencer (as any student does during the credit crunch lol!), I found this 'Milk Chocolate Turkish Delight' bar. Formed of 'milk chocolate with a rose flavoured turkish delight centre', I thought I could not go wrong giving this bar a try, after all it looked pretty much the same proposition as the Fry's bar. Unfortunately I couldn't have been more wrong - and I found out the hard way.

The bar came in a large 55.0g, though I must admit I only ate half. The product was reasonably well presented. The pink pastel colour of the wrapper was a bit garish, though the chocolate itself look impressive. The 55.0g was split into two separate pieces that when cross-sectioned really revealed the true wealth of turkish delight that lay below. It looked impressive, but this is where the praise stops in regard to the turkish delight element. The smell for me was a bit lacking, a sweet cocoa scent was mildly detectable, though it needed seeking out and was not forthcoming whatsoever. 

I am sure you will have peeked at the taste score already - so you are going to be aware there was something fundamentally wrong with the flavours of the bar. Before I get into that I must remark on the outer chocolate which was actually superior to that of the limp, thin layer found on the Fry's bar. It was able to substantiate a reasonably full flavoured milky base before the utter terror that was the turkish delight filling. The texture of the turkish delight wasn't bad, it was slightly more solid than jelly, but softer than a fruit gum - just what you would really expect from turkish delight. Now as for the taste, well ... if you have ever been a victim of the practical joke where someone slips washing up liquid into your drink, then just imagine that circumstance ... just minus the laughs. Frankly it tasted awful, it literally tasted as if someone had made a 'Fairy Liquid' flavoured jelly. It was just horrible, possibly one of the worst tasting bars I have had on Chocolate Mission, it was to the degree that I did a very rare thing for bars I review - I didn't finish it.

Overall I don't think there is much I can elaborate on what I have already said. I don't know how this got through the taste tests at Marks & Spencer!? Surely someone along the way would have tasted it and said 'hang around here chaps, this doesn't actually taste all that clever'. Well apparently not, and this soap flavoured bar is currently readily available in all Marks & Spencer shops. With less than 5.0g of fat, this bar falls nicely into 'lighter' alternatives category I am currently scoping out in the Chocolate Market. Trust me on this one though, this bar is not fit as a present for your worst enemy. 

5.5 out of 10

January 3rd: Ritter Sport Williams Birne Truffle

Kcal 513 Fat 31.8g Fat(sats) 20.3g Carbs 51.1g (per 100.0g)

Today sees me review the second of three from Ritter Sport's latest 'Winter Varieties' range, courtesy once again from Dean-German-Grocery. This Wiliams Birne Truffle variant was comprised of 'milk chocolate filled with a pear liqueur truffle'. I had never seen pear used as a flavouring in chocolate before, so I was really curious to see if the combination would work. Doing a little research on the internet I found out that Williams Birne is actually quite a famous brand of pear schnapps (Picture HERE).

As with the rest of the 'Winter' range, this came in the standard 100.0g Ritter Sport bar form. Just like the Jamaican Rum bar, I liked the use of the black colour on the wrapper - it gave the bar a more sophisticated look. The flavour of the bar was well indicated through the pale green secondary colour, as well as the relevant picture displayed on the front. The chocolate wasn't the most impressive looking of the Ritter Sport range, though the bar still showed a clear distinction between the outer chocolate and inner truffle layers. I was really taken in by the smell of this bar - as soon as I opened the wrapper I was met with a barrage of fruity, cocoa scents; it really gave a good indication of what was to come. 

The Ritter Sport milk chocolate once again did a fine job carrying the flavouring of the bar. The outer chocolate delivered a fine milky taste that was executed with its usual smooth melt. The liqueur content of the chocolate was evident from the very first block, although delivered predominantly through the truffle filling, the subtle alcoholic flavours had also spread to the outer chocolate. The liqueur taste was just about the right strength, providing a sound alcoholic context, yet avoided being overly strong. The pear flavour was the real defining flavour of the bar, delivering a wonderfully sweet, fruity taste. I was surprised by the actual real fruit taste it delivered - it was surprisingly fresh, I was expecting something far more artificial. The taste of the pear was very long in its longevity, I could taste its wonderful sweet flavours in my mouth for a long time after finishing the bar. 

