May 3rd: Lindt Creola Chili

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

This was the last bar from the Lindt Creola range that Dean-German-Grocery sent me in my latest sampling package. Having really enjoyed the other variants from the selection I was looking forward to this 'Chili' offering, which was a bar formed of 'dark chocolate, filled with a dark cocoa creme centre with cocoa bean chips and ground chilli'. Remembering back to the Lindt Excellence Chilli I must say I was expecting good things from this bar.

The product came in a 150.0g size that I ate over the course of a few days. Just as with the other Creola bars the outer packaging had a very artistic look that was complimented well with some fine looking gold font. The chocolate was split into ten huge blocks that each sported a Lindt logo. When cross-sectioned the distinction between the layers was immediately evident, with the darker coloured cocoa bean chips highly visible in the fluffier looking cocoa creme centre. As soon as I broke the foil wrapper seal I was met with an enticing mix of chilli and dark cocoa scents that certainly set the mood nicely.

The bar did not state the strength of the dark chocolate, however I thought it tasted rather like the 50% Lindt recipe which altogether suited the bar nicely. The melt of the outer chocolate was nicely paced with the chocolate melting into a thick liquid that was nicely concentrated in its flavours. The flavours were predominantly cocoa rooted, though still at the same time had a pleasant smooth milkiness that avoided any bitterness. The cocoa creme that lay below was more forceful with its cocoa flavours with notes of coffee and red fruits altogether making for a pleasant, rich tasting truffle centre. This was a chocolate that did a lot of its talking in its aftertaste and this was where both the cocoa bean chips and chilli element really made this bar special. The cocoa bean chips further brought additional chocolaty bursts when crunched, whilst the chilli added a fantastic warm spicy element to the aftertaste. A few bars I have had recently have really placed to much emphasis on the chilli when incorporating it in to the chocolate; in this bar though I thought the balance was just right and it brought a very exciting edge to the aftertaste.

Overall this has to be my favourite chilli flavoured bar of all time and has even surpassed the Lindt Excellence Chilli on the ChocolateMission rating system. The combination of the thick melting outer chocolate, divine truffle centre and wonderful chilli and cocoa bean pieces all combined to deliver a wonderful array of flavours and textures. The balance of each element enabled all of these disparate parts of the bar to contribute to what overall was a delicious, progressive chocolate. If your a fan of chilli and chocolate combinations this is definitely a bar I would recommend you seek out - I promise you won't regret it.

8.8 out of 10

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

May 2nd: Lindt Weisse Chocolade

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

Dean-German-Grocery have sent me some fantastic Lindt white chocolate bars before - see Lindt Excellence White Chocolate Coconut & Stracciatella. Given the enjoyment I got from both of those I was expecting good things from this plain Lindt White Chocolate bar. A direct translation of the on pack description promised that this bar was 'Extra Tender' so I was certainly expecting a smooth taste.

This bar could came in a 100.0g size. Unfortunately the packaging on the bar I recieved was slightly damaged so I had to nick the picture above from the Dean-German-Grocery site - I still thought however that the bar had a sophisticated look which I think is normally quite hard to pull off with white chocolate products as the colours used tend to be lighter in colour. The chocolate itself looked relatively nice but I was disappointed that the blocks were so small in size as it meant that the product was a little fiddly. As the product was contained within a foil layer the aroma was well sustained with some vanilla hints evident in the dominant dairy smell.

Just as with the other Lindt white chocolate bars I mentioned earlier the texture of the melt was just as wonderfully smooth and certainly delivered the promise of the chocolate being 'extra tender'. The chocolate transformed from its solid state into a nice thick liquid on the tongue with a pleasurable smoothness. Whilst I was enjoying the texture immensely I can't say I was getting as much satisfaction from the taste. Normally I ridicule white chocolate for being too sugar based but it was completely the opposite here. The flavours were frankly pretty mild - the cream and vanilla elements that were evident were delicious, but unfortunately just a little meagre and failed to create the impression I was really hoping they would. I ate this chocolate 50.0g at a time and didn't find it as fulfilling as many other white chocolate alternatives I have had.

