Tag: Candy

REVIEW: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Waffle Cone Pieces Bar

Brandon 10 Comments

With a legacy spanning approximately 500 years—give or take a few centuries—one would assume that Hershey has produced more than a fair amount of limited editions in the history of its iconic chocolate bar. And that assumption, like the fact that I am prone to gross exaggeration with regard to time, would be true.

While we all know—and to varying degrees love— the standard deviations (Cookies ‘n’ Creme, “with almonds,” and Symphony), do you recall Cookies ‘n’ Chocolate, Cookies ’n’ Mint, Strawberries ’n’ Creme, Raspberries ’n’ Creme, or any of the Twosomes (Reese’s Pieces, Whoppers, and Heath)? Me either! But if you’re like me—hankering for some pieces of stuff in your chocolate bar— the good folks from Pennsylvania are here for us.

About this new treat, Hershey’s website says, “Extra creamy milk chocolate and crunchy waffle cone pieces all in one bar? Who says you can’t have it all?” And then 181 more words about this candy bar. Seriously. 181! It’s a dessert-tation, really. I felt myself nodding off midway through.

Was the candy bar enough to awaken both me AND my tastebuds? Sadly, it was not.

Everyone has had a Hershey bar, so I won’t spend any time describing that. It’s a pretty straightforward American version of chocolate that few outside of the States can stand, and even snootier American chocolate connoisseurs find off-putting at best.

So the real variable here is the pieces of waffle cone. And the verdict? They add texture, but that’s about it. They seemingly do nothing in terms of taste— likely because the pieces are so small. I found myself wondering, what’s the point here? I mean, waffle cones are incredible, and I like Hershey Bars. While the combination should be a win-win, there’s just not enough substance here for it to be anything other than “ho-hum.” It’s a chocolate bar, which makes it consumable, but beyond that, it’s pretty pointless.

Maybe next time Hershey will do something a little more inventive than Chocolate ’n’ Waffle Cone. Until then, I suppose I’ll just remain Bored ‘n’ Disappointed.

Purchased Price: $2.49
Size: 2.5 oz bar (King Size)
Purchased at: Hy-Vee
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 pack) 170 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup

Julie Leave a comment

Reese’s is still following an ooey-gooey train of thought.

Succeeding last year’s Caramel Big Cup, the brand’s new Chocolate Lava Big Cup takes its inspiration from decadent desserts with molten chocolate centers. Available in standard or King-size packages, the candy pairs classic Reese’s peanut butter with a layer of chocolate-y filling at the base. You get all the satisfaction of watching chocolate flood from your dessert without paying restaurant prices.

Luckily, the chocolate isn’t thin enough to totally drain the Big Cup, filling the wrapper with liquid chocolate like the world’s flimsiest, sweetest shot glass. Still, when I cut into my Chocolate Lava Big Cup, I had to hurry. Mine had already sprung a slight leak at the edge, and while the chocolate doesn’t “flood,” it certainly runs. (Just like I did in the store when I saw those guys who try to get you to switch your cell carrier. This isn’t a joke; I dropped my chocolate as I fled. I am to blame for the damaged Big Cup. Although the chocolate walls and base of the cup are thin, do not blame the chocolate engineers for my mess.)

The chocolate lava is a sticky, syrupy chocolate filling that oozes from the cup. In theory, it reminds me of the syrup you stir into boring milk to make chocolate milk or the drizzle some restaurants use in copious amounts to make desserts look fancier.

Unlike either of those syrups, though, the Reese’s chocolate lava filling just doesn’t have very much flavor. It is sweet, but not terribly sweet. It isn’t fudgy. It isn’t dark or bitter. The flavor is like sweetened cocoa, but the chocolate lava’s texture has a greater effect on the cup than the taste does. The chocolate’s gooeyness lends the Big Cup a kind of messy luxuriousness that’s more about the eating experience than the overall flavor.