Overall despite not being the biggest fan of pears in general, I really got a lot of pleasure from this bar. The chocolate did its usual sterling job of providing a moderate, creamy chocolaty base flavour that allowed the inner truffle to express itself fully. The pear liqueur flavours were wonderfully delivered through a fresh, edgy fruit taste that really left a lasting impression in the mouth. I am not normally one for fruit flavoured liqueurs but this was a chocolate I very much enjoyed. I could see consumers of drinks like Archers and Malibu really enjoying this product.

8.5 out of 10

Fancy trying the Ritter Sport Williams Birne Truffle for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

January 2nd: Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan Dark Chocolate Loaf

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

I reviewed the Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan Classic bar last month and really enjoyed it, so I needed little in the way of encouragement to try this 'loaf' variant that I found in my local Tesco. The wrapper didn't actually proclaim the level of marzipan, however it did state that the bar was 45% almonds, which was the most heavilly portioned ingredient. This bar was simply a big loaf of marzipan with an outer dark chocolate layer - given the quality of the marzipan in the Classic bar format I was eagerly anticipating trying this. 

This loaf came in a 75.0g serving that did me well for three servings. The presentation was top class - really up there with the best of them. The bar was first cellophane wrapped, then wrapped in a paper/foil type layer. The outer packaging looked both classy and authentic, but what really struck me was the bar itself. It was beautifully preserved in the wrapper with no signs of any cracking or blemishes on the surface. When cross-sectioned it truly revealed the wealth of the marzipan, it looked absolutely fantastic. Aesthetically it looked brilliant, though the smell wasn't quite as spectacular. The bar offered a minor cocoa scent, though to be honest I was expecting more in the way of a nut centric almond smell.

This is a funny way of putting it, but this bar did all the good things that the Classic bar did, but even better. Conversely it did all the bad things of the Classic bar, and did them even worse. Lets get the bad things out the way - the dark chocolate was simply just not a factor in the overall taste. What with the loaf format, I guess this was to be expected, but the 50% dark chocolate was thinly portioned, and failed to generate much of a flavour base even where most present. Enough of the bad stuff though, because this was simply a fantastic product. The marzipan was simply luxurious - I was expecting with such a thick block that its flavours would be overly sweet - but this just simply wasn't the case. The texture was delightfully moist yet crumbly, and it had a delicious buttery, almond taste. The aftertaste of the marzipan could be well and truly savoured, with the flavours leaving a long lasting impression in the mouth. Although the taste was incredibly moreish, the density of the bar made it very fulfilling.

Overall this is a product I simply cannot recommend enough. Its definitely not perfect - much like I found with the Classic bar the dark chocolate needs a bit of work. On the other hand the quality of the marzipan was simply out of this world. As I said in my review of the Classic bar, I am no real proponent of marzipan, but this was divine. The buttery, almond taste was wonderfully delivered through the thick crumbly centre - it was both moreish and satisfying what more can you ask for!? Christmas may be gone, but even if you aren't a fan of marzipan I urge you to give this a try.

8.7 out of 10  

January 1st: Flyte

Kcal 194 Fat 6.0g Carbs 33.4g (whole 45.0g product)

Its a new year! Happy 2009 ChocolateMission readers!! Now I am sure there are at least a few of you that have vowed to lose a few pounds as part of your New Years resolutions - well ChocolateMission is here to help! During January I am going to be bringing you some reviews of some of the 'lighter' chocolate alternatives out there on todays market. Today I started with the Flyte bar, a product which is manufactured by Mars and consists of a 'chocolate whipped centre wrapped in milk chocolate'. The bar exhibited the slogan 'taste the chocolate, skip some fat'. 

This product came in a 45.0g pack that was split into two smaller 22.5g pieces. I thought the nutritional information was displayed quite misleadingly as it stated it per half bar (22.5g) ... sneaky huh!? I wasn't all that bowled over by the packaging - it looked very similar to the old style Galaxy design. The bar itself was also a bit boring aesthetically, though the rippled effect on top of the chocolate at least added some interest. I was really worried by the smell of the bar - it literally smelt of nothing. Despite being well contained within the wrapper, the chocolate offered only the smallest of sweet scents - it completely failed to heighten my anticipation.

From the very first bite it was pretty obvious what the fat content had been replaced with - sugar!! This bar was exceedingly sweet in every sense - from outer chocolate to inner nougat there was no getting away from the sugar based taste. Looking at the ingredients it was no surprise to see sugar and glucose syrup heading the list. Despite what the slogan of the bar said the chocolate really wasn't that prevalent in the taste of either the outer chocolate or the inner nougat - not surprisingly the actual cocoa content was very limited at 14% min. The product offered a bit of substantiality with the dense nougat, but really its lack of flavours meant that this was a very unfulfilling experience.