Overall reading this review back it seems like I have come down pretty hard on this bar but I think this is more down to being an anticlimax rather than it being a poor product. The textures were divine and had a wonderful smoothness. The taste however was unfortunately not quite as luxurious and just lacked the impetuous that I was seeking. I think this chocolate is one that is suited well to complimenting another flavour enhancer - there is already evidence of that in both the previously Lindt Excellence white chocolate bars. Although I wouldn't go overboard recommending this bar I would say if your a white chocolate fan but find too many of the market offerings overly sweet and sugary this could be worth a look at.

7.6 out of 10

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May 2nd: Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Hazelnut

Kcal 230 Fat 15.0g Fat(sats) 7.0g Carbs 23.0g (per 43.0g - 4 pieces)

Over the past few weeks thanks to *IShop4YouII* I have been sampling some Ghirardelli products. Their Luxe Milk range contains Almond, Duet, Crisp (as reviewed by Cybele) and Hazelnut variants - the last of which I reviewed today. The bar on pack was described as 'milk chocolate with roasted hazelnuts' and was manufactured in California, USA.

I ate the 85.0g bar over the course of two separate sittings. The product was well presented with the white packaging cutting a classy and sophisticated look with its gold coloured fonts. The chocolate also looked very appetising with each block sporting an intricately imprinted Ghirardelli logo. The hazelnut pieces were evident both aesthetically and through the aroma emanating from the bar. The pieces looked well portioned and this told in the smell where a strong, appetising nutty influence was very evident amongst some sweet chocolaty scents.

Just as I found with the other milk chocolate Ghirardelli products I have reviewed the taste was really quite sweet. The chocolate was very American tasting with its powdered milk like taste. It was undoubtedly creamy, but just had too much of a sweetness for my liking, and could have done with a little more emphasis on the cocoa. That said the product had some lovely textures with the melt of the chocolate being soft and thick whilst leaving the well sized hazelnut pieces in its wake. The hazelnuts were really full of flavour and produced some fantastic roasted, savoury influences that contrasted well with the sweet milk chocolate. The hazelnuts were not only tasty, but also had a nice fresh crunchy appeal.

Overall this was a nice milk chocolate and hazelnut combination, however it wasn't quite up to the standards of some of the better bars in this congested field e.g. Ritter Sport Milk Whole Hazelnuts. The chocolate for me was just a little on the sweet side and I would have preferred a chocolate with more of a sophisticated taste to compliment the very flavoursome hazelnuts. This was undoubtedly an enjoyable bar of chocolate, though as I have said this chocolate/hazelnut part of the market is a very competitive one and I would have to say there are slightly better options out there.

8.1 out of 10

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May 1st: Ritter Sport Advocaat (Eierlikor)

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

Today I am reviewing my 30th product from the Ritter Sport range, and it is a bar that I haven't seen reviewed on any other site. This Ritter Sport Advocaat variant was part of the spring collection sent to me by Dean-German-Grocery, and was simply formed of a 'advocaat truffle filling with a milk chocolate coating'. My experiences with Advocaat are admittedly pretty limited, though I have to be known to indulge in a few 'Snowballs' (Advocaat and lemonade) during recent Christmas periods. For those unaware Advocaat is a liqueur that is formed of mostly eggs and brandy (See HERE).

This was a bar from the standard Ritter Sport range so it of course came in the usual 100.0g size. The yellow colouring of the wrapper seemed relevant to the flavour theme, whilst I thought the cream coloured filling at the centre of each block gave the chocolate a very appetising look. As with most Ritter Sport products the bar was kept in immaculate condition by the well fitted plastic wrapper. The tight preservation also meant that the aroma of the bar was nicely maintained; it was certainly not the strongest smelling chocolate ever, but some sweet cocoa scents did emit.

I am forever remarking that Ritter Sport chocolate on its own isn't the greatest and that it is normally the fillings that make so many of their bars great. Indeed the chocolate here again proved to be sound, yet unspectacular. The quite familiar milky and mild cocoa flavours were established early in the taste and were delivered nicely with a smooth, thick melt. Despite being portioned as generously as most Ritter fillings (35.0%) the Advocaat truffle filling unfortunately failed in establishing the level of incremental flavours I was hoping for. In comparison to other variants from the Ritter Sport range the cream based flavours of the filling tasted a little mellow and just failed to grab my taste buds with any meaningful flavours. In between the creamy flavours there were signs of the brandy coming through but on the whole it really failed to create much excitement. The culmination of the standard chocolate and uninspiring Advocaat truffle filling left me feeling quite unsatisfied.