The Reese’s peanut butter filling is sublime, as usual, but it overshadows the chocolate filling in both volume and flavor. I said the same thing about the Caramel Big Cup, but that product’s guest-starring ingredient tasted great independent of its context. The lava here isn’t flavorful enough to complement the peanut butter or stand (or ooze, as the case may be) on its own two feet.

While the Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup makes a fun eating experience for anyone who likes a little extra gooeyness in their desserts, it wasn’t a showstopper for me.

Purchased Price: $2.28
Size: 2.8 oz (79 g) King Size package
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 cup) 190 calories, 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Hershey’s Ice Cream Shoppe Bars

Julie 5 Comments

When I learned that Hershey’s Ice Cream Shoppe bars would be available in stores for the first time, I felt an anticipatory thrill as though I’d heard the ice cream truck’s song growing ever closer. Rather than search manically for cash and sprint down the block lest those punk neighbor kid snag the last SpongeBob Squarepants-shaped Popsicle, I just had to stalk Walgreens for a few weeks.

Previously available only at Hershey’s Chocolate World or the online Hershey’s store, the available flavors—Strawberries ‘N’ Creme, Cookies ‘N’ Mint, and Salted Caramel—can be found at Walgreens’ front registers through summer’s end. Since they will be available for a very limited time, I’ll cut to the chase: my stalking efforts were worth it.

Each bar consists of a white creme base, flavored like its respective ice cream inspiration, with a crunchy mix-in. They are sectioned into triangles, each imprinted with an ice cream cone shape, which adds a much-appreciated touch of thematic whimsy. Each bar has a certain creamy, rich, vanilla-tinged essence that characterizes ice cream while delivering a full flavor that isn’t too sweet.

First, I tried Strawberries ‘N’ Creme, which consists of strawberry-flavored creme and strawberry-flavored flakes. I don’t always love berry-flavored creme, which can sometimes have an artificial flavor or off-putting tang, but this pretty pink bar gets it just right. The balance of strawberry and vanilla flavors replicates the taste of strawberry ice cream almost perfectly. The “flakes” are tiny, crispy, and dense with realistic strawberry flavor. Their texture is something like a wee sugar sprinkle, but the flavor ensures that they are more than just decoration.

Cookies ‘N’ Mint is mint-flavored white creme with crunchy chocolate cookie pieces. (It is also not to be confused with the identically-named, now-discontinued milk chocolate variety, for which I would commit unspeakable crimes to have back on shelves.) I love chocolate and mint in any form, so this bar was a delicious homage to one of my favorite ice cream flavors. The mint is strong (a few notches below Peppermint Patty filling), but there is still a hint of vanilla. Sometimes, the mint hides the chocolate flavor of the cookie pieces. The crunchy pieces are so plentiful, though, that it is hard to notice.

Last, the Salted Caramel variety includes salted caramel-flavored creme with toffee pieces. The creme here is just as delicious as the others, but it has a buttery, nutty quality that reminds me more of butter pecan ice cream than salted caramel. Paired with the creaminess of the confection, there aren’t enough sweet-and-salty punches to make the bar taste true to its intended flavor. The toffee pieces add the heartiest crunch of all varieties but don’t offer a contrast in flavor. I’d classify Salted Caramel as the least successful of the bunch, but I still enjoyed it enough to buy another bar.

The Hershey’s Ice Cream Shoppe bars are a delicious limited offering, deserving of a trip to Walgreens with a “The cone is melting!” kind of urgency. If you can’t find them in person, at least two will remain available online. While the Salted Caramel bar is not available through the Hershey’s store as of this writing, you can find three additional varieties there: Birthday Cake, Cotton Candy, and Chocolate Hazelnut.

Hershey, if you’re reading, there is enough room at the Walgreens’ register for a few more flavors. I’ll take a scoop of each!