Overall I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come in the next month with my exploration of the lighter choices of the chocolate market. To be frank this bar lacked the one thing it promised - a chocolaty flavour hit. Ridding of some of the cocoa content obviously lowered the fat content of the bar, but at the same time it also took away the flavour - rendering this nothing more than a chewy and overly sweet, sugar laden product. Diet or no diet, this would be one I recommend you stay clear of.

5.9 out of 10

December 31st: Hotel Chocolat Original / Pink Champagne Truffles

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

How fitting that the last review of the year should be a Hotel Chocolat product!? Having never even tried a Hotel Chocolat product before this year, I sure am pleased to have now tried a good deal of their range this year - long may it continue! This is a bit of a cheeky review as these Champagne truffles were actually meant to be gifted this Christmas, but sadly they didn't survive sitting around my University dorm until I got home - shame on me! I have reviewed these as one as I didn't personally perceive too much of a difference between the two variants. 

I bought these truffles in packs of eight, which although a little pricey would have made fantastic gifts if they had made it that far haha! The outer packaging for both was quite cute. The outer boxes radiated the usual Hotel Chocolat class, whilst the inner packaging included plastic trays, paper protective layers and branded thin plastic sheaths. In the picture above the slightly darker coloured truffle was the 'Pink Champagne' variant (on the left), whilst the 'Original Champagne' were slightly lighter in colour and contained a greater layer of fine sugar on the outside. Both truffles radiated nice smells, which were predominately cocoa led but had slight hints of alcohol.

I won't beat around the bush, these were tremendous truffles. The outer milk chocolate layers were thick and provided a nice crispness to the texture. The outer dusting sugar didn't distract from the milky, cocoa flavours from the chocolate that seemed to grow in intensity as the melt progressed. What I particularly liked about these truffles was that the boozy flavours of the centres didn't invade the taste of the outer chocolate, so the flavours of the truffles showed real progression. As I have said above there was very little difference between the taste of the two variants, though the 'Pink Champagne' truffles did seem to have a slightly more tart, stronger champagne influence. The truffles centres were nowhere near the smoothness of Lindt Lindors, but had a rather more viscous dexterity. To be honest I found this a nice change, and the denser texture meant that the flavours lasted longer in the mouth. The strength of the centres were really quite strong for alcoholic chocolates, though the creamy flavours of the chocolate meant they never became over dominating. These were rich truffles, and two at a time provided a nice little treat.

Overall it is a bit of a shame I never got to give these away as gifts, as I am sure they would have put a smile or two on the receivers faces. Those who enjoy their liqueur truffles will really enjoy these. The chocolate as ever was of a superb quality, and the centres supplied some longing, strong boozy flavours. For my money there is very little difference between the two variants, though I am sure the 'Pink Champagne' truffles will prove very popular with the females. 

8.4 out of 10

I would like to take this opportunity to everyone who has contributed to the site so far. It is amazing how the site has grown since its creation. Tomorrow will mark the sites 1st Birthday! I have been a little busy as of late, but do not fear a competition with a load of goodies will be arranged very soon. So anyway ... thanks again and I hope you continue to enjoy the site as I enter the 2nd year of trying to find 'the best chocolate bar in the world'.

December 30th: Terry's Chocolate Orange Dark

Kcal 134 Fat 7.7g Fat(sats) 4.5g Carbs 15.0g (per 3 pieces)

This Dark variant wraps up my reviews of the entire Terry’s Chocolate Orange range. The Terry’s range has frequently surprised me, the brand certainly wasn't a favourite of mine in my younger years, but it seems as I have grown to appreciate its very sweet, but rather tasty chocolate orange taste. There were no hidden surprises with this variant, it comprised of a 40% minimum dark chocolate with 'real orange'.

As with many of the variants I have reviewed recently, I bought this product in the 175.0g full orange form. I actually purchased this variant as part of a BOGOF in Woolworths along with the 'Snowball' – thats 350g worth of chocolate for £2 … not half bad eh!? Just as with the rest of the range, this variant came beautifully presented. I wasn't too sure about the choice of red as a colour to signify dark chocolate, though it still largely looked attractive anyway. The chocolate looked no different from the dark chocolate in the 'Minty' variant; as you can see from the picture above it had a very smooth complexion, and had the Terry's logo crafted cleanly into the surface of each segment. In regards to aroma, this product didn't quite have as forthcoming smell as the original milk chocolate variant. The orange wasn't quite as pungent, and the cocoa scents were noticeably quite reserved.