Overall I am sure you will be able to tell by now that this was one of the poorer of the 30 Ritter Sport products I have tried. As I have said many a time Ritter Sport chocolate needs to be complimented well by the central flavour of the bar. When this is not the case as with this Advocaat Truffle bar the result is obviously never going to be an overly positive one. With most reviews you may have noticed that I can generally find at least a few clusters of people I can recommend the product to, unfortunately this just isn't the case with this one. This was far from being a poor tasting bar, but given the standard of the rest of the range you would be better off looking elsewhere.

6.8 out of 10

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May 1st: Marks & Spencer Chocolate Chip Shortbread

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

I know, I know this isn't the usual sort of review you get on Chocolate Mission, but having spent the majority of last year eating one of these for brekkie as I ran through M&S on my way to work I couldn't help but pick one up today to give it a review. As you will be able to see by the packaging these are freshly made in the M&S bakery, and are simply formed of shortbread biscuit with chocolate chips, dusted with a sprinkle of white sugar.

As I said above I used to commonly buy one of these before work in the morning for the rather small price of 59p. Anyone who has been into a M&S that has a bakery will know that they are one of those cheeky retailers that waft out the delicious smells from their ovens into the main store ... the shortbread piece I ate for this review smelt absolutely divine with a fresh biscuity aroma. Aesthetically it wasn't the most inspiring of products ever, but the chocolate chips were well dispersed, and the white sugar added interest. 

So how to describe the taste?? ... luxurious in nearly every sense would probably do it justice. The shortbread base was wonderfully balanced with both influences of a sweet and salty nature. The butter taste was predominant throughout, and substantiated a real moreishness to each bite. As mentioned the shortbread was of a good quality with the sweet brown sugar flavours nicely complimented by a touch of saltiness. The chocolate chips were nicely sized, and exerted just about the right amount of chocolaty influence on the biscuit. I really enjoyed the more milky flavours that the chocolate brought to the taste, but saying that I think dark chocolate chips could potentially bring something extra special. To be honest I did brush off a large degree of the white sugar dusting, as I thought the taste was already sweet enough ... it must be said though the sticking of the white sugar to the fingers did make it a bit of fun to eat. 

Overall this has to be one of my favourite products you can get from M&S. I keep saying that 'I am not the biggest biscuit fan' ... but I am beginning to disbelieve this myself given how much I love this shortbread. This is a product that combines a good quality biscuit with a wonderful chocolate influence. Next time your passing through M&S I insist you treat yourself to one of these. I promise you won't regret it!

8.7 out of 10  

April 30th: Mikado Milk Chocolate

Kcal 11 Fat 0.5g Fat(sats) 0.3g Carbs 1.5g (per 2.3g biscuit)

During the past week I have received over twenty requests for me to review this product so I have jumped it right to the front of the review queue. Over the past few weeks I have been lucky enough to try some of Glico's Pocky range from Japan and was surprised to find that Glico had released a product right on my very own doorstep in collaboration with Kraft Foods. These Mikado have actually been in my local Tesco for a good few months, though it was only recently that Kraft rolled out their promotional material in form of a rather hilarious advert (See HERE). Mikado is a pretty simple product and constitutes of 'thin biscuit sticks coated in milk chocolate', today I decided to see what all the fuss was about. 

I am aware that the bigger Mikado packs are actually available for 59p in Tescos at the moment, however when I got there they were all sold out and had to settle for a more expensive 39.0g pack from my local Co-Op. I immediately liked the clear and friendly aesthetics of the packaging and liked the way the central red circle and white background grounded the product in its Japanese heritage. Inside the box the sticks were kept within a foil package that not only seemed to maintain the sticks in fabulous condition, but also made sure that the sweet biscuity scents smelt exceedingly fresh and tempting.

The first thing I noticed about the sticks was that the milk chocolate actually looked a lot thicker that I thought it would be. As well as looking more tempting it also tasted a whole lot better than I expected and really delivered some fine creamy, cocoa flavours with its wonderfully smooth taste. The chocolate was not only stronger in flavour than I expected but also had a very pleasant thick silky feel as it melted from the biscuit. The chocolate was not the only element that I was resoundingly pleased with. The biscuit sticks were also surprisingly flavoursome with some honey and butter notes very evident within the dominant sweet wheaty flavours. My only criticism of this product is the fact that it was so ridiculously moreish that the 39.0g pack felt woefully inadequate. Indeed they are low in calories and a good option for those in need of a chocolate hit on a diet, however it is certainly not a snack that provides a great deal of fulfillment.