Purchased Price: $1.50 each
Size: 1.38 oz (39 g) bar
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Strawberries ‘N’ Creme), 9 out of 10 (Cookies ‘N’ Mint), 8 out of 10 (Salted Caramel)
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) Strawberries ‘N’ Creme – 210 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Cookies ‘N’ Mint – 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Salted Caramel – 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Werewolf Tracks Peanut Butter Cups

Mark 6 Comments

To prepare for this review of Reese’s Werewolf Tracks, I tried to immerse myself in lycanthropy to try to figure out what on earth this new candy has to do with werewolves. I watched The Wolf Man (1941) and listened to various werewolf songs. But I still can’t figure it out.

It’s just an ordinary Reese’s, except that the top is vanilla-flavored white creme. So here are the possibilities I have come up with:

  • Some wolves are white and some wolves are brown.
  • The round, white top looks like a full moon with jagged edges.
  • If a werewolf leaves a track in the dirt, it might fill up with water, which turns white when it freezes.

Questionable Halloween connection aside, how are they?

Eaten directly, the peanut butter cup does not taste all that different from a regular Reese’s cup. Vanilla-flavored creme just doesn’t impart that much flavor.

When I nibble the top off to try to isolate the creme, it just tastes like the white confection you can find in countless other candies. Nothing about it reminds me of actual vanilla.

I also should add that this is not the first time Reese’s has made a similar candy. It did the Franken-Cup, which had green-colored creme, and the Easter-themed Mallow-Top, which had a marshmallow-flavored top. And really, what even is marshmallow flavor? Green-colored creme, marshmallow-flavored creme, and vanilla-flavored creme don’t seem all that different from each other. This is just a boring candy.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a top-tier confection, and if this were a brand-new treat, I would give it 10/10 based on taste alone. But this is simply a variation on a classic, and it’s just not that interesting or special.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 9.35 oz bag
Purchased at: Dick’s Market
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pieces) 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar including 14 grams of added sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sour Patch Kids Snapple and Swedish Fish Snapple Fruit Flavor Mixes

Marvo Leave a comment

Having only Snapple-flavored Sour Patch Kids would’ve been impressive, but the folks at Mondelez also showed Sour Patch Kids’ less sour fishy friends, Swedish Fish, some Snapple-flavor love. Both packs feature the same three Snapple flavors — Strawberry Kiwi, Fruit Punch, and Mango Madness.

Disclosure: I enjoy Sour Patch Kids more than Swedish Fish.

Let’s start with Strawberry Kiwi (the pink one). The Swedish Fish version had a nondescript fruitiness that made it hard to convince me it was strawberry or kiwi-flavored. But that wasn’t the case with the Sour Patch Kids, thanks to the sour crystals. They kind of acted like salt in that they helped enhance the flavors, and their sourness made the taste more convincing because strawberries and kiwi can be tart. The Swedish Fish one wasn’t a complete fail. After all, sugar is sugar, but after tasting them, I found myself preferring to fish out the other two varieties.

The Fruit Punch Swedish Fish (the red one) had a taste that was instantly recognizable as the sweet red beverage. My taste buds picked up on more of a tropical fruit vibe with the Swedish Fish. But, again, the flavors stood out more with the Sour Patch Kids due to the sour crystals. While I still noticed tropical fruits, the sour sprinkles made my mouth taste more cherry. Both ended up being my second favorite in the packs.

Finally, we have Mango Madness (the orange one), my favorite in both mixes. However, that might have been influenced by the actual fruit being top-tier to me. But, unlike the two above, I slightly prefer the Swedish Fish version more than the Sour Patch Kids one. Maybe because they taste truer with them being sour. But sour mango, not so much. So, having that tang there was different and kind of took away from the mango flavor. But again, both are my favorites in their respective packs.

Both Snapple mixes are great, but, not surprisingly, probably due to my bias, I prefer the Sour Patch Kids one. But for you, I guess deciding which one to pick up depends on whether you’re Team Sour Patch Kids or Team Swedish Fish.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.02 oz (Sour Patch Kids), 8.04 (Swedish Fish)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Sour Patch Kids), 7 out of 10 (Swedish Fish)
Nutrition Facts: Sour Patch Kids (12 pieces) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 23 grams of sugar (including 23 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein. Swedish Fish (5 pieces) 110 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar (including 22 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.