A week or so ago when I reviewed the 'Minty' variant I remarked on how the same recipe 40% dark chocolate was relatively unspectacular. This was rather the same story here, however its more subtle flavours worked better with the orange than it did with the mint. In my book this wasn't dark chocolate as such - it was more like unsweetened milk chocolate ... this had both its good and bad points. On the plus side it meant that I could actually eat more of this in one sitting, which made it slightly the more fulfilling product in comparison to the milk chocolate variant. Another aspect I did really enjoy about the chocolate was the texture, it had a really smooth and thick melt. Unfortunately though it just didn't offer the same tastewise. The taste seemed far too dominated by the orange - don't get me wrong the juicy, fresh flavours of the orange were enjoyable ... it was just I would rather of had more flavour from the chocolate.  The dominance of the orange did mean that after a few segments the taste did become ever so slightly monotomous. 

Overall this wasn't the best of the Terry's Chocolate Orange range, but it was still a pretty satisfying product nonetheless. It was by no means dark chocolate at its finest - I would have loved to have seen the intensity of the cocoa taken up a few notches. I really think that the combination of the divine fruity orange flavours and a really full flavoured dark chocolate would be really something. For those that simply can't take the sweetness of the original milk chocolate, this dark variant is a pretty good alternative, if your expecting a really full flavoured chocolate though you might be left feeling a bit letdown.

8.1 out of 10

December 29th: Lindt Mousse au Chocolat Dark

Kcal 550 Fat 37.0g Carbs 48.0g (per 100.0g)

Having reviwed the absolutely superb Lindt Mousse au Chocolat Milk a few weeks ago, I was really quite excited about trying this 'Dark' variant that Dean-German-Grocery so kindly included in the latest package they sent me. This bar followed much the same premise as the milk variant - formed of dark chocolate with a chocolate mousse filling (36%), it sounded absolutely fantastic.

The bar came in the same 140.0g size as the milk variant. Comparing the two now, in regards to presentation, branding aside, they looked exactly the same apart from the shade of brown being ever so slightly darker on the dark variant. Of course I liked the look of the packaging, but I thought there should have been a few more differences between the two variants. For instance the pictures were nearly exactly the same ... I think something more could have been done to highlight the variations. I had no problem with the bar itself, the outer chocolate was darker in its complexion, which further highlighted the lighter, fluffier looking mousse filling - it looked very appetising. The chocolate smelt pretty enticing; strong cocoa scents emerged as soon as I opened the foil layer - only furthering my anticipation.

I will tell you straight away that I ever so slightly preferred the taste of the milk chocolate variant, I really wouldn't read to much into that though, as this dark variant was still absolutely fantastic. The flavour progression of the milk product was flipped on its head with this dark variant. The taste started off more edgy and intense, and then seemed to smooth out with the mousse filling. The initial flavours of the dark chocolate coating were fantastic. The melt was luxuriously smooth and thick and revealed the lighter mousse filling very seductively and slow. The taste of the outer dark chocolate was straight away very powerful, with the strong cocoa flavours very dominant. As the mouse filling was revealed, the taste became more creamy and sweet. Despite the intensity of the flavours 'tailing off' with the lighter mousse, the longer exposure to the stronger flavoured outer chocolate meant that overall this was the richer of the two variants. This was a highly satisfying bar, with each block leaving a lasting cocoa impression in the mouth.

Overall, just as I hoped this was a hugely enjoyable chocolate that didn't fail to live up to expectations. I can't actually determine an overall preference between the milk or dark variant - I ever so slightly preferred the nature of the flavour progression with the milk variant, though on the other hand I preferred the dark variant as it was the more fulfilling option out of the two. To be honest they are both superb chocolates bars that are worthy of their individual acclaim. From presentation to taste, they are both full round quality products and I would highly recommend either variant.

8.8 out of 10

Fancy trying the Lindt Mousse au Chocolat Dark for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 28th: Ritter Sport Organic Sultanas & Cashew

Kcal 352 Fat 22.3g Fat(sats) 12.7g Carbs 32.0g (per 65.0g)

Dean-German-Grocery recently sent me across these new 'Bio' bars, which are the latest line of innovation from Ritter Sport. This range is formed of four organic options - the first of which I tried today, the Sultanas and Cashew variant. The bar came described as 'organic milk chocolate with cashew nuts (12%) and sultanas (8%)', my initial thoughts were that it was nice to see a fruit and nut combination using a different type of nut to the usual hazelnuts or almonds.