Overall I would say that Glico have produced a fabulous product here and it is little surprise that the Mikado brand is causing such a buzz. The product delivers a wonderful chocolate and biscuit combination with its own incredibly moreish nature providing its only real negative. If you have been unsure on whether to invest in some Pocky from Japan then I would recommend these as a good basis to judge whether the brand is for you. As you can probably ascertain from this review this was a product that I very much enjoyed and will definitely be buying again in the near future. If chocolate biscuits are your thing then there are no excuses for you not to try these.

8.3 out of 10

 

April 29th: Hershey's Thingamajig

Kcal 220 Fat 13.0g Fat(sats) 9.0g Carbs 25.0g

Having read Cybele's fantastic review of the Hershey's Thingamajig (See HERE), when offered the chance to sample it for myself by Yankee Soda & Candy I was never going to let this Limited Edition slip me by. The Thingamajig is a spin off from the Hershey's Watchamacallit - a bar I reviewed rather amateurishly way back in January 2008 (See HERE). According to Cybele the caramel layer from the Watchamacallit is now gone - there certainly wasn't one included in the Thingamajig. The difference between the two bars came in the rice crispies cereal with the rice in the Thingamajig being cocoa flavoured. The construction of the rest of the bar remained the same in that it contained a peanut butter layer and was coated in milk chocolate.

Like many Limited Editions in America this bar was slightly smaller than the standard Watchamacallit and weighed 42.0g. Other reviews I have read have remarked that the presentation of the product isn't up to much, though I would disagree and say it was better than your average. I thought the brand name was very suitable, whilst the wrapper displayed the theme and content of the bar well with its striking fonts and appropriate red background. The bar itself didn't look half shabby either; the cross-section revealed the peanut butter to be rather plentiful and the complexion of the chocolate appeared unblemished despite the large number of air miles. I must say I also enjoyed the aroma of the product. The peanut element came very much to the fore here, and the roasted nutty scents made for a very enticing smell.

Although I have only tried the Whatchamacallit a few times I knew its taste well enough to come to the conclusion that things were not all the different here. The milk chocolate coating was unspectacular and despite admittedly providing the desired chocolate flavour hit it just seemed a little simple with its predominantly weak milky flavours. The differentiation with this bar was supposed to come in the form of its cocoa flavour crispies - frankly I didn't perceive there to be too much difference. The additional cocoa flavours were mild to say the least and did little to create a meaningful impact on the overall taste. That said the cereal did seem to have an extra crispness due to the loss of the moist caramel. Personally I thought this wasn't a bad thing as it gave the creamy and salty peanut butter layer more of say in terms of impact on the taste. The 42.0g provided a nice snack though I was kinda wishing it was that little bit larger after eating it.

Overall at the heart of the matter this was still a nice candy bar, though by my reckoning it was a little bit of a disappointment as it didn't offer that much more than the Watchamacallit. I thought the loss of the caramel might be detrimental on the product, however when it came to it I actually liked the drier crunchy texture this allowed for. The cocoa flavour cereal was in reality very little different to the standard rice, though I did get a little extra flavour from the peanut butter element and enjoyed the mix of the sweet and salty flavours. I wouldn't say this is a 'must try' Limited Edition but I would recommend it to fans of chocolate and peanut butter combinations.

7.6 out of 10

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April 28th: Kit Kat Chunky White / Peanut Butter

Although all my recent Kit Kat experiences have come from Japan, Dean-German-Grocery this week reminded me that they indeed have a few exclusive Kit Kat products of their own over in Germany. One of these comes in the form of the Kit Kat Chunky White - a bar that replaces the traditional milk chocolate coating with a healthy dose of white chocolate. As well as sending me this exclusive White variant Dean-German-Grocery so kindly also sent across some 'Peanut Butter' Kit Kat Chunkys. Although I reviewed this bar way back in February last year (See HERE for amateurish review!), I thought it would be rude not to do a comparative review between our UK manufactured bar and the German one.