The Bio range differs from the standard Ritter Sport range in that all the bars come in 65.0g packs. I ate this entire bar in one serving - to be honest I thought it was quite an awkward size for a product. The outer packaging looked nice, I thought the wrapper got the organic message of the product over well with its graphical display of the fresh looking nuts and grapes. I was surprised to see the bar still split into sixteen blocks despite its smaller size - this would later prove detrimental to the textures of the product. The smell of the bar was quite enticing, the aroma was a mixture of nutty, cocoa elements - it was pretty indicative of the taste.

The first thing I noticed about this bar was that the milk chocolate was a little stronger in its flavours in comparison to the milk chocolate of the standard Ritter Sport bars. It was still not the most flavoursome of chocolates, but it was noticeably more amplified in its cocoa flavours, and its milky aftertaste seemed to linger that touch longer. In comparison to the standard Ritter Sport Fruit & Nut offering, I thought the textures of this Bio bar suffered due to the size of the blocks. The smaller pieces meant that the cashew nuts were not implemented as largely as they could have been. The nuts still offered a delicious set of nutty, buttery flavours but they lacked the crunch that would have come with them being implemented larger. There were no such problems with the sultanas, they were implemented in much the same fashion as the original and added a delightful sweet, fruity set of flavours as well as a nice extra chewy element to the texture.

Overall this was a very nice fruit and nut offering, though my preference does lie with the original Ritter Sport Whole Hazelnuts & Raisins for a few small reasons. The milk chocolate of this bar was superior, and noticeably more forceful with its cocoa flavours. Unfortunately though the textures of this bar weren't quite up to standard of the aforementioned - the smaller blocks meant the melt of the chocolate was a little bit too fast paced, and the size of the nuts were restricted meaning they didn't quite deliver the desired crunch. Despite these small discrepancies this was still a hugely enjoyable bar of chocolate - definitely one for readers that enjoy their organic produce.

8.3 out of 10

Fancy trying the Ritter Sport Organic Sultanas & Cashew for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 27th: Nestle After Eight

Kcal 31 Fat 0.9 Fat(sats) 0.6 Carbs 4.3g (per thin)

You may recall me way back in July giving the After Eight Bitesize a bit of a tough time (Review HERE). If I recall correctly I simply just didn't like the format of the product, the flavours were delivered in a sickeningly sweet fashion ... it just didn't work. It is surprising it has taken me this long to get around to it, but today I tried After Eight's in their traditional form - 'dark chocolate thin mints - plain chocolates with a peppermint flavoured fondant cream centre'.

I bought these in a rather handy 38.0g box - this might not sound like much, but it actually contained six pieces. The presentation of the product was nice the box incorporated the classical green After Eight theme well, and the mints came presented in branded paper sleeves. What with the chocolates being so thin, there wasn't much scope for design work, despite this I thought the pieces looked sleek anyway. The chocolates were not as minty smelling as I thought they might be, I could detect a hint of peppermint but the smell was quite subtle and more cocoa led.

Though these 'thins' were far more enjoyable than the After Eight Bitesize pieces, they still lacked a little something ... chocolate! The plain chocolate coating was extremely thin and really struggled to create a flavour base of any sort. I guess this was to be expected what with the 'thins' format, but even so it could have been implemented far thicker. The minor flavours it did muster brought a pleasant unsweetened cocoa element to the taste, however these were soon overcome by the dominant peppermint fondant. The mint filling delivered no where near the sickly taste of the Bitesize pieces. Although the sweet peppermint flavours were still strong, the thinner nature of the filling meant that , they avoided being overly harsh. My own real problem with the taste was that because the mint was so dominating it became a little monotonous, these were not chocolates to really be consumed more than three at a time, this made them a pretty unfulfilling product. 

Overall these are a far superior product to the After Eight Bitesize, though for me they are still far from being the great product they could be. I know these are a 'classic' design and have been around since time began, but there is a refinement that needs to be made in the portioning of the chocolate - it simply needs to be far thicker. Doing this would give the chocolate more of a relevance on the taste, as well as balancing the mint centre to a greater degree. For chocolate mint fans these are probably a fair proposition, but for the rest these are nothing really to get excited about. 

7.1 out of 10

December 26th: Terry's Chocolate Orange Cracking Hazelnut

Kcal 136 Fat 7.g Fat(sats) 4.3g Carbs 14.0g (per 3 pieces)

I really have been rattling my way through the Terry's Chocolate Orange range recently. My recent reviews of the Snowball and Minty showed these variants didn't quite live up to the original Terry's Chocolate Orange. Today I was hoping this 'Cracking Hazelnut' flavour would give it a run for its money - comprised of 'milk chocolate flavoured with real orange with hazelnut pieces', it really sounded like a combination that could do just that.

I bought this variant in the 170.0g 'whole orange' form - this did me nicely for four servings. I wasn't too sure about the yellow colouring of the packaging - I don't know what it was but I just don't generally associate hazelnut with that colour - I think a dark brown would have been more appropriate. The product obviously retained its usual appeal with its speherical form, though I wasn't all that impressed by the implementation of the hazelnuts. The hazelnut pieces could be clearly seen studded within the chocolate but they just looked tiny. As with every Terry's Chocolate Orange product the smell was extremely forthcoming, the orange smell was fantastic as ever, but there was no indication of the hazelnut at all. 

To be honest this tasted very little different to the standard Terry's Chocolate Orange. The milk chocolate set up the orange flavour nicely with its sweet and milky taste - its not the best milk chocolate in the world but as ever it complimented the orange flavour nicely. The orange element retained all its usual fresh, zesty flavours, indeed mass consumption does prove the flavours to be a bit monotonous, but as chocolate and orange combinations go very few beat it .... so what are we forgetting here? .... oh yes the hazelnuts. I have already referred to how unimpressive the nut pieces were aesthetically - unfortunately this corresponded in the taste as well. The hazelnut pieces only accounted for 4% of the total ingredients - tastewise they didn't even account for that, I could hardly detect any sort of contribution to the taste whatsoever. Not only were the pieces flavourless but they ruined the texture of the chocolate adding a none to pleasant grainy feel. This was still a relatively enjoyable product, though this was by no part thanks to the 'cracking hazelnut'.  

Overall this was a really hard product to rate as at the end of the day it still tasted pretty good, it was just the added hazelnut was actually detrimental and didn't prove worthwhile in its presence. I am normally not a fan of chopped nuts, but this was product took things to new extremes ... it was more along the lines of powdered nuts. Frankly, implementing the nuts so finely ruined a product of great potential. The hazelnut pieces added nothing to the taste and to an extent even managed to ruin the texture somewhat. Despite all this, some of the original greatness of the Terry's Chocolate Orange was retained - the orange flavouring was still fresh tasting and highly enjoyable in moderation. I would recommend staying clear of this variant, it is a shame but it just doesn't deliver the nutty goodness it should do. 

7.2 out of 10  

December 24th: Lindt Lindor Christmas Bells

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

I know it is a day early but ... Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a grand day full of presents, food, booze and of course a bit of chocolate :) As you will all be aware I have been working my way through a mountain of festive themed chocolate goodies lately - included in which were these Lindt Lindor Christmas Bells. These were basically the standard milk chocolate Lindor truffles, but in festive looking bell shapes. 

I bought these in a 3 for £1 deal in my local OneStop shop. I am not sure how this works out economically, but for £1, three provided a pretty sufficient serving size - I would hazard at guess at them being about the equivalent of four standard Lindor truffles. Each of the chocolates came wrapped in a nice looking red foil wrapper. Beneath, the chocolate included some intricate detail on its surface - including branding and detail of the bell shape. When split in half the product appeared to be well constructed with the truffle filling dispersed evenly. The chocolate had a very familiar smell. It was predominantly milky, but hints of caramel were intermittently present. As I aforementioned, three of these bells provided a very sufficient chocolate fix.

Although I really enjoyed the aesthetic look of the bell shape, I can't say I was its greatest fan when it came to eating the product. It was way to big to eat in one bite, which meant that the pieces had to be handled for a significant amount of time. Anyone who has had a Lindor product before will know how quickly they melt. Though the bells retained many of the wonderful melt in the mouth qualities of the original Lindors, they proved a tad difficult to eat as they melted nearly instantly when handled, which of course was all a bit messy. In regards to taste they were absolutely fantastic. The chocolate had very evident cocoa connotations, though was most prevalent in its rich milk flavours. The fantastic creaminess of the outer chocolate was only surpassed by the inner truffle filling that added an extra buttery impetuous to the taste. 