Below are my thoughts on each of the two bars:

Kit Kat Chunky White:

Kcal 264 Fat 14.5g Carbs 29.6g (per 48.0g bar)

This bar came in a 48.0g size that certainly didn't hold back in terms of its calorie and fat content - its lucky that this was one very fulfilling snack.

The packaging was all rather neat with the traditional 'Chunky' style foil wrapper replicated with just a white theme incorporated. Although a pain to get a decent picture of (sorry!!), the bar itself looked mightily impressive and I liked the way the milk chocolate interspersed in the wafer contrasted with the pale coloured coating.

The smell had a very enticing sweet dairy focus which followed through into the taste. The white chocolate reminded me very much so of the Nestle Die Weisse bar in that its flavours were very sweet, but had a very moreish milky mellowness about them. The white chocolate melted a lovely rate and with a nice smoothness to reveal the crisp wafer that lay below. The creme sandwiched in between the wafer brought some very pleasant stronger milk chocolate elements to the taste, which delivered a very nice additional chocolate hit to the standard wheat flavours.

Overall I am really quite bemused why this bar is not available in the UK as it certainly maintains the same level of quality exemplified by the rest of the Kit Kat Chunky range. The white chocolate standard is pretty good and if you are familiar with the Nestle Die Weisse or Milkybar brands you will largely know what to expect. This is a bar that I would definitely have again and on this basis I would very much recommend it.

8.5 out of 10

Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter:

Kcal 269 Fat 16.0g Carbs 27.0g (per 50.0g bar)

The Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter that we get here in the UK is a bar that I often frequent if I have an urge for a chocolate and peanut butter combination. Due to this I thought it only fair that I compare the bar we get here, and the bar available in Germany ... any excuse eh!? :)

I will be honest with you now ... I noticed very little differences between the two products ... if any! The bar came in the same 50.0g form and contained exactly the same nutritional information. One difference that I am guessing you guys have all spotted already was with the packaging - as you can see above the German product was colored in a darker shade of yellow which was quite the contrast compared to the more vivid yellow on the UK bar. Personally I didn't have any preference and thought they both looked good in their own unique ways.

As soon as I opened the wrapper things got all rather familiar. Some very familiar and tempting roasted peanut scents emerged from the German bar filling me with a great anticipation. In regards to taste the differences were virtually non existent. The milk chocolate was of the same quality in that it wasn't the greatest ever but still did the job of delivering the all important chocolate hit to proceedings. This bar was of course all about the peanut butter and although I thought the German bar was slightly saltier the overall variance was very little. The same creamy, sweet flavour influences from the chocolate and wafer elements were wonderfully complimented by the salty, buttery flavours of the smooth filling, culminating in a taste that as rich as it was tasty.

Overall I still stand by my review of a year ago in that the peanut butter in this bar is very good, but just isn't as good as the one found in Reese's products. Admittedly this is somewhat made up for by the better quality chocolate - which still makes this a firm favourite of mine. As I have described here I wouldn't get too caught up in trying yourself to see if there is any variation in our UK bar or the German one ... in truth there are minimal differences. If your after a readily available dose of chocolate and peanut butter though you can do very little wrong here.

8.5 out of 10

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April 28th: Nestle Treasures Renew Dark Chocolate Truffle

Kcal 220 Fat 16.0g Fat(sats) 10.0g Carbs 23.0g (per 43.0g)

Before I start my own reviews I always try to take a look at what other people have had to say about the product. For this Nestle Treasures Bar however this wasn't actually possible ... I couldn't find another single review!? It seems *IShop4YouII* have sent me a rather rare product ... or so the lack of Internet reviews suggests. Why the product is named 'Renew' I simply don't know!? On the pack it came described as 'dark chocolate truffle with a creamy filling and crunchy cocoa bits'.

The bar came in a 85.0g size that suggested it be served in two portions. I ate one 'portion' ... but errr never got round to eating the other ... I think you can tell where this is all going :) In regards to the product aesthetics it was all rather sound. I wasn't overly sure on the product claiming it was 'a natural source of antioxidants', though any product coming out of the US at present that has the words 'dark chocolate' on it seems to be clambering on this bandwagon. The blocks were divided up relatively well with each sporting a Nestle logo. Despite nuts not being mentioned anywhere in the ingredients list the bar had a nutty, hazelnut smell ... I was both confused and a little worried at this point.

To be frank I got very little enjoyment from this chocolate. The bar was simply extremely reserved in the release of its flavours. Only at the latter stages of the melt did any flavours worth mentioning really develop. This all wasn't helped by the fact that the texture of the chocolate was waxy, oily, ridiculously slow to melt and with no distinction between the supposed outer and inner truffle layers. To be frank at times it felt like I had a flavourless lump in my mouth ... it really struggled that much. The flavours when they did develop offered very little other than a curious weak, musty, cooking chocolate like taste. The only chocolaty bursts came from the 'roasted cocoa bean' pieces that lingered amongst centre of each block. These delivered some cocoa flavours, though left a bitter aftertaste in the mouth. The lack of flavour and poor textures culminated to what was a very unsatisfying chocolate.

Overall I am coming to the conclusion that other people who ate this product may well have just not bothered writing reviews on the basis that the chocolate didn't deserve it. I must say it has been quite the challenge writing a review on a chocolate that offered little in terms of flavours. This is a bar that I would frankly discourage you from buying - its not the worst chocolate I have ever tasted but it was at the same time bad enough for half of it to get binned. I have a few more bars from this Nestle Treasure range to come ... surely things can only get better!?

4.6 out of 10

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April 27th: Hersheys Mounds

Kcal 230 Fat 13.0g Fat(sats) 10.0g Carbs 29.0g

A week or so a go I gave Hersheys' Almond Joy bar a review and came to the conclusion that it was actually superior to the Bounty bar that we get here in the UK. Well along with the Almond Joy Yankee Soda & Candy were kind enough to include this Hersheys Mounds for me to sample. The Mounds bar is pretty much the same as the Almond Joy, though is covered in dark chocolate and doesn't have the almond nuts placed ontop ... basically it is Hershey's take on the Bounty Dark.

One thing I couldn't help but notice with this bar was the huge amount of saturated fat that it included. 10.0g constitutes for 50% of an adults GDA ... would you really expect this much from just a single 49.0g chocolate bar!? Despite the high nutritional values I thought the presentation was pretty good. Compared to the Bounty Dark the coconut did not appear as white or fluffy though I still thought it looked particularly appetising and liked the fact the two pieces were protected by a cardboard sleeve. The aroma of the product was nothing particularly exciting though some relative cocoa scents could be detected once the wrapper was open.

The ingredients list described the chocolate as semi-sweet, however by reckoning I would more describe it as semi-flavoured. It was frankly pretty disappointing and way too reserved in its flavours. The melt was smooth though didn't have the desired thickness which certainly didn't help the quite meagre flavours that it substantiated. The flavours that were present were mostly detectable in the aftertaste where some somewhat mild cocoa flavours at least exerted some sort of chocolate element to the taste. Despite the disappointing chocolate the middle coconut was really quite exquisite. Just like the Almond Joy it had a dense, moist texture that certainly helped the nutty milk flavours have a long sustaining impact on the taste. I ate the whole 49.0g all in one sitting as just half would certainly have not fulfilled my hunger.

Overall this is probably a product you wont want to frequent too often ... well not if you want to eat yourself to an early grave whilst eating a bar where there is a superior alternative. Although the dark chocolate on the Bounty Dark is hardly among the best going it is still superior to the quite flavourless chocolate implemented on this Hersheys Mounds. Although the coconut element was an awful lot better and thoroughly enjoyable, If I was to choose a coconut based Hersheys product I would go for the Almond Joy everytime. A case of nearly but not quite for Hersheys and this bar.

7.5 out of 10

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April 27th: Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Soft Oaties Oat & Chocolate Chip

Kcal 181 Fat 8.0g Fat(sats) 3.0g Carbs 24.0g

This was a product I randomly picked up in my University library vending machine ... Yes I was in the library, a student actually working whatever next!? For one reason or another I was actually feeling rather inclined for a cookie like product - described on pack as a 'oat, wheat and chocolate chip cookie' this seemed an option to satisfy this craving.

The product came in a single piece form and weighed in at 40.0g. The packaging was nothing special, though the combination of the matted outer material and inner foil ensured freshness. Aesthetically the cookie looked pretty large though nothing really made it stand out in any shape or form ... this was really just a chocolate chip cookie with oats. Opening the packet I was met with a very weird sweet smell. It had a cakey manner about it, though it also smelt quite oddly fruity ... people who have had Nutri-Grain bars will know the aroma I am talking about. 