Overall these Bells retained all the good aspects of the original Lindor milk chocolate truffles, with the added injection of a bit of festive cheer. Although not entirely practical in their shape for eating, this can be excused as they looked fantastic. I am a huge fan of Lindor truffles, and I personally think their melt in the mouth textures are amongst the most luxurious in the market. Chances are you are reading this review after Christmas now, if this is the case I would recommend you keep a look out for these in the inevitable sales, as these are very tasty truffles indeed.

8.5 out of 10

December 23rd: Quality Street

Kcal 456 Fat 19.6g Fat(sats) 11.9g Carbs 66.2g (per 100.0g)

Kcal 157 Fat 6.9g Fat(sats) 3.7g Carbs 22.2g (per 4 sweets)

Quality Street are a huge Christmas time favourite here in the UK, and I expect that a lot of you have been tucking into some form of box/tin from their range this month already. My Christmas reviews simply wouldn't be complete without a review of the Quality Street selection, so being the dedicated and kind guy I am, I picked up a 480.g carton and shared it with a few friends.

I thought the decoration of the outer packaging was good. I thought it avoided being overly complicated with simply just the branding displayed on the traditional purple coloured background. The communication of the colour coding of the wrappers was well displayed on-pack; the wrappers themselves also did a good job keeping the products fresh, with all the chocolates contained within a foil layer.

The range boasted a huge twelve different variants:  

Vanilla Fudge - Pink Wrapper - This variant had a really sweet vanilla essence smell. The chocolate melted at a nice rate to reveal quite a soft fudge centre. The taste was buttery and sweet, and left a lasting vanilla flavour in the mouth. One of my favourites. Very Good. 

Orange Chocolate Crunch - Orange Octagonal Wrapper - I liked the shape of this piece, it fitted nicely in the mouth. The melt of the chocolate was very fast, though I really enjoyed the crispy crystallised pieces at the centre. The orange was a bit artificial tasting, but it still had a relative zesty appeal. Standard.   

Coconut Eclair - Dark Blue Wrapper - Sweet dairy based smell. Very subdued in its coconut flavours, the chocolate seemed lost in the grand scheme of what was a very bland taste. The texture lacked the crunchy appeal of Bounty, and was actually just rather grainy. This one definitely wasn't a favourite. Poor. 

The Green Triangle - Green Triangle Wrapper - This delivered much the same experience as the bigger Green Triangle piece I reviewed a month or so ago. The hazelnut flavours were reasonably well delivered in the slightly softer centre. The nut flavours could have done with being a bit stronger, as the sweetness of the chocolate dominated the taste. Standard.  

Caramel Swirl - Gold Dome - This was a really nice fit in the mouth. The chocolate quickly melted to a point where the piece imploded releasing the inner caramel. The caramel was very well portioned and made for an exceedingly sweet taste. This piece didn't last all that long in the mouth, but it delivered a short, sharp burst of buttery, sweet flavours. Good.

Milk Chocolate Block - Green Rectangle Wrapper - This had a very dairy based aroma. The block was a good size but melted alarmingly fast. The taste was predominantly milky, though I could also detect a small note of hazelnut. This was a very sweet, sugar based milk chocolate that really didn't taste of a high quality. Poor. 

Orange Creme - Orange Block Wrapper - This was a plain chocolate variant that contained an orange fondant centre. The chocolate failed to substantiate any flavour base before the incredibly sweet fondant centre took centre stage. The orange flavouring again tasted very artificial but it at least had a refreshing edge. Standard.   

Toffee Deluxe - Brown Block Wrapper - The chocolate was extremely fast melting and revealed the hard toffee centre very quickly. In comparison to other variants from the mix it was a bit more methodical in its flavours. The buttery sweet taste grew in intensity as the toffee softened, this was one of very few to leave a lasting impression in the mouth. Very Good.

Toffee Penny - Yellow Circular Wrapper - This was the only piece not to contain any form of chocolate. The buttery, sweet flavours of the toffee were even more pronounced than in the variants that also contained chocolate. This is one of the most iconic pieces from the selection, and definitely one of my favourites. Very Good.