This was a product that whilst I was consuming I really couldn't make up my mind whether I was enjoying it or not ... after the experience I would unfortunately say a little more the latter. The texture was very odd for a product billed as a cookie. It was not hard or crunchy in any manner, but was more a halfway house between a flapjack and cake ... frankly it came across as a mildly soggy biscuit. The oats and wheat elements made for pleasant enough cereal based background flavours, though this was somewhat dominated by a lingering syrupy sweetness that was obviously delivering the moistness in the texture. The sweetness was at times overbearing and not particularly welcome. The chocolate chips actually delivered nice enough chocolate flavour bursts, they could of perhaps of done with a few more but the amount present was sufficient enough. The rather stodgy texture made this quite a filling a product, however the sweet taste made it partially hard to eat in its entirety. 

Overall I think at the heart of this product there were some nice ideas, however Kellogg's spoilt them by including a syrup type substance that came at detriment to both the resulting taste and texture. When I assign scores to products I deeply consider whether I would a) recommend it to others? and b) would I have it again myself? Despite this not being an awful product in any sense the answer to both the previous would be a straight 'no'. Kellogg's have a few refinements to make with this one.

6.4 out of 10 

April 26th: Lindt Mousse au Chocolat Zimt

Kcal 570.0g Fat 39.0g Carbs 50.0g (per 100.0g)

Last Christmas thanks to Dean-German-Grocery I got the opportunity to review a lot of bars from Germany that incorporated cinnamon as a flavour enhancer. It seems that Christmas isn't the only period where it is used, as in my latest package DGG included this Lindt Mousse au Chocolat Zimt bar - a product combining 'milk chocolate with a chocolate and cinnamon flavoured mousse centre'. Having already enjoyed the 'Milk' and 'Dark' variants in the range I was expecting good things.

Staying consistent with the previously mentioned 'Milk' and 'Dark' bars this 'Zimt' offering came in a 140.0g form and was presented with a real touch of class. The cinnamon flavour of the bar was communicated well with some small cinnamon stick illustrations on the front of the pack. I am not quite sure what the additional golden coloured stars were for? Maybe this was a seasonal bar after all!? As with the other variants the chocolate was beautifully crafted with the Lindt logo cleanly moulded into each nicely sized block. Piercing the foil wrapper I was immediately met with a very striking smell. It had obvious spice elements, though it had a strong sweetness about it ... to be honest it wasn't all that enticing and smelt more like an incense candle than an appetising chocolate aroma.

The smell of the bar was really indicative of the taste, which altogether didn't reflect all that well on the chocolate. Despite the layering of the outer chocolate and mousse centre providing some superb contrastive textures, when it came to flavours there was nothing different whatsoever. The product as a whole had a very one dimensional taste that to be honest proved to be very monotonous. The cinnamon element was very strong indeed, and took precedence over every other flavour influence in the bar. As well dominating the cream, hazelnut and cocoa flavours the cinnamon element also had an artificial like sweetness to it. Personally I just didn't really enjoy the flavour that much - it was just a little too much and didn't allow the other characteristics of the bar to 'come to the party'.

Overall this was on the whole a pretty big disappointment considering the other bars from the range managed to score very high 8.8's on the ChocolateMission scale. The score for this bar would have been a lot lower had it not been for the excellent presentation and texture variances; the taste was just really quite disappointing, which made for a pretty unsatisfying bar. Unless you completely love your cinnamon flavoured chocolate I would suggest your best avoiding this variant and choosing another from this fine range.

7.1 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!!

April 25th: Milka Loffel Ei Egg

Kcal 570 Fat 37.0g Carbs 52.0g (per 100.0g)

Easter is long gone now but this didn't stop Dean-German-Grocery sending me some of Milka's finest products for the season. The single serving egg market is one that is full of different offerings ranging from the traditional Cadbury Creme Egg to the more diverse Nestle Smarties Shaker Egg. Suffice to say I have reviewed a great number of them over the course of the last two years, though I have to admit todays Milka offering blew most of them completely out the water. Formed of 'milk chocolate with a milk creme filling' it certainly looked like a product with a lot of potential.