Strawberry Delight - Red Circular Wrapper - Although I am actually allergic to Strawberries (the seeds anyway), I risked one of these on the basis I thought they wouldn't contain any real strawberry. Like the Orange Creme, this variant had an outer plain chocolate that failed to generate any sort of flavour base against the terribly sweet, artificial tasting fondant centre. This one was so sweet it gave me that terrible burning sensation at the back of my throat. Awful.

The Purple One - Purple Wrapper - Despite the chocolate being implemented slightly thicker here, it still melted very fast exposing the soft, chewy caramel. The caramel established a pleasant sweet, buttery taste though the flavours soon fizzled out as soon as the caramel left the mouth. At the heart of the piece there was a whole hazelnut. Unfortunately it lacked both the desired crunch and strong nutty taste. Standard.   

Toffee Finger - Gold Finger - This piece followed much the same premise as the Toffee Deluxe, though was a bit more awkward in its shape and had a thinner chocolate layer. The toffee flavours were still delicious, but to be honest it seemed a little silly having this and the Toffee Deluxe - just one of them would have sufficed. Standard.   

Overall, although this was a selection that offered a huge variety of choice, it failed to deliver what its name suggested it had in abundance - quality. The milk chocolate was simply of a poor standard - more often than not it was overly sweet, and failed to establish an enjoyable flavour base for the inner fillings. The fillings really varied in quality - by and large the toffee variants were pleasant, though I thought the strawberry and coconut fillings were pretty terrible to put it mildly. There is no doubting the sheer variety you get with Quality Street, though I personally think the brand is starting to show its age. There is no doubting their nostalgia quality, but I think there are better selection boxes out there now - you need only look as far as the Cadbury Roses, Cadbury Heroes or Celebrations. 

7.3 out of 10

December 23rd: Green & Black's Milk & Spiced Fruit

Kcal 496 Fat 29.0g Carbs 50.0g (per 100.0g)

Last week I reviewed the first of two Green & Black's Christmas limited editions - the Green & Black's Dark & Gingerbread. Having been relatively impressed by that variant it only felt right to review the second Christmas edition, the Milk & Spiced Fruit. On pack This bar was described as 'dried fruits mulled with rum and seasonal spices blended with milk chocolate'. Further inspection of the ingredients showed it contained a whole manner of different fruits: dried apple, lemon peel, orange peel, sultanas and raisins. This combined with the aged Jamaican rum, ginger, cinnamon and chilli made for what sounded like a very exciting mixture. 

As with the Dark & Gingerbread this product came in a 150.0g bar. The outer packaging was nicely presented and gave the impression of being a premium chocolate. I wasn't as impressed with the presentation of the actual chocolate. As you can see in the picture above the blocks were almost impossible to break off cleanly, which was not only mildly annoying, but also made eating this bar quite a messy experience. Despite this problem the sheer wealth of the fruit pieces was highly noticeable in the chocolate, and was really quite tempting. When removed from its foil layer the chocolate had a fantastically forthcoming aroma. The smell was an enticing convergence of alcohol and fragrant spices and reminded me a lot of mulled wine - it certainly provided a good indication of the taste.

In terms of its flavours this was a very busy bar. The milk chocolate was of a 37% recipe and provided a good base chocolate. The chocolate was more notable for its milky, dairy led flavours rather than its cocoa strength. It largely constitued the background of the taste, allowing the added ingredients in the bar too express their flavours fully. The rum flavours were instantly detectable when the chocolate first entered the mouth. It gave the chocolate a slight alcoholic edge, but thankfully avoided  being overly intense or dominating in relation to the other flavours. As the nice smooth melt of the chocolate progressed the fruit pieces were revealed. Each block seemed to provide a different fruity taste - some having more sharp, citrus notes, whilst others adding sweeter flavour bursts. The spices were most detectable in the aftertaste where the ginger and cinnamon spices left lasting complimentary flavours to the fruit. Due to the dense nature of the bar, it proved to be a very fulfilling chocolate. I ended up eating this product over four very satisfying servings. 

Overall this could easily have been a bar branded 'Christmas Pudding Flavoured Chocolate' - as this was exactly how it tasted. The convergence of all the different fruits, rum and spices made for a very enjoyable taste. The chocolate itself wasn't the most spectacular, though it did a good enough job of carrying the added ingriedients. This was certainly one of the fruitiest bars of chocolate I have tasted - it was crammed full of several different fruits, which made the taste extremely variable. If you love your Christmas Pudding then then this would be a bar you would really enjoy, and one that I would certainly recommend.

8.3 out of 10