As you can see above this was one uniquely presented proposition. The product came in a traditional carton box and contained four 34.0g eggs each foil wrapped. Personally I thought this presentation style was utterly fantastic, and combined both nice aesthetic looks with an utterly fun concept. When split open the eggs appeared to have thick milk chocolate shells and a generous white fluffy centre. In addition to the fantastic presentation the aroma that emanated from each egg was suitably dairy led with atempting hint of nut.

In the carton a spoon was included to eat each egg but I much preferred using my hands. The milk chocolate that surrounded the filling was the normal Milka Alpine Milk and delivered its creamy, hazelnut noted flavours with its usual awesome thick melt. The real treat with this product though was the absolutely heavenly milk creme fillings. I was expecting a very light textured mousse but what I actually encountered was a far thicker dense whipped cream. It tasted absolutely delicious with the cream and vanilla flavours providing some divine, long lasting flavours. The filling was sweet yet was more notable for its rich dairy flavours which made a single egg an extremely satisfying experience.

Overall I never thought the day would come where I would rank an egg higher than the Cadbury Creme but this Milka Loffel Ei definitely deserves it. This egg combined a wonderful exterior chocolate with a really quite luxurious inner milk creme that oozed both flavour and a wonderfully smooth texture. If you like your Milka products then this is simply a must try - it is probably one of my favourite offerings of theirs I have ever reviewed. I have pushed this post right to the front of the review queue as I am not sure how much longer these will be around for. I strongly suggest having a pop over to Dean-German-Grocery if you fancy trying them.

9.0 out of 10

Head to Dean-German-Grocery for all your German Candy & Grocery needs

April 25th: Niederegger Marzipan Rum & Walnut / Espresso

I have to thank ChocolateMission reader Phil for making this review possible - he so kindly bought these bars from his local shop in Newcastle. Ever since trying the delicious original Niederegger Marzipan bar I been looking to get hold of some of their flavoured marzipan variants. Well thanks to Phil this became a possibility; and he sent across two different Niederegger variants the 'Espresso' and the 'Rum and Walnut'. 

Both of these bars came in a different format to the tried, tested and liked 'loaf' bar, and came in a long fingers that were split into six blocks. Although the pieces still contained a nice amount of detail with the Niederegger logos, I wasn't all that taken by the long, thin bar format. For starters the blocks weren't that easy to break off, which actually made splitting them up quite messy. 

My thoughts on how they both tasted are below:

Niederegger Marzipan Rum & Walnut: 

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

Unlike any other Niederegger bar I have tried so far this one actually implemented the marzipan within a milk chocolate coating. The product emanated a very obvious alcohol element in its aroma that I thought smelt particularly strong.

The rum smell was very indicative of the taste, and despite it only constituting 1.3% of the total bar it was very dominant. The milk chocolate base was all but brushed aside in the grand scheme of things, though it added a degree of additional sweetness. The marzipan more acted like a sponge for the rum and it had a noticeably more moist texture than any other Niederegger variant I have tried. The very small walnut, almond and hazelnut pieces did bring a slight nuttiness, though they largely figured in the aftertaste. As I have said the rum was indeed quite strong, and unfortunately not all that great tasting. It was sweet, yet sharp and to be honest just tasted like a cheap liqueur.

Overall this was a disappointment, with the rum element having an overstated presence. Not only did it ruin the taste, it also partially negated the texture of the marzipan as it gave it a rather soggy feel in the mouth. This isn't a variant I would really recommend.

6.6 out of 10

Niederegger Marzipan Espresso:

 

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

Given my love for both coffee and Niederegger marzipan this surely had to be a match made in heaven!? The additional coffee element was immediately evident from the smell and was very apparent between the sweet, nutty scents.

The dark chocolate was its usual unspectacular self, though it did lay some foundation cocoa flavours from which the coffee and marzipan elements built on nicely. After the initial unsweetened chocolate flavour base was established the coffee was next evident in taste. It was just about the right strength and despite its espresso billing wasn't overly imposing. Unlike the texture of Rum & Walnut the marzipan retained its firm, crumbly texture with the delicious buttery, nut flavours following the coffee hit soon after. 

Overall the combination of the coffee and marzipan was balanced nicely and definitely complimented each other well. I would love to try this implemented in the 'loaf' format as I think it would have been delivered that little bit better had the pieces not been so small. If you like coffee and marzipan this is definitely a product you should be looking out for.

8.3 out of 10